The Jin’oshan Boy

Kiva climbed steadily, the sand radiating waves of heat beneath his feet. The desert sun blazed overhead, pounding mercilessly on Kiva’s back.

Absently, he stretched his tail around to wipe away the sweat on his forehead. His hands clenched his staff, supporting his weight as he climbed. He was almost there…

As he reached the top of the sand dune, Kiva was able to see the city of Dar’Alvah spread out in the distance. He sighed, and sat down, gazing at the city below.

Every afternoon he made this climb, and every night he watched, through the long, dark, lonely hours, until the sun began to creep over the horizon. Then, satisfied that it was safe to do so, he would return down the sand dune to his small hut, and rest until it was time to watch over the city once more.

Kiva was a Jin’oshan, and the occupants of Dar’Alvah did not like his kind. That was why they had cast him out of the city when he was still a very small child. His mother, Ashila, was a Dar’Alvan native, with the same pale green skin and vivid blue hair as the other residents of the city. She had told Kiva many stories of his father, a strong, handsome, noble Jin’oshan man named Malik. They had loved each other deeply. But her family would not have approved, so they had kept their relationship hidden. They were secretly married, and had planned to run away and start a new life together. But on the night they were to meet, Kiva’s father had not shown up.

Ashila believed with all her heart that something must have happened to Malik, for he would never had abandoned her intentionally. But she had never heard from him again.

When she realized she was pregnant with Kiva, Ashila worked hard to keep the pregnancy, then the baby, a secret. Kiva was born with distinctive Jin’oshan traits – darkly tanned skin, red eyes, horns, and a long, golden tail. He was the spitting image of his father, and there was no way he could blend in with the Dar’Alvan people.

When he was four, he was discovered by a washerwoman. She had been passing by the tiny cottage where Ashila and Kiva lived, and had heard him singing to himself as he played near an open window. When she looked in and spotted the boy, her scream could be heard from miles around.

An angry crowd of Dar’Alvans surrounded the cottage and demanded that Kiva be banished to the desert. They did not trust the “golden devils,” as they called the Jin’oshan people. “Red eyes are a sign of evil” they would claim, and “no decent person has horns and a tail.”

Ashila tried to convince them of her son’s goodness and innocence, but the people did not want to hear. Kiva simply looked too different, and that scared them. They did not want any “golden devils” in their city.

So, Kiva was banished to the desert. Ashila tried to go with him, but her people held her back. She was, after all, one of them. They wanted to keep her far from the corrupting influence of her terrible monster of a son.

As soon as she was able, however, Ashila crept out of the city and into the desert, where she swept Kiva into her arms and covered him with kisses. She stayed with him every night, and snuck back into the city every morning before anyone could notice her missing.

Over time, they built the little hut at the bottom of the sand dune, so Kiva had a safe place to stay. And as the years passed, it became quite cozy.

But Kiva longed to be around other people. He loved his mother, but he was nearly a man now, and he ached to meet other people his age. He secretly hoped to be able to prove to the people of Dar’Alvah that he was trustworthy, so they might welcome him back with open arms.

Kiva simply wanted to be judged by the contents of his heart, rather than the fierceness of his appearance.

And so, he stood vigil over the city every night while its citizens slept. His mother joined him on the evenings she was able to come, but as she’d gotten older, it had become more difficult for her to sneak away. So, Kiva often watched alone, quietly waiting for an opportunity to prove his worth.

As the sun set and the stars began to appear overhead, Kiva lay down, stretching out in the sand. He gazed at the twinkling lights as they gathered, one by one, in the sky. As the minutes passed, the smattering of stars doubled, tripled, quadrupled in number, until there was a vast horde of shimmering lights dancing through the night sky.

Staring up at a particularly bright congregation of stars, Kiva was startled to notice a sudden shadow. It passed swiftly, heading toward the sleeping city. Kiva tracked its passage, watching stars disappear, then reappear as the shadow crossed their path.

The shadow lowered toward the horizon, settling in the sand on the eastern edge of the city. The dim lights from nearby homes shed just enough light on the shadow that Kiva could finally make out what it was.

Heart racing, Kiva leapt to his feet and ran down the dune toward Dar’Alvah, staff in hand.

As he reached the edge of the city, he began pounding on doors, warning the citizens. “Groost! There’s a groost on the edge of the city!”

Sleepy exclamations came from the houses as he ran on, cutting a noisy path through the city toward the eastern side where the groost lay in wait.

Everyone knew about groosts, but no one had seen one in years – Kiva certainly hadn’t. It was said they were rare, even rarer than dragons, and much, much nastier. They had sharp teeth and claws, enormous wings, and three heads.

No one had ever heard of anyone ever killing a groost. They were far too powerful to fight. But it was possible to chase them away.

The best way to get rid of a groost, Kiva’s mother had said, was to get a large crowd of brave men, armed with shiny metallic shields, and polished mirrors. Groosts were vicious, but territorial, and not particularly intelligent. A big group carrying a myriad of reflective surfaces could chase a groost away by showing it its own reflection. The nasty but foolish creature would be tricked into thinking it was facing another of its own kind, and move on. They were rare enough that they had little need to compete for territory, so the groost would have no real motivation to stay and fight.

But Kiva couldn’t do it alone. So, he pounded on doors, shouted through windows, and warned the people of Dar’Alvah as he ran through the city.

Kiva threw down his staff, and paused to grab a large, reflective pot lid sitting outside a local tavern. A hand grabbed him firmly by the arm and spun him around.

“Just what do you think you’re doing, you dirty golden devil? Are you stealing from me?”

A large, barrel-chested man with a full turquoise moustache and beady green eyes glared down at Kiva, who realized this must be the tavern owner.

“No, sir! There’s a groost on the edge of town! I’ve been warning the people, but I need a reflective surface to help chase it away.”

“A likely story,” another voice snorted from nearby. Apparently, they were beginning to draw a crowd.

“This evil little devil boy is probably just playing a prank on us,” someone chimed in.

“I’m not even sure groosts actually exist,” agreed another.

“Get out of here, you dirty devil!”

“We don’t want your kind here!”

As the crowd swarmed in around him, pelting Kiva with insults, small rocks, and old fruit, he curled up into a protective ball. “Please,” he cried, trying to shout above the cacophony of furious Dar’Alvans, “I’m only trying to help! There really is a groost!”

“Liar!”

“Everyone knows you can’t trust a Jin’oshan!”

