Ch. 2 "The Old Soul"

A Story by exotic flotsam

A story about understanding altruism from a child.

If most of us would fairly resign to the inevitable, then not so for her. She had to free him from his lonely end . Lyly could not hide her sorrow. She wanted to and must, save this tiny insignificant squirrel. Surely, she could do something. Tasty treats seemed a good thing to her sweet mind. As if a strawberry could help. No words felt right.

She said nothing. Like hers, our minds too I believe, would silently race through any and all ideas. I saw Lyly's lower lip and chin quiver. That look. That look cuts to a soul’s core. Injustice witnessed or endured caused a visible, unstoppable physical reaction in her heart. Yet, she is stronger than any of us. Our reality was that this doomed creature would die under the summer sun. So hot. Merciless.

Lyly insisted, if possible, that she might gently spirit the squirrel into shade, from its hell’s scorching hot needle death bed. She had something she could do, nothing was certain to her. But I knew. I felt emotionally dehydrated. I'd never before seen such a drama. Lyly's silent assurance enshrouded us all. All of us, including those who were not there. Nature takes no sides, and didn’t with this squirrel. Nature comforted me anyway, awestruck and effete, through Lyly, again, silently.