A Hundred Acre Charge
M.C. Deltat
Chapter 6: No More Pretending
I caught myself before I crashed into the ground – only just. As I groggily attempted to climb back onto my feet, still vaguely dazed, I launched a question into the air. "Who said that? Where are you?" I managed to get back onto the rock, before I was given an answer.
The source of said answer, as it turned out, came from Pooh. "Owl?" A shocked Pooh asked. "Where are you?"
My brain ticked a few seconds before I recalled the reason we came here - we were looking for Owl, right? I slowly got off the rock, only to rotate around erratically as I attempted to place the bird. "Owl?" I joined Pooh in the search. "Are you nearby? We can't see you."
"Yes, hello Christopher Robin." Owl said … from somewhere. "I must say, dreadfully sorry about the situation you found yourself in. Must have been quite regrettable to have been in such a dilemma, trapped between loyalty and diligence. Personally, I think anyone but the most astute would have fallen for that peril." He rambled on.
I fell slack back onto the boulder, a position I only just realized I had taken, before shaking my mind out of the dull roar that was Owl's voice. "What are you talking about?" I asked. "Wait…" I added before Owl could continue. "Nevermind. Where are you?" I asked again. Despite Pooh and I searching, we still hadn't found him.
"Why, my friend," Owl chuckled "right above your very noses."
I tilted my head up, only to be rewarded with a truly comical sight. Just above us, in the eye of clear space surrounded by the trees of the grove, there was Owl completely entangled in a cavalcade of massive party balloons.
"When did you get here?" Pooh, fingers on his nose, asked the question of the moment.
The balloons connected to his person vibrated with his amusement as he spoke. "Oh, I've been here the entire time."
"You mean since we entered the grove?" I asked.
"Indeed" Owl nodded. Well, what part of his head that wasn't entangled in balloon twine attempted to nod anyway. "I've been here the entire time."
I wish I had a mirror. I could feel the dumbfounded look on my face, one that I probably haven't had since I was very young…. Then again, I haven't been here since I was young, so I figure that made sense. "Why didn't you say anything?" I asked. "We came here looking for you, Pooh and I." I nodded to the Bear.
"It would have been excessively rude to interrupt you in the middle of recounting such a riveting tale." Owl indignantly explained.
I deeply exhaled, probably louder than needed, and fiercely attempted to rub the agitation from my face. I must have given the action a good-natured go, because Pooh decided to talk in the meanwhile.
"How have you been doing Owl?" Pooh asked. "I see you have the balloons ready for the beach party."
"Ooohhhoo, I have indeed." Owl affirmed. "As you can no doubt see, I have requisitioned a truly flamboyant selection."
Now, Pooh looked dazed. I sighed, before looking back to Owl. "Are you coming down at some point."
"No can do." Owl quickly chirped.
I waited a few seconds for owl to add more. He didn't. "Are you going to tell us why?"
"Is it not immediately clear and obvious." Owl huffed. "I can't get down."
"You are a bird." I chided, only slightly in annoyance. "Just fly yourself right down."
"Watch your tone." Owl huffed. "I am not a bird. I am an owl. Exceedingly different things. Quite frankly, I cannot even fathom how you might have made that mistake."
"An owl is a type of bird." I hissed.
"More of this slander." Owl said. "I know what an Owl is, child." He gritted.
I waved my hands over my body. "And I am not a boy, but an adult man." I shot back.
"Call yourself whatever you so wish." Owl replied. "But please refer to me by the correct species." He paused for a moment before adding, "Or by my actual name."
I could feel my head shaking. "So…Owl?" I carefully bit out.
"Indeed." Owl smiled a wide smile.
I spun away, looking back at that faithful rock on the ground. I didn't want to say anything harsh. After a few quick calming breathes, I pivoted back. I continued my own line of questioning, before Owl could sneak say anything else irritating. "Please Owl, why cannot come down? How is it that you are stuck?"
"See, it was but a few moments ago." Owl began his tale. "There was this fierce torrent in the skies, one that unluckily occurred simultaneously with my flight. Regrettably, the winds launched me, along with my balloons, in all sorts of directions. I valiantly tried to resist it, but alas my wings faltered." Owl sighed. "I was soon bound into a ridiculous set of knots. Yet somehow, these very same balloons provided enough to support me here in the sky."
"Why are you talking like that?" I asked.
"I surely don't know what you are talking about." Owl replied.
"Right…" I snarked. I pulled up my hand, using the fingers to count off as I spoke. "So, you are stuck in the balloon … mess, I suppose, and said balloons are keeping you up in the sky. However, since your wings are tied up, the balloons are also preventing you from crashing into the ground." I brought my hand back down. "Is that accurate?"
"I couldn't say so better myself." Owl chirped.
I chuckled. "I believe that." I turned towards the trees to take in the situation. When Tigger was stuck in the air, it had just been in a tree; climbing up was enough to solve that. Here though, well, the grove wasn't nearly as dense as the forest had been. Owl was hovering in open air, far away from any tree branch. We could wait for the wind to return, although I was unsure if owl being slammed into the tree, was the better solution.
This was going to be a problem.
"Is it the balloons preventing your flight or the rope?" I shouted up.
"Not quite in the position to judge, I'm afraid." Owl answered as he contently hovered above.
I bent down, sorting through the various pebbles covering the grove. I was searching for flat, rounded rocks, ones without jaded or irregular edges. "Try, just for me." I requested.
