It was a cloudy night when the little boy first heard a fox’s screech.
Woken from his sleep, the boy pulled the curtain apart to see where that noise came from. It was something that the boy had never heard of. Then there it was, next to the garden wooden fence, a shadow shivering in the dark. The screech continued and the boy, nervous from the slightly unpleasant sound, tried to discern the dark profile.
Some cars drove by on the main road, a few flesh of light leaked into the space where the fence sat. Immediately, the boy made out a small body with heavy tail and big pointed ears. As the light swept across the building wall, the fox caught sight of the boy too and jerked. It stared for a second or two, then quickly turned and disappeared.
On the next day at school, the boy wandered on his own during playtime, mumbling his number game. He was about to turn from the school tree when a fox came out from behind. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 fox. The boy stood still, startled. The image of last night’s encounter flashed past his mind.
“So you discovered my secret.” The fox said coldly.
“What do you mean..?”
“I lost it after running away, you must have taken it.”
“I don’t know what you are saying.”
The fox held his breath, hesitated, then replied in a low voice almost like a hissing.
“My. Saucer.”
“Saucer?…the ‘magic flying saucer’?”
“You knew! You knew! Give me back now!”
Its front legs gave a nervous jump while trying to keep his voice down.
The boy looked puzzled.
“I didn’t take anything last night, but I thought that was MY secret — the magic saucer. I’ve only told my mummy about it, do you actually have it?” He already forgot about the fox’s request, his face lit up.
Now the fox did not expect this answer, tears of frustration came to his eyes. He only wanted his precious object back, but this boy started to claim he has the same secret.
The bell rang, so it was time to head back. The boy gave the fox another curious look and turned away. He had so much to ask and felt sorry for the fox. Anxious, the fox shrinked his furry body behind the tree as his young mind raced a hundred miles.
01.03.24
