Gerbil's Giant Gumball Gumbo

CHAPTER 3
06.21.2000
2:17 AM

Awoken by the rising sun he starts off. A hazy drizzle falls upon his shoulder. Sheltered by the treehouse he thinks. Rubbing his scruffy face. Dirt upon his hands. He finally sits glistening with drops of rain. He listens. "Climb...Climb up the mountain..." That's what he does. Slides down the tree. Climbs past the the clearwater pool. He sits. Bag off. Bags out. Chew. Chew. Swallow. Up On his feet. A moose walks to the clearing. Ever so slowly walking towards it. He slides his hand along the rough hair. Moving to the face. It sits and lays. Still a slight drizzle. Crystal droplets form on the moose and Jacob. Jacob climbs and lays on the moose's back. Letting the rain fall. Puddles form as ripples fade. The moose rises and begins to move. Jacob is startled awake. He looks around and see landscape passing him by. He stares off in the distance lost in the beauty. He straddles the beast and lays his head down close to the hair. Bristles his face. Down the mountain he goes. They reach the contraption. Jacob enters the contraption. 36...35...34...33 ohh got munchies. He slides a baggie out of the knapsack. Packs his chillum. 1...release...in...2...release..in...3.. .release...10...release...kick...put away. The moose creeps up the mountain. Moose, as Jacob calls him, is now on the first plateau. Moose wades in the water. Knee-deep. Antlers held high. Petting on the side softly. "good boy, Moose" Deeper and deeper. Jacob swims away. Swimming back. Playfully splashing Moose. He slips out of his clothes now skinny-dipping. Moose splashes back. Jacob wades to shore. Time for laundry. He gets his clothes and wets them down. Scrub. dirt disintegrates off. clean as a whistle. He slips into a clean pair of clothes letting the just washed dry. He searches for wood. Grooving and rheuming. he passes a stream. He gets a cup of water and drinks. Clear spring water. Coming to the forest. He marks the spot. he's off. running back to the mainland. Grabs the axe and tools. Lilies dance wild to the wind. Sunflowers sway in the breeze. Off and running again. Back to the forest. A tree comes down. He cuts a bow. Heats it in a makeshift fire and molds it. He heats rocks and creates arrowheads. Hollows out a trunk. Creates a sheath. Places the arrows within. Where to find string is the problem. Drinks another cup of water. Pours one over him. Heat has crept up. The drizzle trys to fall but doesn't reach the ground. Sunset casts a shadow over the land. Problems for another day. He sits. Baggies Out. Pop. Swallow. Drop. Gulp. Feels so good. Up on his feet. Running. To the treehouse. Shimmies up the ladder. Bob playing a gentle song. Sits and watches the sunset. Moose lays at the bottom of the house keeping guard. Jacob drifts to sleep. String Cheese on his mind. "A-oom, a-ooom hasta manana" Lanterns and candles creating armies of the night. Whoosh. Darkness and sleep rolled into one.