Working on a short story 2018 Creative Goals

Blessings~

By Perseverance, the snail reached the arc 1.1.18

Spurgeon knew something was amiss when the skies he knew to warm his comfy shell drew dark and quiet. There was at once a newness to the air. Spurgeon rotated his upper tentacles to try to get a better look at what was going on about him. But as far as he could comprehend through sight of eye, every living thing and creature about him was on the move. He saw such grand creatures small and large. He saw animals that he had never seen before. Of one sojourner passing slowly enough for Spurgeon to get his attention, he inquired, “Why are there so many animals passing this way?” The tiny but agile field mouse, replied, “The rains are coming and we must board the giant shell before it rises.” Spurgeon was confused. He knew about shells because he lived in one. In fact, he took it where ever he went.

“What is this giant shell?” He asked the mouse.

“A man has built it with his hands.” He explained. “It soon will close and rise with the waters and we must board swiftly.”

“How long until the boat rises?” Spurgeon asked.

The mouse replied, “We must move swiftly because it rises as the skies darken and the grass sways.”

“Well that is not much time for me!” Spurgeon reasoned. “I am so small and not swift of speed. How may I board the giant shell?”

The mouse scurries ahead of him and said, “Start moving now. Get going now. Now is the time to move toward the giant shell. You have no time to lose.” And the mouse hurried on through the large lumbering legs of the elephants and hippopotamus. And Spurgeon began to slink along the land behind the great throng of animals. He could hear slight rumblings in the distance. “Could it be?” He thought. “Could it be the rains have come to raise the giant shell?” He shuttered to think about it. All he could do was keep moving. In the distance to his amazement was a very giant shell. It was opened at the hull and animals of every kind were boarding it. But he was still so far off, that he was getting very discouraged. He saw a many animal leap aboard the great vessel with ease. He saw them slither coolly. He saw them flit and flitter gracefully. He saw others lumber and rumble aboard. Others slinked, strut, and scurried aboard. He even saw one rolling. It was his friend the rolly-poley.

“Oh, how am I ever going to get there in time?” He exclaimed.

Plunk, plunk, plunk. The rain slowly began to fall. Very slowly. Spurgeon march ahead. He put his head down and pushed his chest forward and moved on. Behind him was a very strange creature. His name was Pokey. Spurgeon was disturbed by this creature because as large as it was, it was not moving very fast at all. You could say that Spurgeon was perplexed by his size to speed ratio.

“And what are you?” Spurgeon asked.

Pokey said with a grin, “I am a giant sea turtle.”

“How far have you travelled to get here?” Spurgeon gasped. “The sea is a mighty long way off.”

“My journey has been a year in the making.” Slowly letting out the words. “But the journey has been a joy. I got to stretch my legs a bit.” He laughed.

“You carry a shell like I do.” Spurgeon said.

“Why yes. I do. I hardly think about it, it has been 97 years surrounding me in comfort.” The sea turtle said as it twisted his head about the see his outer wear.

Pokey continued speaking about when he was a small turtle almost trance-like and moved ahead of Spurgeon without notice.

But even as slowly as the Pokey advanced, Spurgeon lagged behind.

Forward Spurgeon moved. Slowly but without waver, we moved on.

Suddenly Spurgeon hears the slight inhale and exhale of a furry little animal. It is dosing in the afternoon calm. But Spurgeon slinks up to it and awakens it.

“Why are you not rushing to the giant shell? The rains are coming and we all need to board.”

The Slow Loris yawns and stretches his arms.

“What? Huh?” The Slow Loris says.

“How can you be sleeping at a time like this? We must move forward.”

But the Slow Loris, being nocturnal just yawns and rolls his head back under his arms to slumber.

Spurgeon sees it is getting late and the time to board is drawing to a close.

He persists on his way.

Out of nowhere a Koala bear drops from the trees. He is eating some leaves and sings a song about the tasty treat. He stretches out to get a closer look at Spurgeon from ground level.

“And how are you, mate?”

Spurgeon, a bit shocked at this introduction, replies, “Well I am in a bit of a rush. But all things considered, I am well.”

“Well is well. And that is well. Well then.” The Koala says gingerly. “The arc is just over the hill here. We will make it in time. God’s has not forgotten us.”

“How do you know this?” Spurgeon replies.

“HE knows all his creations. He knows exactly what we can do and what we cannot.” Koala says as he snaps to attention and then curls up in a ball. “Our steps are ordered!”

Spurgeon looks on in amazement as the Koala cheerfully gathers him into his fist full of leaves.

“Look there!” Koala gestures. “We are nearer than you think. And Closer than you know.”

Then Joe the three-toed sloth. Peels himself away from behind a tree nearby. “He is correct!”

And the three creatures now a together move onward to the giant shell.

Spurgeon’s spirit seems to be lifted as he now realizes that is close to seeing the giant shell.

The sun begins to set as the rain begins to pick up its pace. Suddenly the slow Loris gains ground on the lagging misfits. “Mind if I join you? I don’t mind if I do.” The slow Loris retorts.

“But I thought you would sleep right though everything.” Spurgeon sputters.

The night time is the right time for me, you see.” The Loris spryly exclaims. “God has not forgotten me.”

Just then the three-toes sloth reaches out for the deck of the arc and grabs hold. The Koala grabs him and the Loris grabs him. Spurgeon is clinging to the leaves in Koala’s grip. The four tumble into the arc as the door closes behind them.

Spurgeon’s little tentacle eyes are seen overlooking the arc as the rains lift the giant shell higher and higher and higher.