"Well, give me a moment." Owl struggled. "Uh, wait… maybe…okay." He finally exclaimed. "I am believe the rope is held taut only by the tension caused by the balloons. Were the balloons to pop, I am fairly sure I would be fine."
"Fantastic" I said. I had found enough rocks. I stood back up, cocking my arm back.
"What are you doing." Owl asked. "Please don't tell me you are just going to throw rocks at me."
"Don't worry," I replied. "I won't hit you." I carefully aimed high so as to hit the balloons hovering gently in the sky.
"That isn't the concern." Owl laughed. "Not even close. Its just…"
"Don't worry about it." I launched the rock, full power into the sky. Any excitement I might have had quickly faded as the rock failed to even make it halfway before its ascent transitioned over into a decline.
"Hahahaha" Owl laughed still. "As I was about to say, there is not a chance you were going to make it."
"Whaat" I muttered, dazed. I looked down at my hand. Why couldn't I make it? I was so sure that I could. Was I not strong enough?
Was I ever?
"Quite the situation we find ourselves in, I must say." Owl pondered. "Say, Pooh."
Pooh's ears wiggled as his friend called him. "Yes Owl." He had largely been in his own world up till now, thinking about whatever Pooh thinks about in his off time. Probably honey.
"I am loathe to request this, as it would render moot my addition to the party." Owl rambled. "But, by any chance, do you remember to bring what I requested you bring."
"Oh!" Pooh's face brightened. "Yes, I did."
My face scowled. What was it that Pooh was told to bring? If I strained, I could just barely remember a conversation when I had first arrived, but so much had happened since then, it had been pushed out of my mind. I instead turned to look at Pooh, who was struggling to pull something out of… well honestly, I don't really know where he kept things. That, I preferred not to think too much about.
"Oh dear, where did it go?" Pooh muttered. His hands pat all over his pudgy yellow body – all pudgy and yellow. After a few moments, he cheered in succuss, raising the object in question to the air.
"A slingshot?" I asked. Yes, thinking about it, I could almost remember it. When I first arrived, Pooh mentioned Owl requested it. Huh. I watched Pooh, waiting for him to pick up a rock, and have a go. Yet, instead, he just stood there. "Well Pooh, are you going to do it?"
"Uh, I don't think I could" Pooh nervously replied as he stared at the toy in his hands. Then suddenly, in a burst of movement, Pooh turned towards me. He shoved the thing into my face. "Can you do it please?" he asked. "I am sure you could do it so much better than I."
"I, well, I don't know if I can be…" I hesitated. Throwing a rock by hand was one thing, but using a slingshot? I could do some serious damage if my aim is off. I could even… I could even… "Please, I think you should do it."
"Nonsense friend." Owl commanded. "I have the utmost faith in you Christopher Robin."
"That is very nice to hear," I held a hand up, "but I assure you, I wouldn't be useful. I can't remember the last time I even held a slingshot, let along used one." I shrugged. "I might have never used one at all, for all I know. I am just not the right person for this."
Owl scoffed. "No problem, I assure you. Just listen to my advice. I shall judge you expertly."
I nervously shuffled side to side, my gaze shifting from Owl to Pooh, then back. They both had the same determined look on their face: one of complete trust. I suppose Owl didn't know what I had grown into, but Pooh had seen everything. I had been but a step away from ruining it all. "If you are sure," I slowly whimpered. "I guess I can try."
"No problem. As I said, listen to my advice and follow it exactly." Owl chirped. "You hear me, no deviations."
"I promise." I nodded.
"Alright." Owl coughed. "Alright, are you paying attention?"
"Uh," I firmly gripped the slingshot. As I familiarized myself with the wooden feel of the thing, I glanced at Pooh. He had wandered off from his spot at my side. "Pooh, where are you going?"
"I am tired." He waddled over to that boulder at the center of the grove, the one I had sat upon. "I'll sit on this thing. It looked comfortable when you were on it."
I watched as the yellow bear carefully grasped at the boulder's cracks. Slowly, but surely, he pulled himself on top of the massive rock. He then wriggled around, doing his best to find a good spot.
"CHRISTOPHER ROBIN!" Owl shouted.
That shook me away from looking at Pooh. "Yes?" I dumbly asked.
"Are you paying attention." He asked for the third time.
I had the self-awareness to look abashed. I subtly lowered my head before whimpering in the affirmative.
"Good. Now please take your position." Owl commanded, still floating as he was. Honestly, his tone didn't really match with the ridiculous position he found himself in. His aura of bright, festive balloons juxtaposition by the deep dark sky was quite the look. If anything, easy to know what I was to aim at.
"Will do." I listened. I put one leg out in the front, while shooting my other out to the side. Then I held my hand out, aiming the gap between the sticks just above the balloons. I was about to bring my hand up to pull back the strap, to practice before using an actual rock, but then a shout interrupted me yet again.
"No no no." Owl shouted. "You are prodigiously mistaken in your form." Owl sighed, loudly. "I can see you that you weren't being humble in your assertation. You have no idea what you are doing."
Wait what? That had been a lie. I definitely knew how to properly aim a projective. "What do you mean?" I asked.
"Did you not suppose that something had to go into the cradle before launching?" Owl asked. "What were you planning on popping these balloons with?"
"I mean, that was just a practice …" I stuttered out. I was dimly aware of my posture falling into a deep slouch as Owl yelled.
