WtP: Lost Treasures chp4

Tanya set down another box on the floor in the entrance and sighed. "It's going to take us until dinnertime, if not later, to finish unloading these from the van," she commented as her son squeeze between the towers of boxes and continued to play with his plane. "And by then, the front door will be blocked."

"Don't worry about that, my dear," an old woman replied while walking by slowly with a cane in her hand. "Christopher Robin is a fast worker; he'll get these boxes sorted out properly and emptied from the van before I have time to even start up the oven."

"Is that so?" Tanya said with a curious smile.

"Oh, yes; why, he could have a mess started and finished within less than five minutes as a boy."

At that moment, the woman's son walked by while carrying a chair. "Is that supposed to be a compliment or an insult?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Both," his mother replied, making Tanya laugh. "And that goes the same for that silly old bear of yours and the rest of your toys."

"Are they still around?"

"I never touched them since you left. So they must be."

Christopher set the chair down in the living room and looked up the stairs that led to the second floor. "I believe tomorrow, I will make time to go through my old things," he said. "As well as visit the Hundred Acre Wood."

"You mean the backyard?" his mother clarified.

Christopher turned around and looked at her. He was silent for a moment before shrugging. "I called it the Hundred Acre Wood," he replied.

"Do you really still call it that, Christopher?"

"I… well, why not? It is what it is, isn't it? The bit of land Dad bought for us?"

His mother simply shook her head in amusement before slowly climbing the stairs. "Still my little boy, I see," she chuckled.

Tanya followed her shortly in order to help her to the second floor. "Christopher, can you continue to empty the van?" she asked. "I'd like to have as much brought in as possible before the movers return from their break."

"Alright, I'll get to it," her husband replied.

"And keep an eye on Kris, please!"

"Both eyes. Did you want me to start dinner in a few hours?"

The sound of his mother laughing replied: "Ha! You cook? As I recall, you nearly burnt the kitchen down as a teenager when trying to fry a piece of bacon, for goodness sake!"

Christopher smiled wryly as he heard his wife laugh before passing a hand through his thick hair and heaving a sigh.

"Daddy? Daddy, Daddy!"

The persevering call of his son made Christopher turn around and face the doorway. There, he saw his son pointing outdoors while staring at him in wonder. "There's a bear outside, Daddy," he said in awe. "And it's climbing into the van!"

The first thing that passed through his mind was "Close the door before it comes in." The next was scolding his son for simply standing there. The man hastily walked over yet attempted to remain collected. "A bear?" he said. "How big? Is it brown?"

"No, more of a yellow-brown," the child replied.

"A… yellow-brown?"

"Uh-huh. And he's about this tall…" The boy held his hand a little lower than his shoulder.

Now, it was a completely different bear Christopher thought of, and instead of fear and concern, relief and then joy spread through his body. A smile crossed over his lips as he ran the rest of the way and peered outside. His son did the same, poking his head between his father's legs. And what they both saw was the very thing Christopher Robin had been hoping to see:

A little bear standing upright, with stitching along its back and a red shirt over his body, was clumsily attempting to climb into the back of the van, dismissing the ramp as though it did not exist. He was, just as the boy had said, no taller than a child, if not shorter. He groaned quietly at the effort of pulling his weight, and even seemed to have muttered Oh, bother when he slipped.

Christopher could not believe his eyes. There he was; the very bear he had been hoping to see since his arrival in the Hundred Acre Wood. The dearest friend of his childhood, the constant companion since his earliest days.

"Winnie-the-Pooh!"

An angry call coming from the right caused Christopher and his son to turn their heads. To their complete surprise, running from the yard towards the van was a group of various animals, a rabbit at the front. This rabbit in particular seemed to be the grumpiest of them all, compared to the bouncing tiger that had curiosity flooding his eyes. The pig, the two kangaroos, the owl and the donkey that followed were a mix of both seriousness and wonder.

