The Daily Eagle

The Black Squirrels – A Political Love Story

Kelly Cameron

Grade 11

Once upon a time there was a beautiful black squirrel named Blaze. Blaze lived in a thick jade forest located in Michigan, inside a lovely hollow tree by the pond. Regrettably, Blaze lived all alone. It was truly a shame, for the hollow was big enough for two and Blaze would have loved nothing more than to share it. All the other black squirrels had met wonderful grey squirrels and settled down, just like generations before them. Blaze wanted to meet a nice grey squirrel too, but had yet to meet a decent one.

      One day, that all changed. Blaze was digging up a buried chestnut in the forest floor when the most gorgeous squirrel showed up. Blaze found out that this magnificent creature’s name was Dusty. Dusty and Blaze bonded over the finally unearthed chestnut, and after weeks and months of seeing each other, the two of them fell in love. Dusty moved into Blaze’s hollow tree, and the two made terrific plans to be married.

      Unfortunately, the woodland forest was ruled by a silly old cat named Mittens. When Mittens heard of Blaze and Dusty’s wedding plans, he was outraged. Mittens believed that black squirrels should only be allowed to marry grey squirrels. Dusty and Blaze were both black squirrels. Mittens valued the tradition of the past generations and refused to allow Blaze and Dusty a simple marriage certificate. Because of this, the other squirrel couples began to laugh at Dusty and Blaze. They called them rude names and even attacked them when they went down to the pond for a drink. Blaze and Dusty begged Mittens to put a stop to it, but Mittens just told them they’d brought it upon themselves. If they didn’t like it, Mittens suggested, then they should simply each find themselves a grey squirrel. Mittens believed it had been their choice, but Dusty and Blaze couldn’t help that they’d fallen in love! Blaze was angry and Dusty was hurt. Why should they be denied their rights, all judging from who they kept as a roommate?

      Just when Dusty and Blaze were considering migrating to a different forest so they could be married, a wise old owl swooped in from a distant land called Hawaii. He was called Rocky. Rocky didn’t like Blaze and Dusty’s situation at all. He believed that all squirrels should be able to marry whoever they pleased, and he felt that the leader of the forest shouldn’t have control over their subjects’ relationships. Dusty and Blaze couldn’t believe it: it was as if Rocky was their own guardian angel! The other squirrels in the forest began to listen to Rocky, and soon found that he would be a much more suitable leader than Mittens was. Eventually, Mittens was forced to step down as leader, and Rocky took his place.

 The first thing Rocky did was allow Dusty and Blaze their marital rights.

The end.