"Silence. I was not yet finished." Owl "You form is completely wrong. So completely and utterly wrong, I am insulted by the very concept. How had I never seen this before? I promise you, I would have corrected it, were I only to have seen it before, in a less critical situation."
"Eh, what?" I was confused. I brought the slingshot down, as my other hand went up to scratch a rather persistence itch on my noggin. "What should I be doing instead?"
"He can be taught!" Owl cheered. "Listen. Legs out, parallel in a straight line, say roughly a meter apart from each other."
That couldn't be right. "Are you sure? I would have no stabili…" I tried.
"Definitely." Owl assured. "Legs out… good." He said as he watched me take the rather unstable posture.
"This doesn't feel very good." I tried commenting.
"Hush" Owl interrupted. "You collected a number of rocks, yes?" Upon seeing me nod, he continued. "Take the most erratic rock out of the bunch. The breaks in the stone will create vortices in the air, assuring it a path most true."
I shrugged, selecting out a rock. I put it dead center into the strap.
"Yet again, you take the wrong path." Owl sighed. "Don't move so quickly. Follow my advice to the letter, as I give it; not a single pace further." He took a deep breath, a task most probably annoying, what with how the balloons wrapped around him. So tantalizingly close to his beak, but each shift of his head, seemed to pivot the rubber away. "Put the pebble into the strap so that it favors the very top corner."
Confused, I put the rock right at the top. This couldn't be right. It looked like the rock would fall out the moment I released the strap. Owl ignored my puzzlement, if he could even tell I was puzzled.
"Fantastic. Now, hold out the rubber in front of your central body mass, so that the gap is right between of your eyes. Holding arm must be bent at a 45-degree angle, while the free hand gasps the rubber. "
I felt stupid. I followed his advice to the letter, and it felt ridiculous. I would be lucky if I didn't smash myself in the face with the slingshot or rock, let alone helping Owl get free. Owl persisted still though, despite my stature.
"Now, grasp the pebble," Owl continued. "Hold it firmly so that it doesn't drop before ready. Pull you hand back so that your knuckles touch your nose. If you think you are still off, adjust by pivoting the small of your back."
This had to be wrong. Scratch that. There is no way this was correct. I rotated, doing my best to aim, despite the horrible setup Owl had forced upon me. Sigh, I didn't want to be rude. I aimed the slingshot above the balloons, somehow despite my hand blocking a decent chunk of my view. I did my best calm my heartbeat down, aiming to release the rock in time with my pulse.
"Wait, you are aiming too high!" Owl suddenly shouted. I looked away from my aimed spot, only to see Owl focusing really intently on my projected trajectory. Or at least, what he thought would be the projected trajectory. "Lower the slingshot! You are going to pop the rock right over the balloons! That won't do any good, no it won't."
"But, the weight of the rock will cause drop. I have to take that into account…" I tried to explain.
"Lower!" Owl yelled, ignoring me yet again. "Lower and fire!"
"AAHHHHHH!" I shouted as I let my grip go. I had lowered the slingshot somewhat, and as expected, the pebble went far lower. The pebble that left the slingshot could have been at risk of hitting the bird, but due to Owl's weird style, I was so far off course, that I doubt Owl could even see it. I couldn't either for that matter. It quickly disappeared into the distance, only to cease its flight in a high pitched thunk as it hit the ground.
"No issue Christopher." Owl assured me, in what he thought was a consoling tone. It wasn't. "No one gets it on their first try." He paused for a moment, deep in thought. His eyes seemed to click in amusement, before he added as an afterthought, "Well, except for me, I suppose. But not everyone is as well read as I am." He shook his head. "No matter. Try again. Same form as before."
"But…" I tried, valiantly yet again.
"Same Form." Owl insisted. "Trust me. Same form with a couple more goes, and you will figure it out quick as you like."
Being confrontational didn't seem the best move, so I decided to go with it. What followed was an agonizing ten minutes in which not a single rock was, even in the vaguest sense of the definition, close. Miss. Miss. Miss. Rock after rock, each one completely evaded the bright halo in the sky, raising my frustration and blood pressure with each additional thunk.
"Do not let you spirit falter my good friend." Owl eventually said. He had been watching for that entire ten minutes, saying nothing more except for when he felt the need to be patronizing. "You own lack of skill can be amended. Just trust in the system, and you too can become as good as I am at slingshoting."
I couldn't take it anymore. I roared into the sky. "IT ISNT ME THAT IS THE PROBLEM! IT IS YOUR GARBAGE ADVICE." I almost threw the slingshot onto the ground, but stopped just before I did. This wasn't mine; it was Pooh's.
"This technique has been passed by masters for centuries." Owl claimed. "Don't take out your frustrations and lack of ability on the ancient styles perfected by masters from days of yore."
"Let me tell you something about your 'masters'" I began. But before I could continue, another person decided to interrupt; one who had been silent for most of the time.
"Christopher Robin." Pooh said from the side.
I turned my head away from Owl, happy to look at something else. There Pooh was, still lying on top of that boulder, calm as you like. It looked almost serene, the yellow bear resting on the moss-enraptured boulder in the middle of this grove. "Yes, Pooh?" I made sure to modulate my voice. Pooh hadn't done anything after all.
"Do you truly believe what you say?" Pooh asked.
"Of course," I scoffed. There wasn't a single doubt in my heart.
Pooh sat up straight, before rotating so as to look straight upon me. "Why did you say you didn't know how to use a slingshot then?" He asked.
