When the Gingerbread Man Ran Away

Previously

…“Oh, but it’s not deep enough for me to swallow you whole, is it?” the fox said, its voice laced with a chilling amusement. “And I do so dislike getting my whiskers wet by having to chew.” Before the Gingerbread Man could even gasp, the fox tilted its head further. The water surged, and with a sickening lurch, the Gingerbread Man felt himself being pulled under. He tumbled, spun, and then… darkness. A sharp, crunching sensation, and then… nothing. The Gingerbread Man’s adventure, so full of speed and spirit, had come to a very swift, very final end. The river flowed on, carrying away the last crumbs of his courage and his sweet, spiced existence.