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To Zipper’s surprise, the laborer didn’t take him to work today. Instead, the female human immersed him in a bath filled with soapy water. She scrubbed away the grime and rinsed him off. He felt revitalized. She took him outside where his fabric soon dried in the strong sun. She stuffed several thick cloths into him and carefully placed a tiny human on top. The tiny one’s face, peered out from the opening. The woman covered her head with a woven scarf, fastened Zipper onto her back and walked along a gravel trek till she reached a farm. The tiny one gurgled from his elevated perch. Zipper had never carried anything alive before and didn’t mind his new cargo until later, when it produced an extremely unpleasant odour! The backpack was placed with his wriggling charge under a shady tree with other children. Two young girls scooped up the toddler and played with him while the woman and others worked in the fields. Zipper admired the vast mountain range beneath the clouds. He imaged he was the Japanese rebel’s knapsack.
He was picked up by the younger girl, while the older one carried the tiny one. They walked down towards a creek. Fresh water bubbled and plopped over rocks when a deafening crack filled their ears and reverberated throughout the valley. The girls’ eyes widened. The younger one dropped Zipper. They both scurried up the hill, the oldest clutching the tiny one.
Zipper was left on his side on the bank. He wasn’t scared and hoped the young humans would be back. He had discovered that not all humans were deceitful and he didn’t mind that he had been left behind. Minutes passed and there were no more bangs.
Nearby were clusters of small mounds, made from clotted balls of mud - home to colonies of stinging insects. With animated feelers, a line of scouts ploughed through patches of grass and clods of earth towards Zipper’s opened compartment. For a few seconds he trembled, but then he remembered his mantra. The backpack felt the wind blow against his fabric. If he tilted his frame, the strong gusts could help him roll over into the water and be safe until the young humans returned. Minutes later, destiny prevailed as the wind tipped Zipper over, and he shuddered as cold water immersed his fabric. Sighing, he knew that he truly was bold, brave, and brilliant.
