The Teddy Bear Stories - The New Guardian Read online



  The Teddy Bear Stories

  The New Guardian Bear

  Tom Germann

  Copyright © 2015 Tom Germann

  All rights reserved.

  Ebook formatting by www.ebooklaunch.com

  Table of Contents

  Acknowledgements

  The New Guardian Bear

  Acknowledgements:

  My work would never be finished if I did not have assistance from others. Sometimes it is a kick in the rear, sometimes it is a kind word.

  Thank you to Robin Schroffel for editing this work and those kind words.

  Thanks to Shawna Smoke for the front cover art and to Angie Zambrano for the front cover.

  To Jenn, my wife, who was not in love with my writing this but who nevertheless left me to work in the dark hours when everyone else was sleeping so that I could get this out of my head.

  Thank you all.

  The New Guardian Bear

  I remember. I remember barely being aware. I just sat there contentedly on the shelf with all the rest. I was satisfied and sitting there with all the rest of my extended family. There was no need, there was no want, there just ... was. I had existed and everything was okay. I know I had moved a few times and I remember being touched, but nothing really disturbed me. The lights always stayed the same. During certain times there was a gentle murmuring of voices in the distance and large blocks where there was almost no noise except the whooshing. Smells did change, but it was all far away and had nothing to do with me. It's like I was a body with a little kernel of warm in the middle.

  Then, after an age of sitting, there was a change. The murmur of voices had stopped and then suddenly there were voices RIGHT THERE. Suddenly there were more changes. I felt my ... arm? That's it! My arm! It suddenly was warmer than I had ever felt it. It did not burn in a painful way but more like the right way. Everything started to come into focus. There was a huge hand holding me up by the arm and two large creatures - people, I learned - looking at me. The one had a bit of facial fur but the other had none.

  They were talking to me, or was it about me? That's it, they were talking about me, but not really.

  "She is just a perfect little bear! She is sooo dear! We have to get her. Steve, I think she would be great for Ashleigh and I think we should get her now."

  "But hon, there are hundreds of them. It'll still be here after our baby is born. You need to stop jinxing things. The doctors AND nurses said that it could still be a boy..."

  "Of course they did! That's what they have to do. I know. I also know that she is going to love this bear. We absolutely have to get her. Come on, I have a lot more waddling to do to find everything else we are going to need and they are going to match everything else! Except for those curtains in the nursery. Those have to go. I really don't believe your mother gave us those; they are terrible and don't match anything."

  "Yes, dear, let's head over to the other sections for sleepers then."

  I was carried along and then put into a cart, which was pushed around. The longer I had been held, the more awake I had become. The world was so full of vibrant colors, so alive. How could I have not noticed this before? I could see as we moved away the shelf where I had sat with my family, and I realized that they would not really be aware that I was gone. They were still sleeping and waiting to wake up.

  After a little bit I started to drift off again. But it was different this time; I was still quite aware of what was around me and there was a warm glow within my chest. Through the checkout we went and I sat on top of a bag of "baby gear," whatever that was. It looked like clothing for a very small person.

  I was put into a box and we started moving very fast, faster than I thought possible. We stopped at a large den and I was carried in - they called it a "nursery." I was placed in the nursery and looked around. I was alone in a large room. It was a bit dark and did not seem very nice.

  Then it changed. Every day when the sun would come through the window, at some point they would come into the room and change things. They would talk and laugh while they worked. I started to learn even more about what was going on around me while they talked. I was in a "house" in the "suburbs." Pregnant women "waddle"; they do not walk for some reason. I learned many more things as well. Time was measured strangely and did not seem consistent, and there were many other things that did not make sense.

  I do know that whenever I was picked up and touched I started to feel more alive. Debbie, the waddling one, took me to bed several times and I felt a warm glow that made me feel like I could lift a "car" (that was the metal box that we travelled in).

  I understood at some level that the more contact I had physically with people, the better I felt.

  Then one night I heard the scream, and it was Debbie. They were good people and I only felt cold at the pain in that scream. I heard them talking.

  "Hon, are you okay?"

  "NO! My water burst and those contractions are coming fast! They are maybe two minutes apart and it HURTS!"

  "I have the bag in the car - let's go!"

  "Don't forget to grab my cell and turn off the lights, oh, and... AGGGHHHHHH!"

  "Leave it all. We are going to the hospital; I have the doctor on speed dial. DROP THE BAG! Do I have to carry you?"

  The last thing I heard was the door slamming and then the car raced off. I was worried; I hoped Debbie was okay and that everything was going to be all right.

  I sat in the dark and waited, looking around myself. The pink walls and fairy murals did nothing to cheer me up as I sat in the crib.

  I snuggled down and settled in for the night.

  The sun came out two more times before they returned. With them they brought the most wondrous cub in the world that was to change my world forever.

  It was small and pink. It could not move on its own. It made strange facial expressions and no real noises. I just felt an immediate connection at a deep level. I saw "Ashleigh" and I knew we were meant to be together.

  I knew what her expressions meant and the gurgling noises. She was happy to be here with her parents and she felt loved. She also loved me when she saw me. Oh, the parents could not understand anything that was said. It was silly that they could barely understand her needs and were her family. I had an overwhelming urge to snuggle into her and cuddle her and keep her warm and safe.

  I wasn't sure where those feelings came from but they were so strong that I just had to embrace them. I really hoped that I was going to be able to cuddle her while she slept. But I couldn't ask the parents, as they did not even understand their cub and would not understand my talking either.

  I was formally introduced to Ashleigh after dinnertime.

  "Hey Ashey, baby, look at what we have! Yes, it is your very own snuggly bear! So soft and gentle, isn't she awesome?!"

  OH YES! They put me next to Ashleigh and her hand brushed me. The warm glow that I had experienced with a human's touch exploded across my entire body as a wave of warm love, stronger than anything I had ever experienced. That one gentle touch from such a small hand across my arm and I could have jumped over the moon. Nothing was better. Nothing could be better.

  I knew Ashleigh was the perfect one for me. I spent every moment with her now. Ashleigh seemed to recognize me and would grizzle every time they started to really separate us.

  Bath time was the best and the worst. I never went into the water, of course, but I was in the room with them. Ashleigh always smelt like plastic flowers after the bath, but soon enough I could smell her personal smell. She was wonderful. She could not really move, but just being touched by her was amazing. Every night I was in the crib with her, just out of reach. It was g
lorious and that warm feeling never left me again, or so it seemed.

  Somehow I knew that I should not get up and go to her. I had to watch over her and keep her safe from anything that would make her feel bad. I did not know what could do that or why anyone or anything would want to hurt Ashleigh, but I would make sure she was safe.

  This was an amazing time. She would eat, sleep, make a mess, and get cleaned up regularly. I loved everything about her.

  After a few weeks she was definitely kicking around. This little cub wanted to move, but just was not that organized or strong yet.

  Whenever she would get upset, I would get picked up and be put closer to her and she would just watch me and usually calm down.

  Everything changed and became even better the one night at bedtime when she had been fussing for most of the day. I was picked up and moved closer so that I was lying next to her. Her little delicate hand found my arm and rested on it. It was so amazing.

  "Oh honey, look how sweet they are. It's like she