Hunny Sandwich

Uno

Piglet POV

Oh d-d-dear. It's June. Warm and sunny. I should be frolicking in the flowers and soaking in the sunshine. I should be making haycorn muffins and sharing them with my friends. But I can't stop shivering as Rabbit's howse comes into view. I stall for a moment, trying to convince myself everything will be okay. That my best friend will be just fine. Eventually, I blink back my tears and hesitantly hop through the hole that is the front entrance. We've set up a little clinic at Rabbit's howse because he has such a lovely garden of vegetables. They are the best chance we have at saving Pooh.

I stifle a gasp. Pooh Bear looks worse than when I came to see him yesterday. Less chubby. Less stuffed with fluff. I glance to the food tray next to his unconscious body. Piles of kerits. I guess Rabbit and Kanga couldn't get him to eat any vegetables. I swear that bear is always in the mood for food but never for anything that'll do him good! All he ever eats is hunny, hunny, hunny! If only he would've eaten some thistles or haycorns from time to time, maybe I wouldn't have to deal with the thought of losing him. Winnie has been there for me in my hardest times. Calmed me down after every panic attack. Helped me overcome my fears, and he's given me confidence. He has always been able to talk some sense into me when I'm over thinking. I can't imagine a life without him. I jump when I hear footsteps behind me, but it's just Rabbit. He looks rather somber.

"These are the best kerits I've ever grown, but Pooh refuses to take a single bite! They're absolutely scrumptious, but no! Oh little Piglet, I'm sure you'd like to try one of my kerits?"

"N-n-n-no thank you, Rabbit." My stomach can't think about food right now. Not when it's all twisted up and afraid. Pooh's stomach is always thinking about food. Thinking about hunny. Tears spring to my eyes and I can't stop them from falling down my face and dripping to the floor. I don't bother to wipe them away. I just want to keep looking at my best friend because I know he'll only get worse. The sickly sweet smell of the room finally hits my nose. I look closely at Pooh and see that his fur has begun to glisten. No, not yet! I'm not ready! I wonder if Rabbit has noticed the same thing I have, but he just seems to be examining his kerits. Likely wondering if something's wrong with them and that's why Pooh wouldn't eat them. If Rabbit really knew him, he'd know Winnie has never eaten a kerit in his life and has no desire to do so. Since Rabbit is completely oblivious, I figure I should let him know.

"Rabbit," I whisper. "L-l-look at Pooh Bear's fur." He reluctantly looks up from his prize-winning kerit and it drops to the floor with a dull thud as his mouth drops open. Then he goes into hysterics. Kerits and books begin flying across the room as Rabbit searches for who-knows-what. A teacup lands on Pooh's soft belly. I reach out to retrieve it, and it comes back sticky. My hand is covered in a gooey, golden sugar. No! It can't be happening this fast! I shake the sticky teacup out of my hand and it shatters as it crashes to the floor. Rabbit says something about Christopher Robin and then runs out of his howse, yelling about kerits. Leaving me alone with Pooh. I touch my little hand to Winnie's cheek and he begins to wake up. He smiles when he sees me.

"Oh Piglet. Hi." He reaches his own hand to his cheek to meet mine. My hand is really sticky now, but I don't care. I could be drowning in hunny and I wouldn't care. I just want my best friend back. I'm shaking again. The tears stopped momentarily but now they've come back. "Oh Piglet, don't cry. Don't cry. What's wrong?" The tears fall harder. He doesn't even realize what's happening to him. I can hardly speak, but I try.

"P-P-Pooh you're t-t-turning-" I take a deep breath. "You're t-turning into h-h-h-hunny." He looks at me, oblivious to the thick, sweet mess forming around his pale body, stealing his chubbiness. Stealing my best friend.

"Hunny?? I love hunny! Oh, can I have some hunny?"

"Oh P-P-P-Pooh Bear." I climb up onto the little bed we made of sticks and flowers and I give him a big hug. He hugs me back, still confused. We stay like this for a few minutes. I need to cherish what is likely the last hug I'll ever get from him. I barely even notice that almost my entire body is dripping hunny when I release Pooh. I look at Pooh sadly, but he smiles.