The Thorn Bear: Chapter I, Part 2

Sadly, Teddy looks down the mountain of rubbish. A range of garbage rises around him, cut through by ravines of broken appliances and rotting food. If he had a nose instead of a button, the stench would surely be unbearable.

The tear across his belly has split open even farther, and a large amount of stuffing is gone. Now it is part of the junk surrounding him.

He feels thin.

No longer plump and full, but gaunt and emaciated.

His once so fluffy fur is sticky and matted, covered from head to toe in disgusting slime.

From the foot of the mountain, Teddy hears the crooked notes of a harmonica. Someone is trying to play a song. Not particularly well, but whoever it is might be able to tell him what he should do in this situation!

Clambering over a battered microwave, he slides down a moss-covered refrigerator, always keeping one paw pressed against the wound on his belly. He does not want to lose any more of his beloved stuffing.

The off-key sounds grow louder until he finds himself standing before a hole in the ground.

Illuminated by a candle, a rat sits inside. He wears a top hat with two holes for his ears, a frayed jacket and gloves with the fingertips cut off.

“Well now,” says the rat, stopping his playing—a blessing for the ears. “Who are you? Who dares set foot on my rubbish heap?”

“I’m Teddy the Bear. Tom’s favorite cuddly toy and his best friend. And who are you?”

“I’m Ron. The rat from the landfill.” He proudly presents his pink tail, curling and twisting like an earthworm. “But what is Tom’s favorite cuddly toy doing here with me? Only broken and unwanted things end up in this place.”

Teddy takes his paw away from his belly, and the rat bursts into squealing laughter.

“It was an accident,” says the bear. “My Tom removed a pebble, and before he could sew me back up, Father … he …”

“Threw you away,” Ron blurts out, rolling across the ground with laughter. “You’ll be replaced soon enough. I’m sure the human already has a new stuffed animal. Everyone is replaceable—and that includes you!”

His shoulders drooping, the bear asks, “Why are you being so mean? I could really use a hug and a few encouraging words right now.”

“Hug? You?” Ron’s nose twitches before he pinches it shut in disgust. “You stink. You stink worse than even a landfill rat can stand.”

The crooked, tinny notes of the harmonica accompany Teddy on his way out.

Does he really smell that bad? He is only a toy, so he cannot tell. But he will show that rat. He will prove to him that Tom is waiting for him at home.

But first, he needs a bath and has to clean his sticky fur.

Leaving the landfill behind, the bear walks into a nearby patch of woodland until he reaches a stream. Fresh water flows gently downhill; this is where he can wash himself. Birds sing above him as Teddy’s fur drinks in the cool water. Dirt and grime loosen and drift downstream in dark clouds.

More and more, the cuddly toy he once was begins to reappear, and as he lies in the sun, his fluffy fur dries. The rays pleasantly prick at his button eyes, birds whistling in the background.

A crack interrupts the song, and silence returns.

Another crack.

Curious as ever, Teddy goes to investigate the sound.

On a sandbank sits a marten, chewing on something with its jaws before slurping it up with obvious delight.

“Hello,” Teddy says awkwardly. “What are you doing?”

But the marten does not answer. Sharp teeth bite into a white berry, and yellow liquid spills out.

“I won’t bother you any longer.”

These animals are dangerous predators. As large as a cat and as long as a dachshund, the beasts will take on anything they think they can eat.

Another crack, and then Teddy recognizes the strange white berries. Yolk and egg white are spilling from the shattered shells.

The marten is raiding a bird’s nest!

What will the parents say when they return to find their nest empty? Grabbing a stick, Teddy the Bear attacks. One blow to the head sends the beast recoiling in surprise. Teddy strikes again, swinging the branch until the marten flees.

Among the yolk and broken shells, one egg remains.

An egg left all alone in the nest.