DISPLACED

  The machines were coming closer.  My meadow,my forest, my home was being torn apart by a noisy, huge machine. I had watched this



happen to my friends on the next meadow.  First the machines tear every thing down.  Then the humans build their dwellings on our land. 



Then a lot of my friends moved as far as they could. Some times there was no place to go except  beside a road or highway, where they



were killed by more machines.  Hundreds of machines on these roads every day, hundreds of my friends killed on these roads.  Some



joined us in our forest and meadow.  Now our home was being destroyed.  My mate and our children ran in fear.  My oldest ran onto the



road into the side of a machine.  He got knocked down then another machine ran over him.  He hadn't even gained his antlers yet.  My



daughter made it across the road without getting hit.  Then she ran into a fence and got tangled up , she never got loose and she died in her



little doe fur.  My wife tried to free her, but got tangled in some fencing, it spooked her and she ran out onto the road and got ran over by a



lot of machines.  The horrid noise, I will never forget it, the screech, and bang and then she was gone.  My beautiful wife.  I ran back towards



the big machines.  I was going to kill them, the herd was running in all directions.  I put my head down and charged the largest machine, I



had to do something to stop it.  I hit it with all my force and I just bounced off.  I hit it again and again and again, my strength was giving



out.  Something is around my neck and there are men coming towards me and I can't get loose.  They trip me and I fall down on my back. 



Now they are dragging me into a cage.  A man comes towards me, I am afraid but must fight anyway.  He sticks something into my neck



and it goes black.



  I am awake now and I think I am riding inside a machine.  My head is spinning and I feel so mellow, I guess I will just relax.  The machine



stops and they open the cage I am in. I slowly step out of the cage.  It must be a trick, then the humans wave things at me and shout.  I am



in fear again and I run, I must get away from these horrid humans.  I run and I run until I have no more breathe to run.



  Where am I?  I don't recognize any tree or stream.  I see a herd in the distance, but it is not my herd. I mustn't go near because I won't be



accepted, the bucks will kill me. I lay down in some thickets so I may stay hidden.  I am so tired I must get some sleep.



  As I am waking up I feel something warm at my side.



"Please be quiet and don't run.  The humans and a pack of wolves who aren't mine are near."



I open my eyes and realize a wolf is laying next to me.



"Shhh they'll hear you."  Wolf whispers.



I look around and across the meadow their are humans, in the other direction I can see wolves in the distance.



I am shaking all over, but I don't move.  Wolf and I lay there until all is clear.



"Why are you hiding?" I ask Wolf



"Because I don't know where I am, the machines came and destroyed my home and killed my family and my pack.  I was brought here by



humans and I escaped or maybe they turned me loose, I don't know.  I do know if that wolf pack sees me, because I am a stranger, they



will kill me.I hid in this thicket and you were here. Please don't run and give our location away. Why are you hiding?."

 

"The same thing happened to me and that deer herd over there will kill me too because I am a stranger." I answered



We both watched as a beaver came swimming down the stream we were near.  He looked over his shoulder and ran into the thicket. He



sees us and his eyes get big, he is scared.  Both Wolf and I tell him



"Shhh."



We all duck down as the other beavers swim by.

 

"Be quite, we are hiding from our own kind and the humans.  It looks like you are in the same trouble we are.  Did you loose your home



too.?"

 

  "Yes, and I don't know this place .  My wife and kits were killed, my whole colony destroyed  by big machines tearing up our dam.  I am



so scared." answered  Beaver.



"Oh oh here comes someone else.  Look at the bob cat running away from something.  Here he comes."

 

  The bobcat comes in on a slide sideways into the thicket. He looks around at all of us.





"Shhh."  we say.



The beavers see the other bobcats and they swim away fast.  The pack of bobcats run right on by.

 

"What are you guys doing?" asks Bobcat



"We are hiding because we are afraid of the humans and our own kind.  The humans brought us here and dropped us off.  Is that what



happened to you?"  I asked



"Yes, my wife and kits were killed by the machines. I am soo afraid!"



I moved closer to Wolf for protection, than  Beaver crawled next to me, Bobcat looked at us then laid down next to Beaver.  We all  were



shaking then slowly it wasn't as scary as it had been.  I had other creatures around me to comfort me.  I fell asleep again.



  I awoke with a start then I slowly realized where I was.  I missed my home and family, but. I wasn't alone.  Maybe I could survive. I



munched on some of the thicket, because I was really hungry.



"Deer and Beaver can eat in the thicket, but Bobcat and I must go hunt for food.  If you eat from the thicket be sure you don't eat out into



the meadow, so we will be seen." said Wolf



Now that it is dark' Wolf and Bobcat leave to find food for themselves.  I try not to think about what they are catching. Beaver and I talk it



over, how will this work out, if they can't find any food will they eat us?



Here they come, each carrying a squirrel in their mouths.  Maybe this will work after all.  With Wolf and Beaver and Bobcat here I feel we



can work together and survive our trials.



  The Wolf smell will keep the deer herd and beaver and bobcats away.  My keen hearing will alert everyone if something is near.  Beaver



can reinforce our thicket so nothing can get in undetected.  Bobcat's keen smell can alert us also.  Yes, I think we will Survive.