Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7 "I have no idea where we are, but wherever it is, the people here sure do like to yell," Merle said to Pearl. He turned to the kids. "What's wrong? Never heard a squirrel talk before?" The kids all slowly shook their heads in response. "Merle, you're scaring the children. They've obviously never heard a squirrel talk," Pearl said. "It's okay," she told the three friends. "Don't be afraid. We

don't bite. Well, we do bite, but not children. Mostly just nuts." "And the occasional insect," added Merle. "Not my favorite, but when nuts are scarce, what are you gonna do?" He shrugged. The kids stared at the squirrels, not believing their own ears. "Um," Michael finally said, "we've never heard a squirrel talk." "Nope," Sadie and Justin confirmed. Now that the shock of meeting the kids was wearing off, Merle didn't feel shy at all. "So, I've been thinking about this," he said. "The last thing I remember is Pearl and me getting lost in a cave." "I told you not to go in there," Pearl reminded him. "I know, I know, and I should have listened to you, Paul, Moses, and God, but here we are," Merle said. "By the way, thanks for rescuing us," he said to Michael. "Any idea how long we were in there?" Michael shook his head. "From the looks of things, the world's a different place since we entered that cave." Pearl gazed around the room. "I know!" Merle exclaimed. "It's wonderful! Who would imagine a bowl that never runs out of water no matter how much you drink?!" Merle motioned toward Michael's bathroom. "I was parched when I woke up. Couldn't get enough!"

"Ewww," Sadie whispered to Justin. "I think he drank out of the toilet." "And so fresh!" Merle continued. "Yeah, it's probably not that fresh," Justin said. "We were all dried out and super salty... I'm thinking we could have kept for a good long time in that condition, like they do with fish!" Merle guessed. "Fish are dead before that point," Pearl pointed out. "Maybe squirrels can go on kicking!" Merle stood up tall and stuck his chest out. "Squirrels are survivors! So when we got wet from the rain blowing in last night, we started back up again!" "Whoa," Michael said. It was better than any explanation he could think of, and maybe the only plausible one. "But... how can you... talk?" Merle and Pearl looked at each other and shrugged. "We've always been able to," Pearl said.

"To... people?" Sadie questioned. "Among others," Merle answered. "By the way, I'm Merle, and this is my lovely wife, Pearl." Pearl bowed with her paw over her heart. "Pleased to meet you." "Um, I'm Michael, and these are my friends Justin and Sadie." "Nice to meet you, Michael, Justin, and Sadie!" Merle said cheerfully. "Now, we're starving. Anybody got any nuts?"