Little Brown Bear | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Little Brown Bear

Warning: This is not a touchy, feely piece

23
Little Brown Bear
Pixabay

Two years ago I took a creative writing class. One of the prompts was: Describe a lake or river as seen by a young man or a young woman who has just committed a murder. Do not mention the murder.



The little stuffed, brown bear lay in the mud by the water, its fur matted and wet. Its little black nose was hanging on by a single thread. She knelt down beside it, her wet clothes clung to her as she pulled gently at the nose until the thread broke and it fell off in her hand. Turning it over in her palm, she starred at the little indents that textured it. He had always loved sucking on the little bear’s nose; in fact he had loved it so much she was constantly sewing it back on because her husband feared he would choke on it.

She picked the bear up as she stood up and looked out over the water that slowly began to ripple. The large oak trees swayed as the cool breeze of the evening swept through their branches shedding more leaves that floated in the air then the water. She hugged the bear close to her and for a moment, underneath all the mud and water, she could still smell him. A mixture of baby powder and the soothing lavender shampoo he was bathed with. Bath time her favorite part of the day, it was the only time she had to be alone without him. Every night her husband would bathe him, before laying him in his white, wooden crib.

She remembered the day she had built the crib with her husband. They had spent hours trying to put all of the little pieces together. When they had finally finished they had laid together on the soft floor of the small blue room. Her husband’s hand gently resting on her large belly as the little boy growing inside her kicked. She remembered the day that they had brought him home from the hospital and first laid him in the crib. They had rocked him in the old rocking chair that sat in the corner of the room to get him to stop crying, before laying him down to sleep, the little bear resting in the corner of the crib.

Everywhere they would go he would bring the little bear with him. When they had picnics in the park, sitting a few yards from where she stood now, he would bring the bear with him. Though today, unlike those days, the park seemed different. The water splashed a little more violently against the rocks on the shore. It was the color of lead instead of a vibrant blue or green like it normally was. The trees were losing their leaves and looking more lifeless.

As the sun went farther down, the wind picked up and started to howl, reminding her of how he used to constantly cry as sun the sun went down. Placing the nose in her pocket, she turned the bear over and unzipped its back. Bending over she picked a large stone from the mud and placed it inside of the bear before zipping it back up. She looked at the bear one last time, knowing that she would never see it or him again. There was a little tug of regret on her heart before she drew her arm back and threw it as far as she could into water. With a grin of satisfaction, she watched the water continued to ripple as the bear sank down to the murky bottom. Without the bear, he couldn’t sleep at night.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
10 things that happen the second Thanksgiving is over
reference.com

To those who celebrate, you just spent an entire day cooking an elaborate meal with all of your favorite foods. You probably ate your body weight in pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes. What happens now? Oh yea, Christmas. It’s time to take out all of the decorations and Christmas themed things that have been sitting in the attic since last year; it’s time to make a reappearance. So, here are 10 things that happen the second Thanksgiving is over.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

3417
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

2072
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

201387
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

21681
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments