The Beginning

The Beginning

“So, do you understand the job?”

“Yes, I think so. I climb to the top, stop at the top edge, and report.” Seth said.

“Exactly.”

“What do I report?”

“What you see.”

“Like the plants...”

“No. Like people, animals, maybe crows, things that could be a hazard to our work.”

“Bugs?”

“No. How could bugs be problem?”

“Well, if there was a swarm, like locust maybe?”

“OK, if there’s locust, report it. Otherwise no. We’re just looking out for danger to us personally.”

“Oh. So, how about lightning?”

“No! Well, yes, of course lightning, but we’d know that already. You are looking for DANGER TO OUR WORK. Listen, this is an important job, if you think it’s going to be too much for you, I can put you on gathering...”

“No, I’m good. I just wanted to be sure I was doing it right. Big responsibility.”

“Ok, up you go.”

From the top:

“Ah... I think there’s a problem...”

“What? Workers? Dogs?”

“No, nothing like that, it’s a swirly wind sort of thing...”

“Oh, dust devils. We get them all the time, not a problem.”

“Ahhhh no... not a dust devil, this is bigger....

“How much bigger? It’s just wind...”

“A lotttttttt....” his voice trailed off, as a huge noise blew by the hole.

By the time anyone was able to go up, there was nothing left but wavy flat swath of barren land running through the disaster area that used to be their corn field. No one ever saw Seth again.
...
As his grand children gathered around, Seth’s grandson settled in to tell them, again, how rabbits got to Oz in the first place.

Nobody ever believed him.