Catch the Fox

Kssht. “Come in Little Fox. Come in,” crackled the walkie-talkie.

Mina clutched it close to her mouth, holding back a giggle. The yellow autumn leaves, covered in morning dew, tickled her knees as she ducked behind a shrub.

Kssht. “Come in Little Fox,” the voice repeated.

Kssht. “You have to say ‘over,’ Daddy,” she replied, finally letting her giggle escape.

Kssht. “Roger that Little Fox. Are you ready? Over?”

A moment of silence filled the cool morning air as a gentle breeze passed by.

Kssht. “Ready! Over!” Mina said with determination.

From somewhere deep in the woods, a little way from the family cabin, the annual game began.

Kssht. “Copy that, Little Fox. Papa Fox is on the hunt. Over.”

She stifled a squeal and scrambled deeper into the brush. But it was no use. Papa Fox always found her. In the end, she always hid in her special place.

The forest was gold and green with splashes of crimson, humming with katydids and dazzling with morning sunlight. Twigs snapped underfoot from afar while Mina peeked over her shoulder as quiet as a mouse.

Kssht. “Hmm…I wonder where Little Fox could be hiding. Over.”

She ducked lower and giggled silently. Kssht. “You’re not gonna find me this time, Papa Fox. Over,” she whispered, turning down the walkie-talkie’s volume.

Kssht. “I dunno. Little Foxes tend to hide in little holes, don’t they? Am I getting warmer? Over?”

Mina peeked out again. Papa Fox was searching under a log, nowhere close to where she was. She laughed.

Kssht. “Nope! You’re getting colder, Papa Fox. Over.”

A light drizzle of rain joined in on the fun while the buzzing bee and dragon fly roamed through the open sky watching below. Papa Fox stood alone and took a deep breath in. He let the droplets of rain patter down on his skin while the sweet aroma of foliage and autumn air filled his nostrils.

Solace.

Kssht. “Papa Fox—do you think we’ll still play this game when I’m older? Like forty years from now! Over.”

Kssht. “Little Fox—I’d play ‘Catch the Fox’ with you ‘till you were a hundred if you wanted. Over.”

She giggled. Kssht. “One hundred! We’re dead! You’d be too old and wrinkly by then anyway, Papa Fox. Over.”

A hesitation. Then—

Kssht. “Papa Fox is already old and wrinkly! Over.” He looked behind a blueberry bush but found no Little Fox there. As he rose to his feet, rays of sunlight sparkled through falling drops and offered a moment of peace.

Kssht. “Do you think we can make a campfire and eat s'mores after this, Papa Fox? Over.”

No response.

Kssht. “Papa Fox, do you read me?”

Kssht. “Loud and clear, Little Fox. It wouldn't be much of an adventure without s'mores now, would it? I even brought your favorite chocolate. Over.”

Kssht. “White chocolate with nuts!? Yes!” she hissed into the radio. Kssht. “Guess what? Over.”

Kssht. “What’s that? Over.”

Kssht. “You still haven’t caught me yet! Over.” She curled up, laughing mischievously to herself, just about ready to pop.

Kssht. “No, but I’m awfully close. In fact, I’m staring right at you. Over.”

Mina gasped, looking over her shoulder. She brushed away strings of wet hair blocking her sight. Nothing but dandelion flowers, butterflies, and an ocean of trees was seen. Nothing but the breeze blowing through bare branches and the steady, calming, drizzle of rain splashing on damp earth was heard.

Kssht. “Fibber!” She giggled again. “You’re ice cold. Nowhere close! Over.”

Kssht. “Oh? So who’s that Little Fox in the blue hood hiding behind that shrub?”

Silence.

A burst of laughter and a sprint from the shrub through the woods followed.

Kssht. “You can run, but you can’t hide. Over.”

Kssht. “You’ll never catch me alive!” She ran like the wind, disappearing behind a myriad of trees. She was there, then she wasn’t. Somewhere there, then gone again. She leaped over a stump, then slid beneath a branch all while filling the air with her laughs. No way Papa Fox would catch her. Those days were long gone.

Kssht. “Slow down, Little Fox!”

Papa Fox tried his best to keep pace, weaving through the woody maze, ducking beneath skeleton trees. His laugh rose up to heaven, echoing through the woods with her. As pink boots sloshed through mud and earth, brown boots followed close behind.

But she was always too quick and out of reach.

Soon, Little Fox ran up the familiar path toward the family cabin.

Kssht. “Wait, Little Fox!”

She didn’t stop to turn around, nor did she take the time to respond.

Kssht. “Come in Little Fox! Come in! Over.” Papa Fox said, picking up speed. A sprint through the trees and crunches among the leaves sent Papa Fox desperately after her.

But there was no reply. Just the sound of nature and the song of mourning doves as they nestled in nearby trees. Up ahead, Little Fox ran to the cabin, disappearing behind the house like every time before.

Kssht. “Wait! Come back! You always hide there! Over!”

No answer. Nothing but a whisper of leaves and the drum of rain.

From behind the cabin, Mina peeked her head around the corner with a smile, then ducked back out of sight.

“Wait!” Papa Fox called, his arm outstretched.

But when he reached the back of the cabin, he stood alone in the clearing, gripping tightly to the walkie-talkie.

A gentle breeze.

A deep breath.

A release.

In front of him, a little grave sat quietly beneath a weeping willow.

He lifted the damp blue hoodie from the special hiding place and set down a bar of white chocolate with nuts. As rain poured down and gathered beneath his chin, he raised the radio to his mouth and smiled.

Kssht. “Found you…”

Only the crackle of his radio replied. But in his mind, he saw her smile again. In his ear, he heard Little Fox giggle.

And for a moment, he almost caught her.