"Oh, cool," the boy whispered beneath his father.

Christopher smiled at him before looking at the rabbit again. It stopped at the foot of the van and grabbed the bear's foot. "Pooh Bear, I said get down!" he ordered, pulling the bear right off of the van by the foot. "When I say we lay low, we lay low! You know that!"

"But as I recall, you didn't say that," the bear replied as he sat up.

"You know what I mean! How are we supposed to stay safe if you don't follow my orders and stay hidden?"

The bear seemed upset by this. "But I wanted to see if Christopher Robin was in the van, Rabbit," he said.

Christopher's son gasped softly and looked up at his father. "Daddy, he just said your name!" he whispered with a grin.

"So he did," Christopher agreed before listening to the conversation going on.

The rabbit shook a finger in the bear's face. "Don't do that again, you understand me?" he scolded. "What if you ran into a Heffalump on the way here, hm?"

"But there were no Heffalumps, Rabbit," the bear pointed out. "Not to mention they don't come to Christopher Robin's house. It's too cheerful here."

"Euh, if it's cheerful, why do I feel a little off here all of a sudden?" the striped feline noted. "What a weird feeling."

"Oh, d-d-d-dear," the little pink pig added while holding its face in its hands. "I feel stranger here too. It's very odd."

"Must be the newcomers," the donkey added. "Givin' off a bad vibe because it's not their house."

Rabbit helped the bear named Pooh back up to his feet and dusted him off. "An even bigger reason for us to be going," he said. "Now, come on, Pooh."

"But Rabbit, I want to see Christopher Robin," Pooh added disappointingly. "Please; let's stay a while. I'm sure he'll show up—!"

"Pooh, if we stay any longer, we'll get caught," the rabbit argued. "If Christopher Robin returns, then he'll come to find us." He raised a finger and poked the bear's nose with it. "Or more specifically, you."

The little boy covered his mouth and looked up at his father again. "Daddy, is that that Silly old Bear you always talk to me about?" he asked eagerly.

Christopher Robin nodded his head. "It most certainly is, Boy," he replied. "The best friend I ever had. Even through high school."

"Can I play with him now?"

"I believe it would be best if you gave them time, Kris. They don't seem to be taking the moving very lightly."

"Then, shouldn't you tell them you're you? Then, they wouldn't be so afraid."

Christopher watched as Rabbit pulled on Pooh's arm until the bear gave in and followed the others back towards the forest. A small tug on his heart urged the man to do exactly what his son suggested, and so he nodded firmly and stepped out of the doorway. "Wait here," he told his son. "When I say so, you can come out, alright?"

"Yessir!"

The animals were now halfway across the yard when Christopher Robin decided to break into a sprint and run after them. His heart was light and excited to see his dear friends from his childhood. Nothing could make moving back to the Hundred Acre Wood better than this.

A smile and a hug from his very best friend was all he needed to make things complete.

Rabbit reached over and placed a hand on the bear's shoulder as he sighed. "It'll be safer for us if we stay where we should for now, Pooh," the rabbit said. "Then, when we're positive that Christopher Robin has returned, we can—!"

"Pooh Bear!"

Rabbit and the others came to a stop in their tracks when Christopher called out to them. The man laughed and waved an arm in the air as he ran over. "Pooh! Guys, wait up!" he added. "Rabbit, Tigger, Piglet, Owl, Eeyore, Kanga and Roo!"

The heads of each creature slowly turned when they heard him call out to them by name. They watched as Christopher slowed to a walking pace and continued to head in their direction. But the same excitement he had in his eyes did not reflect in his friends' eyes; in fact, he saw more surprise and confusion than familiarity.

Perhaps it's because it's been so long, he thought. Spreading out his arms, he said, "Guys, it's so great to see you all again. It's been eleven years, and not one day went by where I didn't think of you all. Are you all still living well in the Hundred Acre Wood?"

