"Amari"

River Cities' Reader 2017 Short-fiction contest Second Place

How the Fox Stole the Golden Crown in Monkeyville

I was chained to a pole on the Rock in the town square for borrowing a  chicken without asking first when the Sun disappeared and afternoon  turned into twilight. Eclipse! It came into my mind, in the nick of  time, how Columbus, or Cortez, or one of those people, played an eclipse  as a saving trump once, on some savages, and I saw my chance.

“Behold!” I stood as tall as I could, raising my front legs. My  silhouette looked the best in the twilight, as my silver tail with a  hint of bloody orange looked massive in that light.

The monkeys and all the others─bunnies, squirrels, foxes, guys who  came to Monkeyville because it was the best place in the entire Flower  and Fruit Mountain─shivered more at my holler.

“What is it, Fox?” One brave monkey managed to say

"Don't you all see? The Sun had gone dark! It's the rage over you  foolish, foolish bunch! They are taking away all you have, but you are  chaining me, the One that can save you!” I declared.

“Who are they?” One bunny asked. I ignored her.

“Taking what away?” One monkey asked.

“Your sticks! Your rocks! You will not be able to throw them freely  at each other, as you have done since the beginning of Monkeyville!”

“That’s outrageous!” One old monkey grumbled. Several of his mates nodded vigorously.

“There is more! How about three bananas in the morning, and four in the evening?” I said.

“What! We have always had four in the morning, and three in the evening!” The crowd cried, “What to do?”

“Free me!” I yelled, just as the Sun reappeared, “and I can save you!”

“That’s the sign!” the crowd cheered. One hunky monkey climbed up and broke the chain.

“You saved us!” Several monkeys were in joyful tears.

At their insistence, I put on the Golden Crown, and I became the official savior of Monkeyville.