Chapter 2
#2 of Beastiary Beas - A Valentines Story
The Squirrel finds themselves dragged back from their pleasent nap, back to a miserable Tuesday afternoon on their commute home. They ooooohhhh big stretch themselves, rub their paws on their face and leans on the window to take in the view for the rest of the journey. That's when they catch both of their reflections, the reason they wanted to nap in the first place, of the two humans sitting together in the back of the bus. They scramble to put their headphones in their ears, knowing every second of having their hearing available is inviting violence into their life and god they just wanted an easy life.
They were Human men of two languages; to the person who knows their future is secure with no possibility of intervention or violence from the state or other people, they were just lads of no notoriety. But for people who reside in reality, near proximity with these two could mean certain death, let alone trapped in a moving room which cannot stop. It's a combination of visual tells, the curly blonde haircut, the date-rape polo shirt with the little crocodile and the overwhelming scent white executives decided was indicative of Africa.
The visual language which communicates this dude is calculating every possible scenario in which to commit violence against you. Psychically, Mentally, Vocally or even just sitting there, any vehicle to assert their power will do. To that end, they start their pantomime of having a conversation between themselves, but definitely loud enough so that anyone who was intended to hear it; did.
-God I'm nervous just being this close to one, especially after that video at the doctors. Says the greasy man who believes in the great replacement unironically.
-Video at the doctors? Replied his friend, who has skid marks in his pants as he speaks.
-Oh you've never seen it? Oh, it's horrible, just this scaly massive thing going absolutely ham on this poor girl.
-Oh that's awful, let's see it.
-Alright, I got it up now.
The human's grubby translucent claws pulls out a phone and begins to play a video. Set in a GP's reception, we see someone filming the receptionist, who are merely apathetic to all suffering on their good days, talking to a Monster. The woman with crocodile like features and a summery flower print dress can be seen in distress as the receptionist refers to the good crocodile in increasingly condescending tones. She finally reaches over the desk and proclaims:
-I HAVE A RIGHT TO BE SERVED HERE WITHOUT FEELING SCARED OR HUMILIATED BY THE LIKES OF YOU! I'M NOT 'THIS BEAST' I HAVE A NAME!
The video abruptly ends, presumably in fear of any context being introduced.
-Wow, that gross lizard reacted like that just cos the clerk wouldn't call them by some fairy tale title shit?
-Right!? The clerk only called them an 'it' to their manager, I mean it is an 'it'! It thinks just cos it puts on a dress that makes them human? Look at them fucking teeth!
-Gross, I hate that I have to be around them, look at that one sitting there like god knows what they'll do if they hear us.
-It should be legal y'know, like to defend ourselves. I shouldn't have to feel like this riding a bus.
-Yeah wish I could like grab a pipe and...
Okay, it's time for this little double act routine to end. They press the stop button and stand up, hey it's still a few stops off, but maybe they could do with the walk. But conversely, their ego would not survive these Human's successfully hounding them off the bus, even though they have no obligation to take the psychic damage for the principle of the thing.
They bend down and pick up a pebble near the stairs, someone must've shaken from the inside of their shoe or something. They roll it up and down between their thumb and index fingers, staring into the reflection of the two Humans in the glass in front of them. The Squirrel wouldn't call themselves adapt at... Any form of talent ever, but there was one thing they could be classified as above average at.
Squirrels are known for their dexterity, being observed to use tools in the wild. From using sticks to clean their teeth, to smash nuts against the tree and that's with their adorable little goober paws. When you consider the Western Grey Squirrel, common to urban environments, are at no shortage of things to appropriate tools. You give something like that the dexterity of an anthropomorphic being, and what do you think happens? What happens is Squirrel chucks the pebble against the metal frame of the bus seat in from of them. A symphony of satisfying CLUNKS plays out as the pebble ricochets all over the bus. Before either the humans could even begin to follow the sounds as they played around the bus, the pebble had already struck one of the Human's right eye at a blistering speed. He lets out a screech as he covers the eye, now seeping with blood, as his mate next to him cries out to the Monster:
-Who the fuck do you think you are, freak!?
The bus comes to a stop as the Squirrel heads down the stairs, well there was only one answer to give: Butters, bitch*
*They didn't actually say that aloud, there is CCTV on the bus and they already in the shit, oh god, oh fuck. RUN.