No one replied. They simply continued to stare at the man in shock. Even Pooh seemed taken aback, and when Rabbit's ears fell to the back of his head, the bear seemed to reflect his insecurity.

Christopher looked at them in silence before leaning over his lap. "Guys, are you well?" he asked. "You look a little on the shocked side, Rabbit—!"

"How do you know our names?" Roo interrupted while pointing at him.

"Yeah!" Tigger added, a little more ferociously than the baby kangaroo. "And who deh heck are you?"

Christopher looked at him in silence before opening his mouth. "Well, it's been over a decade, so I can't be surprised that you wouldn't recognize me—!"

"How in the world would we recognize a stranger?" Rabbit said defensively, a frown on his brow. He pointed at the human. "I've never seen you in my life. I don't even know how it is that you're even speaking to us. No grown up has ever done that before."

"Rabbit, I've been talking to you guys for years—!"

"Absurd," Owl said with a shake of his head. "I don't quite recall seeing anyone like you here before."

"The only person I know who we've spoken to is Christopher Robin," Eeyore added.

Their obliviousness was beginning to worry Christopher. This was not like them, to act this way in front of people. Yes, they had never spoken to another human being before, but he would have expected them to recognize their own friend. He got into a squat in front of them, which only made Rabbit and Pooh take a few steps back. The others imitated their friends—Roo even hopped into his mother's pouch.

The man placed a hand on his chest. "But that's me," he said, addressing to Eeyore's words: "… I'm Christopher Robin."

He had expected at least one of them to gasp and smile upon hearing those words. But to Christopher's great surprise—and in fact, dismay—none of his beloved Hundred Acre Wood friends seemed pleased. If anything, they became uneasy.

"Impossible," Rabbit whispered as his ears fell back once more. "I would have known if you were our Christopher Robin."

"Yeah," Tigger added. "We'd recognize him anywhere. Which raises a confusinfully question: what are you doing in Christopher Robin's house?"

Christopher looked at Tigger with growing concern in his eyes. "But Tigger, I am Christopher Robin," he insisted. "I left eleven years ago to go to college, remember? I told you I would be back, and here I am! It really is me!"

But the more he spoke, the more worried and fearful the animals seemed to become. Even Tigger took several steps back, and he seemed to be the bravest of them all. Rabbit stuttered as he attempted to speak as sternly as he could, but even when he frowned, his fear remained in his eyes. "N-now you listen here, Sir," he said, pointing at the man, "We're not about to tolerate your silly games. You can't expect to move into our friend's home and… a-a-a-and impersonate him. That's just absurd and uncalled for!"

Christopher had never seen Rabbit, or any of his other companions, this upset or afraid of something. Worry filled his heart now as he shook his head. "Rabbit, do you think I would be joking around at a time like this?" he said. "I've got so much to tell you guys; why would I pretend to be myself? Why don't you recognize me?"

"Because you are not Christopher Robin, that's why!" Rabbit exclaimed, now incredibly insecure. "No, no! You're not! We would recognize our Christopher Robin, we would! And you, Sir, are not Christopher Robin!"

"But how would I know your names otherwise?" Christopher argued. "Or your hobbies?" He pointed at Rabbit, who hastily backed away and nearly hid behind Pooh. "You like to garden. You have a great big one in your yard." He pointed at Tigger next, who leaped back. "And you like to bounce all the time. The most wonderful thing about Tiggers is that you're the only one!"

He had thought that naming their favorite pass-times would rekindle their memories, but it seemed that, the more Christopher stated he knew about each of them, the more afraid his friends became.

He pointed at Piglet next. "And you, Piglet, you're a very small animal, but—!"

Piglet was already shuddering in fear before Christopher pointed at him. When he was addressed, Piglet screamed in fright and immediately dashed behind Pooh for cover. Whimpering in fear as Christopher stopped in his words, the little animal peered around the bear while staring at the man with frightened eyes.

