Two Bears on a Log

Two bears sat on a log right at the edge of the lake.  The sky was a beautiful swirl of different hues and sunlight sparkled like diamonds on the water. The bears were quite oblivious to all this. They were nose to nose, looking at each other and holding paws anxiously.

"Do you think it is a very long way to 'Over There'?" said Bella.

Fred shook his head thoughtfully. "I don't know - it seems like you could get there in a flash if  only you knew how."

"But nobody knows what its like 'Over There'. How can you go somewhere if you don't know what it's going to be like?"

"The only thing for it," said Fred Bear, "is for one bear to go first and then come back and tell the other all about it."

Bella shivered on her piece of log and gripped Fred's paw that bit harder.

"I wouldn't want to be the one to wait here all on my own to find out." she said. "I wouldn't like that at all."

"The thing is," said Fred, at long last turning his gaze to the horizon, "that no bear should ever be left on their own. Bears should always stick together. That's what I say."

"Like Pooh?" asked Bella Bear, brightening.

"I beg your pardon," said Fred. "I don't think I did, did I?"

"NO, silly," laughed Bella patting his paw, "wherever I am, there's always Pooh - that's what I meant. It's never much fun with one - but two - can stick together said Pooh said he, that's what he said, said Pooh."

"Oh," said Fred. "Well if that's what he said... maybe he had a point."

"But what about the rules?" said Bella wide-eyed. "We have to obey the RULES. No more than one bear at a time may make the journey to 'Over There'."

"Yes, but what about the rule that no bear should be left on their own? You can't have it both ways."

"Hmmm," said Fred. He squinted into the sunlight, trying very hard to see what it was like on the other side of the lake to no avail - it remained a mystery.

"Well, I don't know what we're going to do, but I do know that I never played by the rule book before. In fact, do you have a rule book on you now?"

Bella felt about in her rucksack and produced a well-thumbed copy.
"Of course," she said proudly, holding it up for inspection.

"Come along," said Fred, hauling her to her feet. "You and I are going to find a window."  He strode purposefully back towards the tearoom.  A puzzled Bella, hurried along behind.

When they got inside, Fred rushed to the staircase and together they climbed to the first floor. As luck would have it, there was a window right at the top. He pushed it open with his paw.

"Now," he said, hurling the little book high into the air through the window, "you see how easy it is to throw the rule book out of the window?"
Bella didn't answer - she was in fits of giggles.

"But, but" she gasped, "EVERYbear knows we should do what the rule book says. Won't we get into trouble?"
"With who?" said Fred. "Do you know who wrote it?"
"Er, no." said Bella.
"Then they can't complain can they?"

"Oh," Bella pondered a while. Then she looked out at the lake. It was amazing how different it seemed - the water churning with possibilities, the light bouncing from ripple to ripple playfully. Quite a different view.

"Come on," she said, taking his paw. "Let's go back."

Together they made their way back to the log.  The rule book gradually flapped away in the wind, and in any case, they paid it no attention.

"It's time, " said Fred.
"Yes," said Bella. "It's time, but this time it can be different."

And the sun went down over the land, over the log, over the lake... and the rule book flapped away into the water, and sank, without a trace.