The Fawn

Tara crept closer to the register to hear the conversation. Tara's parents were talking about an upcoming camping trip. Tara hated camping trips. But this didn't sound like the usual camping trip. They were talking about going back in the woods.Tara crawled back in bed. She thought about what it would be like in the woods. Finally she fell asleep.
Next morning Tara's parents announced that they were going camping this weekend. Oh boy! thought Tara "This will be great." The week went and soon Tara found herself packing for "the big trip." Tara didn't like the idea of going away with the family for a whole week. In fact the more she thought about it, the more she hated the idea.
Ten o'clock Tara rushed out to the car where her family was waiting. It seemed like forever before they reached the campsite. When they got there Tara was even more disappointed because she hoped that there would at least be other kids there her age, which would give her an excuse to be away from her family and the campsite. Tara didn't even see any animals that she could watch. Tara's father yelled at her for not helping with the campsite.
After the camp was set up Tara told her parents that she was going for a walk. She wondered around and after about half an hour she came to 2 deer grazing in a meadow. She crouched down and watched them. The deer began to move across the meadow nibbling here and there. Tara crept closer. Soon the deer ran into the thicket. Tara got up and crossed the meadow. She wondered farther and farther into the forest.
Night soon fell upon the forest. Tara realized what time it must be. Her parents would be worried. Tara tried to retrace her steps but she seemed to be going in circles. She sat down on a nearby log. "What am I going to do now" she thought. Exhausted she fell asleep. She didn't wake until early the next morning. She was dreadfully hungry and cold. Once again she tried to find her way back to camp, it was hopeless. Then she had a dreadful thought "What if my parents don't find me. I'll be here forever or until I die."
The day passed on and by dinner time Tara knew she had to find some food. But she had no experience in the forest. She didn't have a knife, matches or compass either. Once she watched a program on T.V. People lost in the woods would eat bugs and insects to survive. "No way am I going to eat a single bug." said Tara.
Soon Tara began looking for bugs and insects. But she couldn't find any. Tara began to wonder again. She wondered even farther into the forest. She wondered all day and when nightfall came Tara was still wondering around. Then when she was about to lay down on the ground she fell in water. At first she thought it was just a puddle, then she found out it was bigger. she cried for joy, she had found water! Tara gulped down handfuls of water at a time. But she still had to find some food. After the refreshing water Tara went to sleep.
In the early morning breeze Tara laid thinking that if she was going to survive she might have to eat some bugs. Yuck, she thought. Reluctantly Tara got up and began looking under logs. If she found any and if she ate them were 2 different things.
After about 40 minutes she came to a hollow tree filled with bugs. She picked one up and held it in front of herself. She tipped her head back and held the bug above it. She tried to let the bug go but couldn't. Finally she dropped the bug on the ground. She sighed and got up. Maybe I could try and catch a small rodent, thought Tara. But, thought Tara, they will probably run faster than I can and I don't know if I will be able to eat it. So she crouched down and waited silently. She waited and waited and soon she fell asleep.
She awoke to find a fawn licking her face. She slowly sat up and held out her hand for the fawn to smell. She slowly got up very carefully as not to make the deer run away. Then when the deer looked the other way Tara leaped and grabbed the deer. She fought and held it down until the little deer was exhausted and gave up. Tara had to find a way to kill the deer so she could eat it. She found a big rock and unwilling carried it over to where the deer was. She lifted it high above her head and... she couldn't do it. She laid down beside it and fell asleep.
Tara woke in the middle of the night. She looked for the fawn. The fawn was standing up making a whimpering sound that sounded like he was crying. She stood up and came towards him. He turned and started walking towards a pile of brush. Tara went to see what the deer was doing. When Tara reached the brush she saw a big deer laying on the ground. Tara got down and felt the deer's stomach.It was not breathing. The little fawn started crying again. "That's probably the fawns mother thought Tara. She came over by the deer and snuggled it. It made both of them feel better.
When Tara woke she looked for the fawn. She found him grazing in a nearby field. Tara went over and sat down beside the fawn. Then she had a great idea. She could eat the grass just like the fawn. So she tried it. It was not that bad. She ate all she could.
That night when Tara was dozing off in sleep she woke suddenly. She could hear some one yelling her name. It was her parents. Tara yelled back. A few minutes later Tara was reunited with her parents. Tara told them that she had found a fawn and that it's mother was dead. She begged her parents to let her keep the fawn. They said yes, so Tara, her mother, her father and the fawn started back home. Tara was glad. She was with her family again and she had a best new friend.
From that day on, Tara looked at life a little different. She knew how much life was to be cherished. She spend a lot more time with her family. She looked after the fawn and watched it grow.
©1998 by Bluebear