"Well I…" I hesitated. "I merely forgot" That was a good enough excuse. "Yes, I do believe I didn't remember. Using it once more, well, I seem to have jogged my memory. I remember now."
Pooh nodded judiciously. "Great. Do what you think best then."
"I will" I rotated back. I completely abandoned Owl's trash form, re-establishing the L my body was in before.
"Wait a second. That won't work" Owl shouted. I ignored him. "That won't work." He repeated. "You need to follow my advice." He shouted uselessly into the darkness for that was all that bothered to listen.
I grabbed the most round, most sphere-like, pebble I had and put it dead center into the cradle. I licked the tip of my thumb and index finger before rubbing them together in anticipation. I grasped at the rock, through the sling, firmly but not overly so. I pivoted my body, bringing my dominant left arm out, locking it in place in front of my body. Turning the rest of my body to the side, I used my free hand to pull the sling, until the back of my hand gently touched my cheek. Then, using both eyes, I aimed a little above the balloon to take account for the bullet drop.
I breathed deeply. In and out, In and out. I counted my pulse. On the third tick… I released the sling.
I missed.
"Ha!" Owl cheered. "I told you!" He seemed a little too enthusiastic about that fact. "Abandon this foolish direction and re-adopt my masterful one. I assure you, there will be success."
I ignored him. I had missed, but I had been far closer than before. I could see the barest hint of a ruffled feather on Owl's wing. I had underestimated the drop. Fortunately, Owl, consumed as he was with gloated, hadn't fully noticed.
"Go on." Pooh said behind me. "There is nothing wrong with missing. Just with giving up. Have another go."
I grabbed another rock. Yet as I reset my form, an insidious thought wormed its way into the forefront of my head. I had been very close to hitting Owl in a very real, very painful way. Despite myself, I faltered. My hand released its hold on the sling, letting the pebble drop uselessly onto the floor. Did I really want to risk Owl's safety like this? Was my pride worth it? At the very least, if I went along with Owl's advice, I would have an excuse if something went wrong. Maybe…
"Christopher." Pooh said.
I shook in shock as I felt his paw on my back. How had he snuck so close to me, so quietly?
"You once said to me," Pooh began, "You once said the most inspiring thing."
I dumbly nodded.
"Do you know what it was?" Pooh asked, as he returned his paw to his side.
I frowned. "No." I answered.
Pooh bent down to pick up the rock. Once he got it, he stood back up, eyeline locked onto mine. He then spoke firmly and clearly. "You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and stronger than you think." Pooh said. "You once said it to me; I now say it to you." Pooh paused speaking as he put the rock back into my free hand. "And do you know what, Christopher Robin?"
"What?" I asked. I could feel him closing my hand around the rock. He felt warm, comforting. The feeling was almost like home, reminding me of happier days long ago.
"I believe that with every bit of my being." Pooh asserted. "Now please, try it again."
I nodded. I reset once more, fixing my legs which had unconsciously begun to revert to Owl's advice once the doubt creeped in. I took a little longer to aim this time, adjusting into a more extreme angle to account for the drop.
Beat… Beat… Beat… Beat… Beat…
As soon as the fifth heartbeat came, I released the pebble. I couldn't see its path, dark as it was, but I knew in my heart that it had flown true. Indeed, my conviction was not met with brutal disappointment, as my ears were soon gifted with the pleasant sound of a balloon pop.
"Hahaha!" I let a hearty, boisterous laugh into the darkness.
"I say!" Owl cheered as his gaze shifted from the balloons to his right wing. As he shifted it, he said, "I feel like my wings freed up a tad." He looked at me before adding more to his comment. "Do that again."
That continued my laughter still. "Won't even apologize for being wrong. No matter." I looked to Pooh, who had a look of pride invade his face. That made me feel good. As fast as I could, I fired pebble after pebble into the sky. I didn't hit with perfect accuracy, but never was I close to hitting Owl. Eventually, my persistence was rewarded.
"Woow," Owl hooted. He suddenly dropped as the balloons could no longer support his weight. Quickly though, he seemed to free himself of the entangled mess of balloons. His great wings began to flap powerfully, retaking command of his body away from gravity. "I have control again!" He cheered as he flew into increasing impressive maneuvers. He spun, he flipped, he dipped. It was all very inspiring stuff. He eventually settled down, hovering down to a position just above Pooh and I. As he flew above us, he bowed his head at me. "I am graciously thankful for your assistance, for I fear I never would have freed myself."
I decided to be gracious myself. "Don't mention it." I replied. "It was my pleasure."
Owl nodded at me. "Thank you none-the-less." He then turned to Pooh. "However my friend, this situation seemed to result in your despair." He made a show of looking at the balloons on the ground. "I am afraid that I do not have more of those. The party will be forced to survive without them."
"As long as you are there," Pooh began, "That is all that matters."
Owl smiled. "You couldn't stop me!" He hooted. "I will see you there." He used a talon to point north, opposite the direction we had entered the grove from. "It is but a few paces in that direction." He began to flap more aggressively, rapidly ascending into the deep, dark sky. "I will see you there!"
Before we could say anything in response, Owl was long gone. I laughed. "Owl seems…:" I began.
"Leave the slingshot here." Pooh ordered, interrupted my statement. "Owl will clean it up along with the balloons."
"Uh, okay? Sure, I guess." I replied, confused. That was weirdly intense tone for Pooh. I haven't heard anything quite that serious from him before.