Kiva curled in tighter, tucking his head and knees to his chest, as the mob screamed overhead.

I should have known, he thought in despair. The people here would never accept a Jin’oshan like me.

Suddenly, a scream broke through the roar of the crowd. “Groost! There’s a groost on the edge of the city!”

The crowd backed away from Kiva, looking around in confusion. From the eastern edge of Dar’Alvah came a furious roar, followed by the crash of a building collapsing.

The tavern owner’s eyes were as wide as saucers. “The little devil was telling the truth. Men, grab mirrors! Get whatever reflective surfaces you can find! Hurry!”

The mob dispersed, people rushing to find mirrors, or to hide. The tavern owner turned suspicious eyes on Kiva.

“I don’t know what you have to do with all of this…” he began.

“Nothing, sir!” Kiva promised. “I just saw the groost and wanted to warn the people.”

The tavern owner frowned. “Why? What do you care if we live or die?”

Kiva did not know how to answer this. “Why wouldn’t I? We may look different from one another but, we’re all still people. Your lives matter just as much as mine does. Besides,” he hesitated for a moment, then confessed. “My father may have been Jin’oshan, but my mother is Dar’Alvan. You’re my people, too.”

Looking slightly alarmed, the tavern owner considered this, then nodded. “My apologies, boy. It seems that I may have misjudged you.”

Kiva accepted the apology with a nod, then grabbed the pot lid and ran toward the roaring in the distance. The tavern owner was hot on his heels, carrying a large baking sheet.

When Kiva arrived at the place where the groost was rampaging, a crowd was already beginning to form. He joined them, his pot lid held high. Soon, he found himself surrounded on all sides by pale green arms, all holding their reflective surfaces above their heads, aimed in the direction of the enraged groost.

As one, the mass of men began to roar back at the groost, shaking their mirrors, shields, and pot lids threateningly as they screamed in defiance. The groost shook its head, confused, then hissed back at them. After a few tense minutes of back-and-forth between the groost and the crowd, the groost gave a final, angry screech, and flew away.

Once they were sure the groost was truly gone, the men began to relax, laughing in disbelief that they had won the day. The patted one another on the back, grinning, almost delirious with relief.

Then, someone spotted Kiva, and the mood shifted, suddenly tense once more. The men began muttering to one another.

“A Jin’oshan? What’s he doing here?”

“He’s not one of us. Did he bring the groost?”

“Dirty golden devil.”

“Stop!” came a commanding voice from Kiva’s right. The tavern owner stood there, glaring back at the crowd. Gingerly, he put his arm around Kiva’s shoulders, and straightened to his fullest height.

“This Jin’oshan boy is the reason we were warned of the groost’s arrival. He saw it first, and woke the town. It is thanks to him that we were able to react so quickly, and chase off the groost before it could do any real damage. You all owe him a debt of gratitude!”

The men stared at the tavern owner, then at Kiva, still suspicious.

The tavern owner sighed. “If it helps, he says his mother is Dar’Alvan.”

“That’s right.”

Kiva whipped around, and found his mother smiling at him from the edge of the crowd. “Kiva is my son.”

Shocked whispers rippled through the throng as Ashila pushed her way past the men, and wrapped up her son in a warm embrace.

“Ashila,” one tall, slender man called out, hesitantly, “Is this the boy we banished to the desert?”

Her chin lifted high, and she nodded. “He is. You may have banished him, but you could not keep me from him. I made sure he was looked after, and loved, just as he deserves. He may look different than us, but he is still a person, and worthy of love and respect - even if his mother is the only one willing to give it to him.” She smiled at her son, gently caressing his hair with her hand.

“But the Jin’oshan people are all devils, and liars! That’s why they have red eyes, and horns!” protested a voice from the back of the crowd.

Ashila whipped around to face the voice, her eyes flashing. “They have red eyes, and horns, and yes, even a tail simply because they evolved differently than we did. Their people lived in a place where those features were necessary, and helpful, just as we lived in a place where cool skin and blue hair helped us to survive. But we all come from the same ancestors if you look back far enough, and we are all exactly the same on the inside.”

She turned as she spoke, scanning the horde of men. “Kiva’s father, Malik, was a Jin’oshan man, and he was the love of my life. He taught me about his people’s culture, and their history. He showed me how to read the stars. He made me laugh. He brought me joy. He was kind, and brave, and good. Just as our son is kind, and brave, and good.”

Ashila looked into Kiva’s eyes once more. “My son saved many lives tonight, at the risk of his own. He did it, even though he knew you hated him. He did it, even though you banished him for the crime of looking different, when he was only a very small boy. He did it, because he’s a good man, and he didn’t want to see lives lost when he could do something to save them. Your lives have value to him.”

She stared at the crowd once more, daring them to challenge her. “Perhaps the lives of the Jin’oshan people should matter to you as well.”

The throng of men stool silent and abashed. The tavern owner cleared his throat. “Perhaps you’re right. This young man has certainly proven his worth tonight, and if he’s anything like his father’s people, we may have sorely misjudged them indeed. Perhaps, just because someone is different, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re bad.”

Ashila nodded, smiling. “Exactly. Good people come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, just as bad people do. You should never judge someone solely on their appearance. When you do, you risk missing out on a truly wonderful relationship.” She kissed Kiva on the forehead, and he blushed.

“Mom! You’re embarrassing me.”

She laughed. “Fair enough. It’s been a long night. Let’s take you home.”

Kiva sighed. “Back to the hut in the desert?”

“No,” Ashila said, “I think it’s time you came back to your real home, here in Dar’Alvah. I’m sure no one has a problem with that, correct?” she questioned loudly.

No one did.

The people of Dar’Alvah had learned an important lesson that night, and as time passed, they put it to the test. They reached out and created friendships with the Jin’oshan people, as well as the Vacarees who lived in the north and had spikes for hair. The city of Dar’Alvah bloomed, and became known as a haven for all types of people. Children from all different nations ran together, playing in the streets. No one judged anyone else on anything as insignificant as appearance. They learned to look, instead, for what was in a person’s heart.

And as for Kiva, he and his mother lived a joyful life, with many new friends from all kinds of different places and backgrounds. After years of loneliness and isolation, Kiva finally had a real home, surrounded by people who loved and accepted him.

The End

Wall of Glass

Once, long ago, in a world quite different from our own, lived a boy.

At least, he resembled a human boy, with his handsome face, warm brown hair, and strong limbs. But beyond the expected, the boy had other, more extraordinary features. 

