To Everything There Is A Season/Part 3

"Of course, the next morning is when I was met with a very unsmurfy surprise concerning my pet," Smurfette said, her voice sounding like it was breaking at the mere mention of the event.

"That's okay, Smurfette," Empath said, trying to comfort her. "We'll understand if this part makes you feel uncomfortable to tell."

As Smurfette bravely continued her story, Empath and Polaris both saw Smurfette wake up the next morning to see that her pet mouse had collapsed inside his mouse house. "Squeaky, please wake up," she spoke, gently nudging the creature.

Tapper and Duncan arrived at the scene. "Smurf o' the morning to you, my dear Smurfette," Tapper greeted. "What smurfs to be the problem this morning?"

"It's Squeaky," Smurfette answered. "He doesn't seem to answer when I try to awaken him this morning."

"Michty me, lassie, I don't like what I'm thinking has happened," Duncan said. "We'd better get Papa Smurf to smurf at the mouse and give his answer."

"I'll go and inform Papa Smurf, Duncan," Tapper said as he headed in the direction of Papa Smurf's laboratory.

A group of Smurfs started to gather around Smurfette as she continued to try awaking Squeaky, to no avail. "What in the smurf is smurfing on here?" one of the Smurfs asked another.

"Smurfette's pet mouse isn't waking up."

"You don't suppose that the mouse is...?"

"Oh dear, how will Smurfette take the news?"

"This doesn't smurf to be very good."

"Papa Smurf will know what to do."

"But what if Papa Smurf says that the mouse is..."

"Don't say that. Papa Smurf can fix any problem."

"I'm not so sure he can fix this one."

And soon Papa Smurf appeared with Tapper. "Stand aside, my little Smurfs," he told the Smurfs who have gathered around. "I want to smurf for myself what's wrong with Smurfette's mouse."

Brainy gathered with Clumsy as they stood around and watched. "Oh no, Brainy, it can't be what I'm thinking is happening to Smurfette's pet," Clumsy said, sounding a bit surprised.

"I'm afraid that it might be, Clumsy," Brainy said. "I just knew that something like this was going to happen to her pet."

Papa Smurf held the mouse close to his ear in order to hear a heartbeat or some sign of life. Then he just handed the creature over to Smurfette and sighed. "I'm afraid that your pet Squeaky had just passed away, Smurfette," he said.

"Passed away? You mean he...he...he...died?" Smurfette asked, uncertain of what Papa Smurf was trying to say.

"Yes, Smurfette, that's what I mean," Papa Smurf answered in a somber tone. "I'm sorry to smurf this to you."

Smurfette was in total disbelief and shock. "No, please, Squeaky, wake up," she cried, holding the mouse close to her as she sobbed deeply.

The other Smurfs standing around her also broke into tears. "The little mouse was just too good for this imperfect little world," Vanity said as he sobbed.

"I hate...crying," Grouchy said as he also sobbed. - And soon the Smurfs had gathered in the memorial park near the village as they attended a funeral for Smurfette's pet, with Sculptor engraving the image of the mouse's face on a tombstone placed at the head of the newly-dug grave. Tapper was given a moment to speak some words that would bring comfort to the hearts of his friends in their time of sorrow.

"O Lord God, the Father Almighty, the Maker of heaven and earth, I pray that on this day of days that You would smurf comfort to our hearts in our time of loss with the promise that we will smurf our friends again in the new world that You have prepared for those who love You with all their heart," Tapper prayed. "Let us be reminded by the words of Your faithful servant Solomon: 'To every thing there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the heavens: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to root up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.'"

"And so, let us smurf a moment of silence to honor the loss of our dear friend Squeaky," Papa Smurf said after Tapper had finished.

Smurfette stood beside Papa Smurf near the grave, bearing a bouquet of flowers. "Oh, Papa Smurf, this just isn't fair," she said.

"I know that it may seem that way, Smurfette, but this is just a law of nature that besmurfs everything," Papa Smurf said. "Every flower must die, every insect, every creature. Even Smurfs will one day pass from this life. Death is just a part of life."

"I don't care, Papa Smurf," Smurfette said, throwing the bouquet of flowers on top of the grave, sounding very upset. "Life is too cruel, and I don't think that I can ever love anyone again." With that, Smurfette just ran away from the funeral and headed for her house to sob in private.

"Gee, Papa Smurf, Smurfette is surely smurfing this real hard," Hefty said.

"It's just natural that she feels that way, Hefty," Papa Smurf said. "Smurfette just needs some time alone so she can smurf over the loss of her friend."

"I don't know about Smurfette, but I could sure use a good smurf of sarsaparilla ale after having to smurf through that," Duncan said.

"I agree with you, Duncan," Tapper said. "Come, my friends, let's smurf some time at the tavern so we could comfort each other through our griefs."

"I hate having to smurf sarsaparilla ale after losing somebody," Grouchy said as he and the other Smurfs followed Tapper to the tavern.

To be expanded on.