"We have collected all that needed to be collected, experienced everything that needed to be experienced. We can finally get to the beach." Pooh firmly said, before pacing towards the direction Owl had pointed to.
I was dumbfounded. I ran after him. It took a surprising amount of effort since Pooh was going shockingly fast. He didn't slow down when I caught up either. "Is everything alright Pooh? You are sorta acting strange."
"We. Are. Running. Out. Of. Time." Pooh bit out, in-between of harsh breathes, as he paced forward. "We must make it soon."
"Oh," I said. "That makes sense." As I followed Pooh, I momentarily turned around to the space that Owl once occupied, before returning my gaze forward. We had just entered the trees encircling the grove. As he crossed that woody ring, I decided to fill the air. "Owl was…"
"Stop."
I was really getting sick of being interrupted. Before I could voice that displeasure, Pooh said his piece.
"Owl is the same as always was. I can confirm it. Unlike the others, he didn't have some great collapse, or fall. He is the same bookowl as he always was." Pooh jabbed.
"Pooh, you are scaring me." I muttered. This was not at all how Pooh had acted before. For this entire day, Pooh had been as I remembered him, cuddly and lovable.
We had just stepped out of the trees, faced with, what I assumed, was the last hill before we finally got to the beach. Before beginning his climb up however, Pooh about faced. Firmly, he commanded me. "Where did you run Christopher. What did you do after that night?"
"What?" I asked. I tried lowering my head to look anywhere other than at Pooh.
He brought both hands up to my shoulders to correct my posture. He made me look straight at him. I noticed things I haven't noticed for the entirety of today. His fur was faded in places. His eyes had less of a shine and he seemed to have a few bald spots. Nothing immediately noticeable, but still, they implied age.
"It wasn't my fault." The words escaped my mouth before my brain could temper them.
Pooh sighed. "Nothing is ever your fault." He released me, before continuing his way up the hill. He had to be careful climbing over rocks, so as to not slip, but he managed well enough.
"It wasn't!" I repeated, shame discarded. "I did what I was told." I followed Pooh, carefully climbing the hill right after him.
Pooh shook his head. I didn't want to believe it could be in disappointment; it had to be something else. "Where did you go Christopher? Please tell me what you did." He asked again, but this time softer.
I swallowed, audibly. This was a weirdly intense line of questioning, one that I very much wanted to avoid. I knew it would be wise to tread carefully with my wording. Yet still, as I felt the hard soil of the hill against my bare hands, I just couldn't find the energy in my heart. "You have to understand," I eventually whispered out. "The over-tuning would have happened regardless of my input. My superior was set on getting the job done, with or without me." I paused to cough. "Even if I refused to help, even if I explained why it wouldn't have worked long term, I suspect the end result would have been the same."
"You suspect?" Pooh asked. "So much easier to assume you did all that you could; to absolve yourself of any blame." Pooh grunted as he heaved up over a large piece of cobble. "Much easier to think back on it, to say that you did everything within your power."
"You don't get it" I said. "You couldn't possibly get it. The environment I was forced to live in, it was something much more difficu… Hey!" I shouted as a rock rolled down the hill over my hand. After inspecting the, now red, back of my palm, I looked up at Pooh. He had momentarily stopped, and was looking back at me.
"Sorry." Pooh quipped. "That rock was always meant to fall. I couldn't do anything to stop it." He turned his face back around, restarting his climb.
I scowled. "Anyway," I groaned, "The damage was only a symptom of the problem, the setup to the actual problem."
"What could have been scarier than all that you have already said?" Pooh asked.
Suddenly, all my anger fizzled away. The image of a man took precedence within my mind. "My dad… I was scared to see my dad the next morning."
"What?" Now Pooh sounded confused. "He wouldn't be happy that you survived such an accident?"
I sighed. "Maybe…. I don't know." I shook my head. "I wasn't thinking clearly when it all happened." I stopped in place for a moment. "I suppose I never thought clearly." I exhaled. "There was but one theme in my head, after it all happened. It wasn't relief, nor anger, nor shame. It was fear."
"Well, that makes sense." Pooh answered. "You and the other would no doubt have to answer for your actions once morning came."
"No, not fear of that." I disagreed. "It was fear of disappointment. I was afraid of what my dad would think." I wiped some sweat away from my forehead, leaving behind a muddy track. "My whole life is a failure. Thinking back, that is the only consistency I can truly claim. School, relationships, career… nothing competent. A failure of this magnitude, well, it would be a capstone to the monument of failure that was my life."
"What did you do?" Pooh asked again.
"I wasn't thinking clearly." I began to explain. "All that fear that I had been bottling up, it just exploded out. I had to get away." I quickened my climbing pace a bit, so that I could be next to Pooh. "You keep asking me where I went, what I did. The truth is that I didn't have a plan. I just wanted to disappear, to not be there, to be anywhere else." I shrugged. "I just turned away and ran. I ran for so long. I ran until the soles of my shoes went ragged and my lungs struggled to breath."
"And what did you find once you reached the end?" Pooh asked, face to face. He turned back forward before adding, "We are almost to the top."
"Recruiting." I answered. "I found a recruiting station to join the conflict; you know the one I told you about earlier."
"I thought your father warned you against that."
I scoffed. "What is another snowflake to an avalanche? I didn't think I had any more options. This way, I could be taken away, far away."