Christopher fell silent here. Piglet's shock was enough to make his heart break. If he did not recognize him, then…

Rabbit waited a moment in silence before clearing his throat and crossing his arms. "You have it right there," he said. "We don't know who you are. Now, if you'll excuse us, we've got more important things to do."

Christopher looked at him as the animal turned around and began walking away; then, out of the last strand of hope he had left within him, he turned his gaze onto the bear the rabbit had been standing next to. "Pooh," he whispered.

Pooh did not reply. Like the others, his dark eyes were filled with confusion and fear. It was the first time Christopher had ever seen the bear look at him in that manner, and it made his heart squeeze. "Pooh, you remember me," he said; "… Don't you?"

The bear looked at Piglet for a moment before looking at the others. Rabbit had stopped in his tracks when the man spoke the bear's name, and was now standing near Owl.

Pooh kept his eyes on his friends before looking at the man once more. Christopher held out a hand and made to reach for the bear. "Winnie-the-Pooh—!"

His hand hardly came within a few inches when Pooh did something he had not expected him to do: he backed away.

Christopher stopped stretching out his arm and stared at the bear in complete dismay. He found himself trying to keep tears from filling his eyes. "Pooh, it really is me," he insisted. "Christopher Robin. You remember the things we did together, don't you?"

But Pooh only took a few more steps back. "I remember, but…" He stopped in his words, looked at his friends again, stared at the man and then added, very quietly: "… But… I don't remember you."

These words made Christopher's heart crash to the pit of his stomach. Sadly, the man shook his head. "But Pooh, it really is me!" he repeated. "Christopher Robin! That's me!"

"You're not Christopher Robin," Pooh disagreed, sadness clearly in his voice. "You don't feel like him."

Christopher did not completely understand these words, but they were enough to make tears fill his eyes.

Pooh continued to stare at him in silence until a hand rested upon his shoulder. He turned his head and looked at Rabbit, who had come over to him again. "Come on, Pooh," Rabbit said quietly. "It's time to go." He let go of Pooh's shoulder and slowly began to walk back towards the forest. After one last glance at Christopher, Tigger, Piglet, Kanga, Roo, Eeyore and Owl did the same and followed the rabbit off.

Pooh watched them leave and made to do the same when Christopher's voice stopped him again. "Pooh, please," he begged. "I told you before I left that I would come back. I told you that we would be best friends forever and ever. You remember that, don't you? Our promise?"

Pooh stared at him in silence for a moment before looking over his shoulder again. Fear and worry continued to fill his eyes. He looked at the man again and took a step back. "Well I—!"

"I am me, Pooh!" Christopher insisted. He reached out for the bear's paw. "Please—!"

Pooh leaped back in fright when the man's hand came within reach of his fur. He gasped in fear and looked at the man while holding his paw in the other. Christopher froze at this action before reaching out again. "Pooh, you have to believe me," he pleaded. "It really is me; Christopher Robin… your best friend…" When all the bear did was stare back, the man attempted once more to speak. "Pooh—!"

"Pooh Bear!"

Pooh quickly looked over his shoulder when he heard Rabbit call to him. The others were just disappearing into the thickets when the animal beckoned the bear over. "It's time to go! Come on! We can't stay here!" Rabbit called out.

"But…" Pooh began.

"No buts, Pooh! Christopher Robin is not here. We need to leave!"

Pooh remained where he was for a moment before looking at the man again who claimed to be his closest friend. Christopher reached out again yet said nothing.

"I…" He waited a second longer before finally shaking his head sadly and backing away. "You're not Christopher Robin," he whispered. With that, he turned around and ran back towards the forest, soon disappearing in the thickets like the rest of his friends.

Christopher rose to his feet. "Pooh Bear!" he cried out. "Pooh Bear, it really is me!" When no reply came, he called out for the bear again, this time in despair, but again, no one came. No one… came.

Suddenly, returning to the Hundred Acre Wood became a very sad thing to do.

*****