The Cookie Tree

Mousie had to keep the cookie. Getting Fred out of the way was never easy when food was around.

Fred’s chubby, a familial trait he’s quick to point out. “It runs in the family. Don’t blame me.”

“Fred, it’s totally your fault. You eat too much. Own the problem.” Mousie never sugarcoated anything. Unlike the cookie he was currently eating in front of Fred.

“Where’d you get that? I sure could use a cookie right now.”

“You cannot have this. I found it. You’ve had enough. I am surprised that I even found this one. But it being the holidays and all, there was bound to be one lying around. So, lucky me. I am svelte, unlike some of us.” Mousie nibbled slowly on the snowflake-shaped cookie, all the more to torture Fred.

“Ah c’mon. You’re killin’ me. Just a bite!”

“NO! You find your own cookie.”

Fred stretched out, moaned pitifully. “I’m starving over here. Where will I ever find a wonderful cookie such as that?”

Mousie wiped his little paws, his cookie now gone.

“Well, I hear, and mind you, this is just a rumor I heard from barking-fur animal. I heard that there are icicle-shaped cookies hanging from a tree the people put in the living room.”

Fred jumped up. “There’s a tree? With cookies?”

“There is that rumor. But barking-fur animal isn’t to be trusted. Be careful out there. Go slow. Watch your back.”

Fred dashed out. Mousie sighed, then curled up for his nap.

Soon Fred dashed back in, followed by barking-fur animal.

“Got it!” Fred held up a red string, with a nubbin of cookie attached.

Mousie woke, then he laughed at the sight. “What is that?”

“Used to be an icicle. It melted in barking-fur animal’s mouth.”

W/C 297