"And if you never came back?" Pooh asked.
"Anything to get away Pooh. Anything to hide." I answered. "Anything to let this terrible life be over." I whispered to myself. I frowned.
"Do you think your Dad would have been okay with that?" Pooh grunted as he finally pulled himself onto the summit of the hill.
"I had been paying attention to the news the entire time. Best I could tell, the conflict was fairly close to being over. They just needed one last batch of men to really drive it all home." I followed Pooh's path, hoping to join him on top. "I was taken, no questions asked. They sent me right to training." I had hoped that signed contract would have sealed the rest of my life. My dad had told me what the military was like. I shook my head. "Anyway, at least I could do one good thing with my life, something my Dad could be proud of finally."
I must have not been paying attention. I was but a handhold away from the top, but something went wrong. I don't know if it was the darkness messing with my perception, or just the loose topsoil. But the rock my leg was resting on failed. I faltered, and that second before collapsing back down the hill scared me. However, before the second resolved to fate, I felt a warm hand firmly holding mine. I looked up, to see Pooh looking at me with caring eyes.
"I think your father would have preferred you." Pooh spoke. "Fathers always do." He pulled me up, allowing me to scramble onto the summit.
I climbed over the peak, only to be awarded with a wide panoramic view of the coastline. We were close, very very close, to the beach. It was quite the impressive view to be honest, even despite the darkness hovering over the white sand. I nudged at Pooh with my arm, "We finally made it, eh Pooh?" I laughed. He didn't say anything. "Pooh?" I asked as I turned to look at him. Strangely, he was turned around, looking from once we came. "Something wrong?"
"It's nice sometimes to consider where you have come from, so that you can truly appreciate where you are going." Pooh answered. He used a paw to turn me around.
This new view was just as magnificent as the first. From the top of this hill, I could see the entire Hundred Acre Forest. I could see the woods, the farmlands, the sandpits, the many streams, and above all, I could track the path we had followed. It was so obviously clear, almost as if God had highlighted it just for me. The legacy for today; How far we had made it through the path behind us and what we still have left to do in front.
Then it happened. "No," I whispered. A violent, erratic, crack of light seemed to split the very forest itself in twain. Despite myself, I counted; How could I not?
One…
It was but a single beat of the heart before the light audibly slammed unto us. Even expecting it, as I was, the power of it caused me to fall over. "Ow," I muttered. I slowly stood up, rubbing my aching bottom.
"That's it." Pooh whispered. "That was the last one." A tepid drizzle began to sprinkle on top of us, as if to punctuate the point.
"Well, that isn't actually correct." I began to explain, as I stretched. "Even if it was small difference, it still means that the storm is a kilometer …" I tapered off as I saw Pooh's grim determined face.
"Let's go. We don't have much time left." Without further comment, he turned back around, and slid gracefully down the hill.
I followed him, just with far less expertise. Luckily for my still sore bottom though, I landed on some nice soft sand. I couldn't just sit and take it all in however, because Pooh hadn't bothered waiting. He was moving forward with a purpose. "Pooh!" I said. "Right behind you. Hang on for a bit"
It was really, really dark. "Hey, uh, Pooh…" I began. Frankly, even if storm was a little away, it probably wasn't safe to actually go into the water. I pivoted to gaze at the water in the distance. It was oh so close, yet almost obscured, hidden due to the weather; the current drizzling only adding to the effect. "Pooh…" I called again, but I didn't say anything further. He had stopped moving, his full attention captured by something in the distance. I followed his sight line.
There it was.
I could see them all. All of our great friends; the ones we had spent so much time trying to help. There were all here, just enjoying each other. They sat on a bright silver blanket, and were protected from the rain by a massive umbrella. Roo and Tiger were playing with each other, Rabbit was preparing some food, and Kanga was exchanging some books with Owl. It might have been the most truly peaceful sight I've seen for quite a while. You could almost forget the rain or the dreary atmosphere, if you were to focus solely on them. I began to make my way towards then, hoping to join in the festive atmosphere. But…
"Wait," Pooh requested.
That stopped me mid-step. "Don't you want to join them?" I asked. "Was that not the point of all of this?" I looked from our friends back to Pooh. His face scared me.
"No," He whispered. "It wasn't the point. I am sorry that you missed it. I'll try to make it clear though." He turned towards the water. "Come with me," Pooh asked. "Please. We can join them later. First though, I would like to wet my feet."
"Uh, alright, I guess." Might as well enjoy the water before it gets too dangerous to do so.
As we walked, I tried wracking my brain for what Pooh meant… what had been the point. My head hurt.
"Our life," He eventually said, "Is defined by the choices we make, by the choices that others inflict upon us." Pooh hesitated a second before crossing his feet into the water. Despite the drizzle, and the oncoming storm, there wasn't any turbulence. The water was as clear, as calm, as it ever would be. "Every day presents a new challenge. Each new challenge is an opportunity for a person to show their values to the world. How do you thrive or falter when something isn't immediately accessible, tolerable?"
I just watched as Pooh shifted side to side, enjoying the feelings of wet sand on his paws.
"I asked you a question Christopher." Pooh shook me from my focus.
"I'm sorry, what?" I asked.
Pooh looked at me, disappointment capturing his visage. "Ya, that's about right." He sighed. He turned back towards the coastline. "Come, let's go a bit deeper."
"Hold on!" I yelled, "that isn't safe." He didn't listen. He just walked deeper. I couldn't just leave him alone; it might be dangerous. I followed, despite my fear.
