Choosing Pets

Want to become a Halloween Pet?

“No.  A thousand times no.”  Harry’s mom turned away in disgust.  “You couldn’t even take care of your pet rock.”

“Please, mom?”  Harry used his best ‘I love you’ voice. “I’m bigger now and I’ve learned a lot. Besides, it found me. It asked me to take it home.  It was lonely.”  Harry didn’t mention he’d had to pry his new pet out of the old haunted house bannister.  Even he didn’t dare go inside the dark, abandoned mansion.  

“Let me see it again. I can’t believe you even want it.”  She eyed the worn sculpture with suddenly wary sight.  “Wasn’t this on a pillar at the old Manson place? How many times do I have to tell you to keep away from there.  Those scary groans you think are ghosts may be the place telling you it’s getting ready to fall apart.”

“You mean I have to take it back?”  Harry quickly played his last card before his mom could catch her breath.  If mom didn’t want him going there, how could she make him do it?

“We’ll see what dad has to say. Go wash your hands it’s almost dinner time.”  Harry uncrossed his fingers.  The rock gargoyle had told him right.  If he wanted it bad enough it would find a way to stay with him.

The object was forgotten over dinner.  It was easily replaced by dad bragging about his new contract.  Mom had stars in her eyes when told she could have the kitchen totally remodeled. They hardly noticed Harry leave the table.

“Hi, thing.”  That’s what Harry had named the one foot statue.  He felt it wiggle in his hands, nodding its head back.  “Yep. It’s O.K. You can stay in my room tonight.  They aren’t fighting over money for a change. You said you could do that but I didn’t believe you.  You are pretty neat, you know that?”  

When mom came to say goodnight, Harry hid the statue under the covers.  It’s raspy rock face tickled a little making him smile. That was its way of letting him know just what to say.  “You look happy tonight, mom. I love you.”   She ignored the strange way he was sitting up in bed.  A quick kiss on the top of his head and she was off to celebrate with dad.

“Gee. I don’t know.” Harry stared at the thing.  “I know you’ll be lonely when I go to school, but getting your twin means trouble if mom or dad find out. Besides it’s Halloween weekend.  No school.  I can’t wait to show you to my friends.”  

Harry’s usual nightmares that sent him running to his parents bedroom didn’t bother him that night.  His mom had to come in and wake him.  “Wow, Harry. You never sleep in. Do you want to see the Halloween costume I made for you?  Tonight’s the night for trick-or-treats.”  

He nodded eagerly wondering where his statue had gone.  It wasn’t in bed with him. Harry hurried his mom out of the room so he could start looking.  

“There you are.  How did you get under my bed? That’s where monsters go. You weren’t even scared where you? Are you a monster hunter?”  He polished the dust bunnies off before hiding the gargoyle in the closet.  It was another favorite monster hiding place.  Maybe it would scare them away from there, too.  He hoped so.

“A teddy bear! No, mom. I’m too old to be a teddy bear. My friends will laugh at me.”  When he saw the hurt look on her face he knew he had to give in.  “All right, just for the kid’s parade. We’ll make me something else for trick-or-treating, all right?”  

“You’re growing up for sure, little fella. Learning to trade favors is very adult of you.  All right. We’ll do it that way.”  She noticed again how Larry was looking more like her every day.  They both had small frames, dark hair and brown eyes.  He would make a darling teddy bear.

“What are you going to be mom?”  He always asked her that and she always looked surprised at the way he included her.  Her usual “Not this year, dear.” left an empty hole in his heart.

“I’m going to turn into a princess.”  Harry thanked the gargoyle for another wish granted.  Dad had to work late on the new contract so it would be just the two of them.  When he went up to his room later to get ready, the closet door swung open revealing his statue.

“You have to go too? Oh. There will be bullies mom can’t handle?”  Harry listened carefully.  Pulling his little red wagon with the gargoyle in it was easier once he explained to mom they could take it back to the mansion together.

There were bullies all right.  A whole gang of them caught mom and Harry under a broken street light, probably by one of them.  One held Harry while the others circled mom like vultures.

Harry waited for the command before pushing the red wagon with all his strength and kicking the guy holding him in the shins.  The momentum tumbled the gargoyle out like a bowling ball tumbling the gang as pins.  They were too stunned to keep mom, harry, gargoyle and wagon from escaping.

“I guess you can keep it for a pet, darling. It has been good luck.”  Mom sighed.

“No mom. I’m not good taking care of pets.  Don’t you see? I’m the gargoyle’s pet. It’s taking care of me.”

Author's Note

Let me know which of your short stories you'd like reviewed

Reviews

[matrixmark]

Loved the begining of this story. Vivid image of a mother looking down at her child and shaking the ole finger at him. But a a rock - wow that's different and i like different.

Made me chuckle -'Hi thing' - really cool, brought a smile to my face. It's so cute when harry pulls out his little red wagon with the gargoyle in it.

I had all sorts of wonderful visions when i read this. I kept thinking of some kind of faamily which we're always the odd ones on the street. The only way i can kind of describe it is something out of the adams family (kind of, if you get what i mean)

But to think of something like this, i could never do. Brilliant short story

You have such a brlliant imagination with this little story. This has been a little gem of a read.

Mark.