Crispy, Crumbles, and Frenchie: The Three Leaf Trio (chapter 2)

Crumbles

By Mira Piechota

“That is not logical,” said Crumbles. “We should learn where we were from first. I mean, who would ever see their own baby leaves drift and somehow ‘splat’ onto the ground without helping?” “Wait…” said Crispy, still processing. “We’re leaves?!” Crumble sadly shook his leafy head. “You’re not a bright one, are you?” He quietly mumbled, just loud enough for Crispy to hear. “Of course not. The sun does that for me!” Said Crispy, not recognizing the insult. Crumbles stuck out his tiny, thin hand to his delicate crumbly forehead.

“Okay,” said Frenchie, changing the subject. “Let’s go looking for our parents.” “I agree.” Said Crispy, finally recognizing the insult and shooting daggers at Crumbles. Crumbles was annoyed. All he was trying to do was tell her the logical choice! He might have added an insult, but learning is pain! Or was it beauty…? Anyway, he, of course, approved of this idea, as he suggested it. Copycat. Thought Crumbles, looking at Frenchie. Still, Crumbles was a good sport. “I second.” He said. Crumbles heard Crispy mumbling under her breath, “Nerd.” Haters gonna hate, hate, hate. He thought, playing “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift in his head. 

The three young leafs walked peacefully through the yellow, orange, and red stained grounds. Small, lifeless leaves lay on the forest’s floor. They all realized what exactly those motionless leaves were doing on the ground, but before Crispy could state the solemn obvious, Crumbles realized something. “Guys!” He exclaimed. “Those leaves aren’t dead! Something just clicked in my brain! We are lucky that we are alive, because some leaves never were…” Crumbles’s voice trailed off when he finished his remark.  “Gotcha, Crispy…” He said, his vice barely a whisper. Frenchie looked at the ground more intently, a small drop of water falling from his eyes. Is he… crying? Just as Crumbles was about to use his superpowers of cheering up by reciting interesting logic, Crispy surprised him. “No, silly,” she said cheerfully, oblivious to the sad situation. “I was gonna say, ‘I could really go for an earth-burger.’”