Pooh went deeper than I expected, but not overly so. He stopped once the waterline had reached about the midpoint of his waist… and somehow mine as well. Wait… that doesn't make sense.
"Choices, you see, are the most important thing we do." Pooh spun around, looking straight at me, and succeeded in distracting me from the water level. "Those choices directly impact on our character and life. Every moving object must have been pushed prior; you follow?"
I nodded dumbly.
Pooh nodded back. "Each person has the power to choose, the most significant of all our abilities. Each action writes a bit of ourselves into a piece of stone, forever displaying to the world what type of being we are." Pooh brough up his arms to enunciate. "You can never erase. That is the weakness of our great power. The best you can ever do is to write a new line that mitigates a past failing."
I swayed gently as I followed the many subtle currents of the water. I could feel moisture on my forehead, and I was sure it wasn't coming from the rain above or the water below. God, my head hurt so much. It felt like something was trying to break out, something that I deliberately had not thought about for a while now.
"However, sometimes, one may find themselves blessed with a second try, a new opportunity to write past wrongs." Pooh pointed at me. "You may consider this one such opportunity."
Everything stung. Every single portion of my body. "What are you talking about!?" I shouted.
"Years ago, you made the choice to leave the Hundred Acre Forest." Pooh claimed. "You decided to move on with your regular life."
"No that isn't…" I began to say, but then I saw my reflection in the water. "WHAT DID YOU DO!?" Looking back at me, from underneath the water, was a six-year-old version of myself.
"YOU LEFT US BEHIND!" Pooh shouted. "YOU TOSSED US AWAY!"
"No, I never wanted to do that! I promise you it wasn't…" I turned behind me, to look back at our friends on the beach. Instead, I saw apocalypse. There were massive holes everywhere in the sand, massive spikes, redoubts, and the blood… oh so much blood. "No!" The sight felt like a punch to the gut. I lost my footing and collapsed into the water. I was not blessed to see a kinder image here either however. There were dead bodies everywhere, completely surrounding Pooh and I. They floated at all depths, peaceful in death and grizzly in appearance. So much blood was leaking from those dead bodies, the water seemed tinted red. I began hyperventilating.
That was a bad idea.
I exploded out of the water, coughing my lungs out. I did my best to expel any bloody water that had managed to get into my lungs.
"Yet despite that, I was alright with your decision." Pooh brought a hand to his chest. "I would have always valued our time together. Where you to live to be a hundred, I would have been satisfied to life to a hundred minus one day. But no matter; we would always have each other in memories; that time would have never disappeared." Pooh brought his hand down as his face grew righteous. "BUT WHAT DID YOU DO ONCE YOU LEFT US BEHIND!?" Pooh asked. "NOTHING! YOU DRIFTED AND SLEPTWALKED THROUGH LIFE!"
I couldn't respond. The coughing hurt so much. Did Pooh not notice the bloody… wait the blood wasn't breaking surface.
Pooh ignored my horror. "AND YOU CHARGED INTO YOUR DEATH! YET IN THAT LAST MOMENT, YOU RESISTED THE END. YOU ONCE AGAIN REJECTED YOUR CURRENT WORLD TO RETURN HERE, TO FAKE!"
"WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO!" I yelled. "MY LEGACY IS NOTHING BUT SINS AND FAILURE! I HAD NOTHING TO BE PROUD OFF, NOT A SINGLE ACHIEVEMENT TO HOLD DEAR." I sniffled. "WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO?" I repeated.
A grim, serious look formed onto his face; different than the righteous fury he once had. "You need to pay attention Christopher Robin. I want you to choose."
I grew firm to match Pooh. "Choose what?" I asked.
"You said that your legacy is nothing but sins and failure. I disagree." Pooh held up a paw. "Don't interrupt." He must have seen my mouth opening. "I disagree with that claim. Your legacy is running. Your legacy is a lack of resistance." Pooh brought his hands just above the waterline. "I listened to your story, as you told it during our entire journey here. There was one constant. Excuses and lack of action."
Now I couldn't help it. "Now, wait a minute. I went through some very difficult…"
"Life is difficult, life is challenging Christopher." Pooh interrupted back. "What convinced you that it wouldn't be?"
I didn't respond to that.
Pooh saw that and nodded. "Whenever, in your life, you have been presented with two options, with two choices, you decided to settle with the third option… to do nothing. Whether you were young, or old," Pooh pointed at the water in front of me.
I followed the sightline, only to be rewarded with a corpse of my adult-self and of my child-self floating vertically in the water. It looked as if they dreadfully wanted to arise to the air, but something seemed to be holding them back, tethered to the ocean bottom.
"Whether young or old," Pooh continued "you merely went along with whatever would be the easiest option. If doing nothing would make the bullying stop, you did that. If doing nothing would dull the embarrassment of schooling, you did that. If doing nothing would prevent your parents from kicking you out, you did that. And finally, if doing nothing would allow you to ignore the repercussions of your actions, you did that as well. Being led around, never to do the leading yourself" Pooh paused for a breath. "But guess what, here, I won't give you that choice. It won't be an option. You must decide here and now."
A decision? What was Pooh talking about. "What sort of decision?" I asked. "You haven't offered anything."
The wind blew stronger as the rain suddenly grew in intensity. I found it harder to stand tall in the water. Pooh had no such issue.
"Then you still aren't paying attention!" Pooh yelled. "The option should be clear." Pooh held up both hands, as if to enunciate the options. "You could choose to stay here, or to return to the only real decision that you have ever independently made in your life."
It flashed in my head. That night that I willingly signed up to the military. "Wait, you would have me return to that horror?" I looked back to the sand; the beach was still scared with destruction, yet there in the middle of it all, the gang was just continuing their picnic. It was as if they hadn't yet noticed what was surrounding them.
"No, I wouldn't have you do anything expect choose." Pooh clarified. "And choose you must. Till then, we shall be locked in this moment, in this position." Pooh paused before adding "regardless of the storm."
I opened my mouth to respond, but I couldn't. I didn't know what to say. I just stood there silently, unsure of everything.
"I would hurry, Christopher." Pooh looked up at the sky. "That final lightning bolt is close, and no doubt, it will strike right here."
"I don't know!" I admitted. "I am scared."
"There is nothing wrong with that. There is nothing wrong with not knowing or in being scared. To be so is to be human." Pooh said. "But to be frozen in fear, to never take that leap, that will prevent you from so much of life's greatest pleasures.
I looked back at the beach a third time. There was no one there anymore. The beach wasn't even tainted with wartime blasts as it had been just moments ago.
"Forget about them," Pooh explained. "At least for now." He shook his head. "If you pick a certain path, you will be able to see them for the rest of your life." Pooh shrugged. "Otherwise, your visits will be limited solely to your memories."
"As if I could make that choice" I growled.
"You need to stop wasting time." Pooh growled back. "You are not helping yourself. Stagnancy is a worse horror than death. Living invites change, to do nothing is to reject your very life, your very soul." Pooh's face grew soft. "I know you can do it."
I swallowed. "What if I make the wrong decision? What if I can't do it? What if I am not as strong as you think I am?"
"Christopher," Pooh chided. "You can't just stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. Nothing of any worth will ever arrive." Pooh pointed into the horizon. "You have to go to them sometimes. Don't just follow paths, create them yourself."
I chuckled. Despite everything, I chuckled. "You make it all sound so trivial."
"No, it's going to be hard." Pooh disagreed. "I won't allow you to leave today, regardless of the decision made, allowing you to think that I lied. It's going to be hard." Pooh looked back to the water, at my suspended bodies underneath. "But I am sure you know what happens when you only take the easy path."
I closed my eyes.
I closed my eyes and I thought of everything: My early life, my school years, my job. I thought of my time in the army up till the failure that led to my end. Then, I thought of my time here, in the Hundred Acre Woods and of the many conversations I had with my old friends. Conversations of hope, of despair, of never giving up, and of total collapse in the face of fear.
I deeply exhaled, then opened my eyes. With great care, so as to not allow my voice to crack nor hesitate, I began to speak. "I know what I will be picking." I admitted.
Pooh grinned. With a nod, he waved me forward.
I refused.
That made his grin explode into a full blown, radiant smile. "Night is now falling." Pooh began. "So ends this day. The road is now calling and I must be away." He started walking towards me.
"Under clouds, beneath the stars" I continued "I turn at least to paths that lead home. And though I could not tell, we came all this way. But now comes the day to bid you farewell." I mirrored Pooh, walking towards him. We soon met face to face.
I didn't hesitate. I erupted into a hug, capturing his fluffy body between my arms.
"If there ever comes a day when we can't be together," his voice came out muffled, trapped as he was against my chest. "Promise to keep me in your heart. I'll stay there, with you, forever."
"That will never be a problem." I assured him "Never again."
The final lightning bolt formed, crashing into the water in which we stood. An explosion of sound followed immediately after, yet I felt no pain nor fear.
I could only feel the damn water on my face.
Notes:
AND WE ARE DONE!
M.C. Deltat reporting!
That is it. That is the end of my batshit Winnie the Pooh fanfic, one which I imagine isn't similar to anything else on this website. I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for sticking to the end of it all. I hope you enjoyed it. This plot idea was one captured me almost a year ago and refused to leave my mind. I am happy to have finally gotten it all on paper; as long as it ended up being. Seriously, with this story, I also now rank among the largest written Fanfics for Winnie-the-Pooh (A stupid thing to think about but still). It wasn't intended to be this long, but sometimes an idea gets away from you as you attempt to put everything onto the page. This story is the culmination of many weeks of brainstorming, researching, plotting and drafting. I am fairly happy with what I ended up putting down, even if it did (I admit) probably drag a little in the middle. Still, despite that, I really hope that you found some joy in getting to the end.
P.S. Did you catch onto the fact that the beach storming part of the story was played out in reverse in the Hundred Acre wood part of the story? And that Christopher rescuing all the animals was supposed to mirror him rescuing all soldiers that died during the Beach storming? I really hope you did. That was a major part of the story which commanded a significant amount of brainpower and time to plot. All the names of the soldiers were taken from former Voice Actors that worked on Winnie-the-Pooh also.
Anyway, once again, thank you so much for getting to the end of this story. I would love it if you could comment, review, etc. More than that, I would also love it if you would give my other works a try. They are of dramatically different styles and IPs, as I like to experiment a bunch. I use fanfic as a way to practice my writing and storytelling. Hopefully, I am getting better as I write more. It may be a while before I post another large work like this, but when I do, hopefully you have been won over enough to give it a go.
I hope that you enjoy the rest of your day and the rest of your life. See you in my next story!
