Gone to the Father

Elsie slumped onto the bridge, sopping and sobbing.  The ancient black and white monk’s costume she was wearing was dripping with water while mascara, makeup, mud, and lipstick stained the area around the ‘M’ cross sewn onto it.

Timmy and Adrian came running up the bridge.  Elsie began murmuring as he approached.  “He was just gone.  He was there and then…swish!” she sobbed more as Timmy took her to himself.

“What happened, Honey?” asked Adrian, as several others gathered around to console her.

She stuttered and spluttered as she relayed the story of how, after fixing the water situation, Bandit rescued her by catching her in the receding, swirling water and throwing her over and onto the bridge.  And how, then, as she turned to help him onto the bridge, the torrential water ripped his paw away and he was swept off.  “I didn’t see in which direction.”  She began to sob again.  “I couldn’t tell the difference between the white and black of the water from the white and black of his beautiful coat.  Poof – he was gone!”  She fell into Timmy’s chest and cried harder than ever.

ST MUCKYMUCK

Season 2

WRITTEN BY STEVEN GORMAN

WHAT YOU ARE READING IS:

IRRELIGIOUS, IRREVERENT, AND IRRELEVANT.

THE PEOPLE, PLACES, AND EVENTS CONTAINED IN ST MUCKYMUCK ARE COMPLETELY FICTIONAL. ANY AND ALL RESEMBLANCES TO REAL PEOPLE, REAL PLACES, AND/OR REAL EVENTS PAST, PRESENT, OR FUTURE IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL.

IN FACT, ANY RESEMBLANCE TO ANYTHING AT ALL WILL BE REMARKABLY COINCIDENTAL.

Everyone closed in, touching Elsie and trying to comfort her, tears coming to their own eyes.  “We love you, Elsie.”  “It wasn’t your fault.”  “God was watching over you.”

This last one made Elsie whirl around.  Her tear soaked face was contorted with angered grief.  “How DARE you say that?!  God saw fit to save me?  How come he didn’t see fit to save Bandit, too?”  Tears began streaming down her face again, some collecting on the ends of her very long eyelashes.  “What kind of a God does THAT?  Saves some but not others???  What did Bandit ever do to anyone?  What did he ever do???”

“Honey,” said Timmy, soothingly.  “I don’t think that was what she meant at all…” Elsie wilted somewhat, seeming to sink into Timmy.  “I don’t know up from down anymore.”

“You’ve been through a terrible ordeal, my love.  You nearly drowned.  Let’s go home and get you a cup of tea.”

“Yes, OK,” she agreed.  Everyone made their way toward Scarletfriars Street.  Sitting in the very middle of the road at the head of the bridge was Ginger.

Elsie saw him and collapsed onto the pavement, weeping with her head in her hands.  Without the slightest utterance from anyone, Ginger put out a paw and helped Elsie to her feet.  When Elsie looked up, Ginger smiled, gently.  As she returned it, a very tiny ray of sunlight cascaded into Elsie’s soul.  Bandit’s lifelong partner said quietly, just so that only the two of them could hear, “Come.  Tea.”   

(c) 2011 Steven Gorman. All rights reserved.