Read Chapter 1 here
Chapter 2: Suspects
Pipsqueak sniffed around. “Maybe it’s--”.
Bzzzzzzmmmm! A black and yellow blur shot down and landed on one of the flowers.
"You!" shouted Pudgy. “Stop eating our strawberries!”
The winged creature buzzed around looking for a nice place to land and then turned to look at the row of angry mice. “I’m not eating your strawberriezzz.”
“Then what are you doing?” Pipsqueak narrowed her eyes.
The bee bumbled and buzzed. “I’m collecting nectar from the roses to take back to my Queen."
They watched as the bee flitted from flower to flower. Before it flew off, it whizzed by the trio and showed it’s legs. “See? Pollen.”
Pudgy sighed as the bee took off.
Birds flew by but either didn't see the inviting strawberry patch or had plenty to eat from the multiple bird feeders throughout the property. As the sun sank lower in the sky, their stomachs started to rumble.
“I’m soooo hungry. Can’t I just have one?” said Gomer looking longingly at the strawberries.
“Not yet, we need to leave them as bait. Let's see if anything is happening on the other side."
As the mice wandered to the far side of the patch, Gomer felt something staring at them. "Uh...Pudge?"
Pudgy turned and saw a small hairy head sticking out of the ground. It jumped out of the hole and scurried over to the mice.
"Are you lost?" The creature’s voice was high-pitched and squeaky.
"No.” Pudgy raised his eyebrows. “Are you?”
"I’ve never seen a mouse with stripes." Gomer slowly circled the critter.
"I, sir, am a chipmunk. Name's Leo." Leo dashed straight for the strawberries.
"Stop!" Pudgy shouted.
Leo turned back. "Yes?"
"You can't eat those strawberries," said Pipsqueak.
"Says who?”
Pudgy stood on his hind legs. "I do!”
Leo shook with fear. Pudgy, as wide as he was tall, towered above him.
At that moment, Gomer’s stomach growled. Not a low quiet growl, but a loud GRRRRRRRRRMMMMBBBBLE!
Leo cowered and raced back to his hole.
“That was too easy,” said Pipsqueak watching as Leo’s tail disappeared into the ground.
“Too easy,” said Pudgy with a frown.
Gomer rubbed his paws together and scuttled to the biggest strawberry in the patch.
Pipsqueak took one step and froze. “Pudgy. What’s that?”
POP! POP! POP!
Chapter 3 Coming Soon
Previous Chapters
Chapter 1
***Originally posted on A Pinch of Homestead