His eyes were a fiery red, the color of heat and ferociousness. He had a long, wolf-like tail with fur that exactly matched the color of the hair on his head. And from his back sprouted a pair of massive, elegant red wings. 

His name was Quartz, and he was an Elkin. 

All the people on his planet had magnificent wings and elegant tails. In their world, these were normal, and expected. In fact, if an Elkin were ever to meet you, they would be quite alarmed at your lack of those extraordinary features. 

They used their wings to travel, for who needs roads or cars when you can fly? And Quartz loved flying. The freedom, the rush of speed, the exhilaration of soaring above the trees - it was his favorite thing. 

His father had warned him, however, never to fly too far. If he did, he might run into the edge of the world, where a great glass wall could be found - part of an immense dome that covered the whole of the planet.

That glass, his father said, kept their people safe from the outside. When Quartz asked what, exactly, lived beyond the wall, his father told him that no one knew for sure. No Elkin had ever peered beyond the glass. 

“It is better,” his father noted, “to be safe. If the glass wall were destroyed, we could find ourselves vulnerable to any wide number of unknown dangers.” 

Quartz nodded in agreement, but quietly found himself intrigued by the idea of the wall, and the unknown beyond. 

Over time, his curiosity grew, until he found he could stand it no longer. He packed a sack of food, and told his parents he was going out. Then, with a great swoop of his wings, he took off as fast as he could, heading directly for the edge of the world.

He flew for many hours, longer than he had ever flown before. His wings grew achy, and the sack of food grew heavy. He paused briefly once or twice for a snack and a bit of rest, but was eager to reach his destination, and quickly pressed on.

Near the end of the day, as the light in the sky grew dim, he found what he was looking for - the edge of the world. 

He landed, and pressed his face to the glass, trying to see what lay beyond. The wall, however, was thick, and the glass was frosted with pale, shimmering pastels. Quartz could not see through the glass. 

Disappointed, he began to turn back. As he did, however, a twinkle of light high above him caught his eye. 

He flew swiftly up to examine the source of the glimmer, and found a thin crack in the glass, high above the ground. Curiously, he pressed on the crack. He was alarmed to see it spread quickly, creating a vast spiderweb of lines. He tried to hold the pieces in place, but the thick glass shattered around him, leaving behind a hole as large as Quartz himself. 

Nervously, and feeling more than a little guilty, the young Elkin boy peered through the hole. He’d already broken the glass - why not see for himself what lay beyond the confines of the world? 

Quartz gasped at the sight before him. Spread out in front of his eyes was an infinite darkness, filled with swirls of color and light that danced and sparkled all around. As he gaped at the wonder of it, however, something moved into his line of sight, blocking out the majestic scene. 

It was an enormous eye, staring right at him. Quartz shook with fear, wondering if this was the unknown something his father had warned him about. 

As the great eye peered at the young Elkin, a voice entered Quartz’s mind. It was gentle, and curious, and not at all harsh (much to the boy’s relief). 

What is this? The voice asked. Are you responsible for the break in my shell? 

“Your shell?” Quartz asked, confused. “Do you mean this wall, here at the edge of the world?”

The eye blinked at him. I suppose I do, the voice responded. Your world is carried on my back, within the safety of my shell. So it seems that your wall and my shell are one and the same. I am fairly certain, however, that this hole was not here before. 

Quartz blushed. “No, sir, it was not. There was a crack, but no hole - until I touched the crack, that is. I’m afraid it spread rather quickly, and I was unable to prevent it.”

The young Elkin hung his head, ashamed. “I am so very sorry, sir. I was curious to see what was beyond the wall, but I did not mean to damage it.” 

I can sense that your heart is good, and your intentions pure, the voice comforted. I know you did not mean to break the shell. However, it has happened, and now it must be repaired. 

Quartz felt a twinge of disappointment. “Must it, sir?” he asked. “The view of the beyond is so magnificent. I would be sad to never see it again.” 

The eye blinked understandingly. It is indeed a wonderful view. However, the hole in the glass creates a weakness, and one hole will lead to others. Before long, the entire shell would fall apart, leaving your world exposed to many dangers and unforgiving elements. And without my shell, I myself would die, and your world would surely follow. 

Shocked, the Elkin boy quickly nodded his head in agreement. “Then it must be so. The hole must be repaired, for the good of all. But how can it be done?”

The eye looked sad. It will require a sacrifice on your part. You must collect all the pieces, and use your soul fire to fuse them back together. 

“My soul fire?” Quartz asked, confused. “What is that?”

It is the fierce light that shines from your eyes, and powers your wings. 

Quartz gulped. “Oh,” he said, somberly. “So I will no longer be able to fly?”

No, I’m afraid not. 

“But the hole is so high in the air! If, by fixing it, I lose my ability to fly, won’t I fall?”

Yes, the voice said simply. I do not wish to see you come to harm, little one. But your sacrifice will allow your world to carry on, and furthermore, will provide a great gift to your people. It is, as it must be, your decision.  

The Elkin boy thought for a long, long time. But in the end, the choice was clear. He quickly gathered up the thick chunks of glass, and puzzled them gently back into place. Following the voice’s gentle guidance, Quartz placed a soft hand on the fragile surface of the wall, and concentrated. 

A fierce red light, one that matched his eyes and wings, began to glow from beneath his hand. He focused harder, pouring all his energy into the task. The light grew more brilliant, and heat pulsed in waves across the glass. Then, with a final blinding flash of crimson light, the cracks fused together, and Quartz found himself falling, falling, falling from the sky, with blackness closing in around him...

When he woke, Quartz found himself gently cradled in his father’s arms. 

“Father?” he asked, bewildered. “Where did you come from?”

“When you didn’t come home, your mother and I grew worried. I went out searching for you. Then I saw the red light, and followed it. I caught you as you fell from the sky. What happened, my son?”

Quartz told his father the whole story, explaining the accidental breaking of the glass, the great eye, the voice in his mind, and the magnificence of the beyond. Last of all, he explained the sacrifice he had made. 

“I’m afraid my wings will no longer work, father. I shall never soar through the sky again. But we are safe, and the shell is whole once more, and that’s what matters most.”

His father smiled. “I am proud of you, my son. And if you cannot fly, those you love will just have to carry you.”

As they prepared for the trip home, Quartz found his mind dwelling on the beauty of the beyond. “I wish you could have seen it, father,” he sighed. “It was incredible.”

His father picked him up, and they flew up into the air. His father stopped suddenly, hovering high above the ground. In a strange, awed voice, Quartz’s father said, “Did it look like a myriad of color and light, dancing across a black velvet background?”

The young Elkin boy was surprised. “Yes, father, exactly! How did you know?”

His father pointed to the wall, to the place where Quartz had healed the shell. Where once the glass has been thick and opaque, covered in pastel swirls, a vast area around the former break was, instead, crystal-clear. Quartz and his father could see perfectly into the beyond, through the rivers of twirling light and sweeping color.

An enormous eye peered in through the clear glass, winking at Quartz. As I said, came the voice, your sacrifice provided a great gift for your people. Now all Elkins are able to gaze into the majesty of the beyond, without any need for holes in my protective shell. You have given your people the universe. And, as I carry you and your people through the stars, we can explore more of the unknown together. 

Quartz smiled, knowing for certain that his sacrifice had been worth it. He may never fly again, but he and his people would see the wonders of the beyond, and travel together through the stars. 

And who knows? Maybe one day, dear reader, their path might lead them here. 

The end 

Baby Brachiosaur

Hunter and Aiden loved dinosaurs.

Stegosaurus, triceratops, allosaurus, diplodocus, t-rex – they loved them all.

Every day, when the mailman flew in on his pterodactyl to drop off their family’s letters and packages, Hunter and Aiden would press their faces up to the window in the front room. They loved watching the pterodactyl swoop gracefully through the sky. When it landed in their front yard, they would wave “hello,” and the pterodactyl would wink in response.

Their neighbors across the street, the Jones family, had a little pet procompsognathus named “Compton.” Sometimes the Joneses would let Hunter and Aiden play with Compton, throwing treats for him to catch in his tiny mouth, or playing tug-of-war with his toy rope.

Hunter and Aiden also had a friend from school, Emily, whose family owned a stable of six gallimimus dinosaurs. They rode them on dino trails through the forests on clear days, and even entered them into competitions now and then. Emily would often invite Hunter and Aiden over to go riding, and it was so much fun!

The boys wished they had a gallimimus of their own to ride, or a procompsognathus to play with, but their mom was uncomfortable around dinosaurs. She’d gotten a bad bite from a cranky microraptor when she was a little girl, and she’d had an irrational fear of dinosaurs ever since.

“They’ve all got such beady little eyes,” she would say whenever the boys asked about getting a pet dinosaur. “They always look like they’re about to make trouble. You just can’t trust them!”

It was hard being a pair of dinosaur-loving boys growing up in a house where dinosaurs were not welcome. But that didn’t stop Hunter and Aiden from dreaming about having a pet dinosaur of their own.

***

One day, Hunter and Aiden were on their way back from their friend Emily’s stables, where they’d spend the morning riding and feeding the gallimimus. As they were crossing the street just a few blocks from their house, they heard a rustling in the bushes, and a small squeaking noise.

The boys immediately went to investigate the sound. As they parted the bushes, they found a tiny dinosaur, sitting in a nest, surrounded by bits of colorful egg shell.

“A baby dinosaur!” Aiden gasped, his eyes wide.

“It must have just hatched,” Hunter agreed. “But where’s his mama?”

The boys looked around, but could see no sign of the mother.

“What do we do?” Aiden wondered.

Hunter thought it over. “Let’s stay here for a while, and see if she comes back.”

Aiden agreed, and the boys settled in, waiting for the mama dinosaur to return. While they waited, they played with the baby, who was taking shaky steps back and forth between the boys, rubbing its head against their sides, and occasionally tugging on their clothes with its tiny teeth. They laughed and petted the baby, cooing over every adorable thing it did.

After a while, though, the baby seemed to be growing a bit frantic. The squeaking grew louder and more demanding, and the tiny dinosaur kept trying to chew on their clothes and getting frustrated.

“What’s wrong with him?” Aiden asked, worried about their new little friend.

“I’m not sure…” Hunter watched as the baby dinosaur tugged on his jacket pocket, trying to pull something free. After a few moments of struggle, the baby wrestled a cookie out of Hunter’s pocket, and with a triumphant squeak, began devouring it.

Aiden laughed. “I think he’s hungry.”

Hunter thought it over. “Maybe we’d better take him home with us, and take care of him. Just until we can find his mother, of course! I’m sure Mom won’t mind.”

Aiden scrunched his nose. “I bet she will.”

Rolling his eyes, Hunter sighed. “Well, then we’ll just have to keep him hidden. He’s just a tiny baby dinosaur. How hard could that be?”

Very carefully, the boys picked up the baby and carried him to their house, the dinosaur still happily snacking on the cookie.

As they opened the front door, their mother called, “Hi, boys! Did you have fun? Anything exciting happen while you were out?”

The two brothers looked at each other, and Hunter quickly hid the baby dinosaur in his jacket. “Nope! Just a normal day!”

“Fun, though!” Aiden chimed in.

“Well, that’s good. Go get your bedrooms tidied up, please – the Joneses are coming over for dinner later!”

“Okay, Mom!” the boys called back, and rushed up to Hunter’s room. They closed the door behind them, and set the baby dinosaur on the floor, where he promptly curled up on a discarded t-shirt and fell asleep.

The boys watched him for a few minutes, smiling at the adorable sight. After a while, though, Aiden frowned. “Hunter, what do we do if we can’t find his mama?”

Hunter thought about it, then shrugged. “He’s pretty small. Maybe we can keep him.”

“I’m not sure Mom would like that, though,” Aiden argued.

“Maybe not,” Hunter agreed, “But he’s little. We could keep him hidden. Maybe she’d never find out he was here!”

Both of the boys smiled at the idea, daydreaming about keeping the little dinosaur as their secret pet.

“What kind of dinosaur do you think he is?” Aiden asked.

They examined the sleeping baby, trying to match his features to the dinosaurs they knew.

“He kind of looks like a brachiosaur,” Hunter mused, “but he’s way too tiny. Brachiosaurs are massive.”

“Is there a small breed of brachiosaur that we don’t know about?” Aiden wondered.

“Maybe. I’m sure we’ll figure it out eventually. What we really need to decide now is what to call him!”

The brothers got to work discussing names.

Eugene? Too boring.

Maximus? Too fancy.

Skaldor, destroyer of worlds and master of galaxies? Too long.

Tim? Too short.

Buttercup? Too girly.

Dino? Too obvious.

Finally, the boys decided they would call the tiny dinosaur “Bruce.” It just seemed to fit.

Bruce yawned, stretched, and began squeaking demandingly, gently head-butting Aiden’s hip. He seemed to want something, but what?

The boys heard footsteps on the stairs. Frantically, Hunter threw a sweatshirt over Bruce and tucked him into the corner next to his bin of Legos.

A quick knock sounded on the door, and Mom popped her head in. “Boys? What are you doing in here? I thought I heard some kind of loud squeaking noise.”

The boys smiled innocently, trying to keep one eye on the bundle of clothing moving slightly in the corner. “Nothing, mom! We’re just… playing!”

“Squeak, squeak,” Aiden added helpfully.

Mom laughed, then paused. Her eyes caught on something behind them. The boys froze, unsure what to do, as she walked past them to the very corner where Bruce was hidden. She bent down, reaching toward the sweatshirt hiding the dinosaur. Hunter tensed, and Aiden clapped his hands over his eyes, as mom stretched her hand out, picking up…

A Lego.

“Hunter,” she scolded. “We’ve talked about this. You need to put your Legos away properly when you’re done playing with them. If someone accidentally stepped on this, it would hurt like crazy! Please be more careful in the future.”

She tossed the Lego at Hunter, and he caught it, dizzy with relief. “Yes, ma’am! Sorry about that!”

She shook her head, moving past them and heading for the door. “You boys and your Legos!”

Mom left the room, calling back, “Stop playing and get your rooms tidied up, please! The Joneses will be here soon.”

“Yes, Mom,” the brothers chorused, trying to look as innocent as possible. When the door shut behind their mother, they immediately rushed over to the corner to check on Bruce. They pulled the sweatshirt back, and his sweet little face peered up at them, curiously. He squeaked loudly, then rubbed his head against the palm of Aiden’s hand.

“You’re right, Bruce,” Aiden told him. “That was a close one.”

The boys quickly tidied their rooms, then met back in Hunter’s room to play with Bruce a little more.

The tiny dinosaur was chasing a cotton ball across the floor, batting at it with his head and long neck. He chomped on the cotton ball, then spit it out in surprise, soft white cotton sticking to his tongue.

The brothers laughed as Bruce pawed at his tongue, trying to clear away the fluff. Successful, he turned back to play, but then paused. The boys heard a loud rumble from the direction of Bruce’s stomach, and he began squeaking again, loudly.

“Shh, quiet, Bruce!” Hunter scooped up the little dinosaur, trying to calm him.

“I think he’s hungry,” Aiden said. “Let’s take him down to the kitchen and see what kind of food he’s interested in!”

Hunter thought it over. “Okay, but we’ll have to be sneaky about it. I’ll hide Bruce in my shirt. And you,” he said to the dinosaur, “you’ve got to be quiet, okay? We’ll get you some food, but you need to hush.”

Bruce calmed down, seeming to understand. Hunter tucked him carefully underneath his t-shirt, and felt the baby dinosaur curl up against his belly.

“Okay, let’s go. But Aiden, you go first and keep an eye out for Mom and Dad.”

The boys crept down to the kitchen, listening to their Dad whistling to himself from the living room as he vacuumed the carpet. Mom was in the dining room, setting the table.

“Quick,” Aiden waved his brother forward. “Go, go, go!”

They threw open the refrigerator door, and stood staring at the food. What did dinosaurs eat? Besides cookies, of course.

Hunter felt Bruce shift, and his head peeked out from the bottom of Hunter’s shirt. The dinosaur gave a loud squeak of delight when he saw the contents of the fridge, and began wiggling to get free.

Dad stopped whistling and shut off the vacuum. “What was that noise? Did you hear it, honey?”

The boys heard their mother respond, “I did. I swear, I’ve been hearing weird noises all day. It sounded like it came from the kitchen.”

Hearing their mother’s footsteps coming toward them, the boys gasped and quickly shoved Bruce into the fridge. They closed the refrigerator door just as their mom entered the room, looking confused. When she saw Hunter and Aiden, she laughed.

“It was just the boys, babe, nothing to worry about,” she called over her shoulder. Then she crossed her arms and looked at her sons. “Although you two have been acting awfully strange today. What’s with all the squeaking?”

Aiden grinned innocently. “We’re inventing a new language! One squeak means hello, two means goodbye, and… that’s all we’ve figured out so far.”

Mom laughed. “You two are so weird. I’m pretty sure you get that from your father.”

“Yeah, right!” their father’s voice called from the living room.

Their mom chuckled again, then turned to go back to the dining room. “As you were, men.”

“Squeak, squeak!” Hunter responded cheerfully. “That means ‘goodbye!’”

After their mom left, they threw open the doors to the fridge to check on Bruce. They found him laying on his back, his tummy swollen, surrounded by crumbs and food remains. He’d eaten everything on the middle shelf.

Smiling contentedly, Bruce let out an enormous belch.

“Oh dear,” Aiden said. “I hope none of that was for tonight’s dinner.”

Just then, the doorbell rang. Hunter grabbed Bruce and shoved him into his shirt again, trying to hide the lump with his arms.

They got to the front door just as Mom swung it wide open. “Welco – aaaaaaahhhh!” she screamed. Behind the Jonses, a massive brachiosaur face was peering into the house.

“Don’t be afraid, Cassi Jo!” Mr. Jones soothed, “I think she’s just looking for something. And brachiosaurs are gentle giants – she won’t hurt you!”

The enormous dinosaur let out a mournful call. In response, Bruce started wiggling madly. He stretched his long neck up, and peeked out from the collar of Hunter’s shirt. Upon seeing the gigantic brachiosaur at the door, he let out an excited squeak.

Mom turned and spotted the little dinosaur sharing her elder son’s shirt. She nearly fainted in surprise, but Dad put his arms around her and held her steady. “Seems like the boys have a bit of a story to share with us,” he observed.

Hunter gently detangled Bruce from his shirt and set him down. Bruce ran for the door on his clumsy little legs, dashing past the Joneses, stopping only once he reached the big dinosaur’s face, which had been lowered to where he could reach. Stretching his neck as long as it could go, he rubbed up against the brachiosaur’s jaw, chirping delightedly.

“I think we found his mom,” Hunter murmured to his little brother.

“I think you mean, she found us,” Aiden said.

Very carefully, the mama dinosaur scooped Bruce up with her teeth, and set him gently on her back, where he curled up happily. He looked down at the boys and squeaked twice, as his mother turned and carried him away.

“That means ‘goodbye,’” Aiden sighed.

Hunter put an arm around his little brother’s shoulders. “It’s okay,” he said. “Maybe he’ll come back and visit us someday.”

“Yeah, I bet he will,” Aiden agreed.

And with that comforting thought in mind, the boys turned their attention back to the Joneses, their father, and their speechless mother. They were more than ready for dinner. They couldn’t wait to share the story of their adventures that day with their new friend, Bruce.

The End

EV Three

“Who left their dirty dishes next to the sink? You guys know you’re supposed to rinse these!”

Evey Umber and Evie Fields looked up from their game of Minecraft, and locked eyes. Grinning, Evey Umber yelled, “It was EV!”

Evie Fifield laughed, and called out, “Yep, definitely EV!”

Exasperated, Evie Fields’s mom yelled back, “Which EV?”

“The one with the dark brown hair!” said the one with light hair.

“The one with blue eyes,” countered the one with brown eyes.

“The one who always wears black,” yelled the one in shades of yellow and blue.

“The short one!” giggled the taller one.

“Rude!” the short one protested.

Both EVs burst into fits of giggles, as Evie Fields’s mom rolled her eyes and gave up.

The two girls were best friends, and their families were extremely close. As a result, they spent a lot of time together.

They also happened to have the same first name – “Evelyn” – and they both went by the nickname, “Evie.” And although their names were spelled differently, they were pronounced exactly the same way, which caused no end of delight for the girls, and exasperation for their parents. They loved causing mischief, and blaming it on each other. They counted on the confusion with their names to get them out of trouble altogether, and were often successful.

Their families had taken to calling the girls by their last names, “Umber” and “Fields,” which helped. But the two EVs couldn’t resist playing the name game when it came to blame.

As they laughed over their latest successful dodging of responsibility (and as Evie Fields’s dishes sat, unrinsed, by the sink), they failed to notice a faint shimmering in the corner by the couch they were sitting on…

***

A few days later they were watching TV at Umber’s house, when Umber’s little sister, Addy, came running in. Her arms were wrapped around her body, and the long sleeves of her dress were tied behind her back like a straitjacket.

“Dad!” she yelled. “The EVs tied my sleeves behind my back, and now my arms are stuck!”

Umber’s Dad groaned. “Girls! What have I told you? It’s not funny when you mess with Addy! She’s too little to fight back!”

Evey Umber looked up at her father with wide, innocent blue eyes. “But Dad, she asked us to! We were playing ‘magician!’”

“Yeah,” Fields chimed in. “She wanted to be the beautiful assistant. It was either this, or sawing her in half.”

Addy growled at the EVs, who giggled mischievously.

“Besides,” said Fields breezily, “It wasn’t me who convinced her to play magician. It was EV.”

“Yes,” Umber agreed solemnly. “The EV who loves wolves.”

“The one who’s obsessed with anime.” Fields nodded.

“The EV who does hip-hop dancing.”

“The one with long, shoulder-length hair.”

The shimmer by the couch was back, and it seemed to have taken on a humanoid shape, like a young teenage girl. Neither of the EVs noticed.

“The one – “

“That’s enough, girls,” Umber’s Dad interrupted. “You can’t keep getting into trouble like this and expecting to dodge responsibility. Now, turn off your show, and come untie Addy.”

The EVs sighed deeply, as only young teenagers really can. They paused their show, and got to work trying to undo the knots that held Addy captive.

Umber poked her little sister in the shoulder. “Stop wiggling.”

“I can’t help it,” Addy complained. “My arms are falling asleep!”

After a few minutes of effort, the sleeves came untied. They dangled, stretched out and wrinkled, from the ends of Addy’s arms. Addy examined them, dismayed.

“Ooh, Mom’s going to be so mad at you guys!” she warned.

“What?” Umber said, innocently. “It was EV’s idea!”

Fields nodded. “Yup. This was all EV!”

In the corner, the shimmering grew stronger, and the humanoid outline began to take on more detailed features – blue eyes, shoulder-length dark brown hair, and a mischievous smile. It looked like a young teen, about the same age as the EVs, and with similar features to both the girls. It glowed faintly, and although it was clearly visible, you could also see through it easily – if anyone had stopped to look.

No one did.

Fully formed now, the apparition grinned, then snuck away, disappearing into a wall.

***

The next day, Umber’s mom discovered that all the leftover Easter candy had gone missing. The candy had been out of reach of her youngest daughter, and her husband assured her he hadn’t eaten it.

That left just one likely culprit.

Evey Umber was drawing art on her tablet when her mom burst into the room, looking irritated.

“Evey! Did you eat all the Easter candy?”

Startled, Umber dropped her pencil. “What? No, of course not!”

“Really?” her mom drawled, clearly not believing her daughter. “Well, Dad didn’t do it, and Addy can’t reach. I know it wasn’t me, so that only leaves one suspect.”

Umber frowned. “Mom, seriously, it wasn’t me! I swear!”

“Who else could it have been, then? And you can’t blame it on the other EV this time – she doesn’t live here, and I can’t imagine that she’d steal things from a friend’s house.”

Mind whirling, searching for an explanation, Umber protested, “I don’t know! I mean, maybe Evie…”

“No!” Mom shook her head, frustrated. “You can’t dodge the consequences this time. You’re grounded from desserts for a week!”

“But mom!”

“No buts! You need to learn to take responsibility for your actions!” Mom whirled around and left the room, closing the door firmly behind her.

A faint giggle echoed through the room. Umber whirled, searching for the source of the noise.

Sitting on her bed was a faint, glowing girl. She grinned at Umber, her eyes laughing and twinkling. “Not so fun taking the blame for something you didn’t do, is it?”

Umber gaped at her, open-mouthed. “Wha-? Who are you? What are you?”

Cocking her head cheekily to one side, the girl smirked. “I’m EV.”

“You’re not Evie,” Umber frowned. “Evie’s my best friend. I think I would know if Evie was a glowing ghost girl. Besides, you don’t look anything like her.”

The girl’s eyes opened wide in feigned surprise. “Don’t I? Are you sure?”

Looking more closely, Umber realized that the girl did, in fact, share a lot of features with her best friend. They had the same dark hair, the same nose, and the same love of black. But the eyes were different, and the haircut….

Evey Umber gasped. The eyes, the hairstyle, the height – those were all hers!

This ghostly-looking girl was a perfect combination of the two EVs! What on earth was happening?

“Who are you?” Umber asked again, more slowly this time. Her mind was whirling.

“I told you,” the girl said, tossing her hair. “I’m EV. You know – the one you and your friend blame for all of your mischief? I figured it was about time I caused a little mischief of my own. It’s only fair, after all.”

Umber gaped at her. “You ate the Easter candy?”

“Yep!” the girl – EV – smiled cheekily.

“I just got punished for that!”

“I know!” she laughed. “It was a beautiful moment.”

Umber just stared at the girl. She had no response.

The glowing EV hopped off the bed, dusting herself off. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go pay a visit to the other Evie’s house. Toodle-oo!” She wiggled her fingers in farewell, then disappeared through the wall.

After sitting in shocked silence for several long seconds, Evey Umber grabbed her phone and dialed Evie Fields’s number.

She’d better warn her that something strange was coming her way.

***

“I’m sorry,” Fields said into her phone, “But you’re not making any sense. Maybe you should go see a doctor.”

“Listen to me!” came the voice from the phone. “There’s a weird ghost EV that’s trying to cause trouble for us. She already ate all the leftover Easter candy, and I got blamed! She’s on her way to your house now.”

Trying to stifle a laugh, Fields responded, “Are you sure you didn’t eat the candy? I mean, it does sound like something you would do.”

Umber groaned. “No! It wasn’t me, I swear! It was the other EV!”

Fields snorted. “Whatever you say, weirdo.”

“Fine, don’t believe me. You’ll find out soon enough.”

Shrugging, Fields said goodbye and hung up the phone. Clearly, Umber was trying to pull a prank on her. How gullible did she think Fields was?

“Evie!” Her mother’s voice yelled from her bedroom. “Come here, now!”

Feeling concerned at her mother’s tone, Evie Fields hurried to her mom’s room. She found her in the master bathroom, holding a broken lipstick in one hand, her other hand clenched in a fist against her hip.

“Why?” her mother asked, sounding angry. “Why did you do this? Were you just feeling rebellious and destructive? This was my favorite lipstick!”

Fields gaped at her. “I didn’t break your lipstick!”

“It would be one thing if you had just borrowed it,” her mom continued, ignoring the interjection. “But writing on my mirror? And you completely broke the lipstick in the process! This is expensive stuff, you know! You’re going to need to buy me a new one, and clean the mirror.”

Still feeling bewildered, Fields asked, “What happened to the mirror?”

Her mom groaned, rolling her eyes. “Do not play dumb with me. You know exactly what happened to the mirror. And you can’t blame it on Umber this time! She isn’t here!”

Fields slid past her furious mother and peeked into the bathroom. Written on the mirror in “Royally Riotous Red” lipstick were the words “Evie rulezzz!!!!!” with three “z’s” and five exclamation marks.

Her mom sighed, suddenly looking more disappointed than angry. “Seriously, kid, what the heck? Why?”

Blinking back tears, Fields tried to explain. “Mom, I swear I didn’t do this. Evey Umber warned me that there’s another EV trying to make mischief – “

Mom barked out a short, irritated laugh and held up one hand. “Stop. No. That is not going to work. I love you, but you can’t wiggle your way out of this one, kid. Clean this mess up, and then grab your wallet. You’re going to buy me a new lipstick.”

She turned on her heel and marched out of the room.

Reluctantly, Fields grabbed the cleaning supplies from under the sink. As she turned back to the mirror, her eyes caught on a figure standing behind her. She gasped, whirling around and coming face to face with a translucent, glowing girl.

Her mouth fell open in disbelief. Everything Umber had told her suddenly made a little more sense. “You – you’re EV, aren’t you?”

The girl smirked and gave a quick curtsey. “At your service.”

Fields frowned. “It sure doesn’t seem like you’re ‘at my service.’ It seems like you’re trying to get me into trouble.”

The glowing EV pretended to consider this, then winked. “Yup, that’s what I meant.” She laughed, and sat on the edge of the bathtub. “It’s only fair, after all. You and the other EV don’t seem to mind putting all the blame on me when you do things you shouldn’t.”

Fields shook her head angrily. “That’s not the same thing. We were just joking around. We weren’t blaming anything on you. We don’t even know you!”

“Really?” the other EV challenged. “Because you’re the ones who created me. I wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for you. I came from your imagination – yours, and Evey Umber’s. Every time you tried to get out of trouble by blaming some mysterious, unknown ‘EV’ for the mischief you caused, I became a little more real. So, how can you honestly say that you ‘don’t know me?’”

“It was a joke!” Fields protested. “We weren’t trying to get anyone in trouble! We were just being funny!”

The apparition tilted her head to one side. “Were you? It didn’t seem very funny to me.”

And with that, she vanished.

Fields stared at the spot where the other EV had been for a long moment. Then she pulled out her phone, and dialed Umber. They needed to talk.

***

“My Yaya says that whatever you put out into the universe comes back to you.”

It was later that night, and the two families had gotten together at the Umbers’ house. The EVs were tucked away in Evey Umber’s bedroom, discussing their spectral visitor.

Evey Umber continued, “Maybe she’s only here because we kept using the name ‘EV’ to create confusion and keep ourselves out of trouble. It’s like karma or something.”

Evie Fields nodded slowly. “She did say we created her. Ugh, why did we have to put so much obnoxiousness into the universe?” She flopped back on the bed in discouragement.

Umber joined her, and they stared up at the ceiling. “We didn’t know. We were just trying to be funny. But I guess we weren’t being very nice. Maybe that’s why this other EV isn’t so nice, either.”

Fields popped up. “That’s it!”

“What do you mean?”

Excitedly, Fields explained. “We weren’t being nice. We were putting mischief and sneakiness into the universe, so that’s what we got back.”

Umber frowned. “Right?”

“So, what if we started doing nice things, and giving ‘EV,’” she made quotes with her fingers, “the credit for that? Maybe that would change her mean tricks into kindness!”

Slowly, Umber sat up and nodded. “Put something good into the universe. That just might work!”

Thrilled that they had a plan, the EVs put their heads together and got to work.

***

The next day, Umber’s mother found a bouquet of freshly-picked flowers sitting on the kitchen counter. With them was a homemade card, with the words, “Because you’re the best!”

“These are beautiful!” Umber’s mom exclaimed. “Evey, did you do this?”

Umber shrugged. “Maybe it was EV.”

Mom frowned, confused. “Evie Fields? Why would she give me flowers?”

“I don’t know. Maybe it was the other EV. You know, the one with the shoulder-length hair, who loves wolves and anime, and wears a lot of black.”

Umber’s mom looked bewildered. “Okay, weirdo. Thanks for the flowers, I think.”

Evey Umber laughed, and skipped off to her room.

***

Over at the Fields’ house, Mom and Dad were walking into the kitchen to make lunch. All the dishes were washed and put away, and the counters were cleaned off and wiped down.

“Did you do this?” Fields’s mom asked her dad.

“Not me,” he shrugged.

“Evie,” mom called. As Fields came running into the room, Mom grabbed her and gave her a hug. “Thanks for cleaning up the kitchen, Peanut. That was really sweet of you!”

“It wasn’t me, Mom,” Fields protested, her eyes twinkling. “Maybe it was a different EV. A shorter one, with blue eyes and dark brown hair.”

“Okay, weirdo,” Mom laughed, ruffling Evie’s hair. “Well, tell this mysterious ‘EV’ thank you for me.”

Spotting a shimmer in the corner, Fields grinned. “Will do, Mom. Thanks, EV! You’re the best!”

Mom and Dad rolled their eyes, laughing. Fields kept her gaze on the shimmer in the corner, which seemed to blush a rosy pink and sparkle a little more brightly.

***

A few days later, the EVs were holed up in Field’s bedroom, discussing how their plan was going. They had done chores without being asked, organized Addy’s toys, given small gifts to their family members, bathed the dogs, and had taken none of the credit. Instead, they’d insisted it was “some other EV” any time they were asked about it.

They’d also begun to notice other nice things happening - things that they had nothing to do with. Someone had baked a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies for Umber’s family, and cleaned up the kitchen, without ever being seen.

Over at Fields’s house, the downstairs floors were swept and mopped, and a box of cream-filled donuts were left on the counter for the family to enjoy.

Both girls had caught the occasional glimpse of a glowing figure, twirling through the house, all smiles and sweetness.

“We did it!” Fields cheered. “We turned our mischievous, trouble-making third EV into something kind and generous!”

Umber grinned, “I have to admit, it’s been pretty fun, too. I like doing nice things and pretending it wasn’t me. You get to be sneaky, but people are actually happy about it.”

“Yeah,” Fields agreed, “This has been a lot more fun than just causing trouble and trying to dodge the blame.”

“It seems you’ve learned your lesson,” a third voice chimed in.

The EVs jumped, and saw the sparkling form of the third EV sitting in a desk chair behind them. She smiled, but rather than looking mischievous, this time her grin was sweet and sincere.

“My work here is done!” she proclaimed, waving her arms over them grandly, like a fairy godmother bestowing a wish.

Fields frowned. “Are you leaving?”

“Yes,” the third EV said simply. “You don’t need me anymore.”

“Huh,” Umber said. “You know, I think I’m actually going to miss you.”

Sparkling a little more brightly, the third EV laughed. “That’s sweet, but I hope you won’t slide back into your old bad habits just so you can see me again.”

Umber and Fields shook their heads. “No way. I think we’ve learned our lesson,” Umber agreed.

“Yeah, we’re not going to miss you that much,” Fields laughed.

“I hope not!” The third EV stood, stretching her translucent arms over her head. “I do hope, though, that you’ll keep being kind to people. You’ve gotten rather good at it, you know.”

The EVs grinned at each other. “It is pretty fun,” Fields acknowledged.

“And it’s like my Yaya always says,” Umber continued, “Whatever you put out into the universe is what you get back in the end, good or bad.”

The third EV smiled. “She sounds very wise.”

And with that, she faded away, disappearing into a ray of afternoon sunlight.

The two remaining EVs looked at each other for a long moment.

“I’m lucky to have you, you know,” Evey Umber smiled at Evie Fields. “You’re the best EV.”

Fields shrugged. “Nah, the best EV is the one with a pet snake.”

“I think the best EV is the one who laughs like an artic fox,” chimed in Umber.

“Pretty sure it’s the one who wants to marry Benedict Cumberbatch.”

“The one who wears spiked collars to school…”

The EVs laughed. Some things, it seemed, would never change.


The End

Why Bears are the Worst

Lily didn’t like bears.

She wasn’t really sure why. She’d never met any personally, and didn’t really know all that much about them. But something about their big, bulky bodies and their beady little eyes made her nervous.

Her little brother, Owen, on the other hand, loved bears. He had a whole collection of teddy bears that he played with regularly, making them growl and fight one another. He would even pretend to be a bear himself sometimes, roaring and curving his little fingers into sharp claws. Whenever he did this, Lily would cover her ears and go hide in her room. Little brothers could be so weird sometimes.

Lily’s father thought her bear phobia was hilarious.

“What did those bears do to make you dislike them so much?” he would tease her. “Did they steal your lunch money at school? Or maybe it’s because they always cut in line? Do they leave their shopping carts in the middle of the parking space at the grocery store?

Lily rolled her eyes. “No, Daddy, that’s silly.”

“Is it because they chew with their mouths open, and never brush their teeth? Do they have poor dental hygiene?”

“I don’t know.”

“Maybe they sing too loudly with the radio. And they never pick up their dirty clothes. And they insist on dabbing all the time, even though it’s soooo last year!” Lily’s father was clearly enjoying himself.

“I like bears!” Owen chimed in. “They go RAAAAWWRRR!” He growled ferociously, and Lily jumped in alarm.

“Stop, Owen, that’s not funny!” Lily scolded. Owen laughed, and their father grinned at the two of them.

“Do more, Daddy!” Owen cheered. Dad laughed and added, “Maybe they lick all the frosting off your birthday cake before anyone even gets a piece!”

Lily sighed, trying to ignore her brother and father. She couldn’t explain it. She just didn’t like bears. Why couldn’t they just accept that?

As she turned and walked to her room, she thought she caught a glimpse of a furry face in the window. When she looked again, it was gone.

Probably just my imagination, she thought, and headed off to bed.

***

The next morning, when she woke up, she couldn’t find her dad anywhere. She looked in his room, the kitchen, the garage. She even checked the backyard, but he was nowhere to be found.

Owen came out of his room, blinking sleep from his eyes. Lily turned to him and asked, “Owen, where’s Daddy?”

Owen looked around, confused. “Dad?” he called, but there was no response.

They searched high and low, but there was no sign of him. It was like he’d vanished without a trace!

As they checked the backyard once more, Owen spotted something in the mud. “Lily, look,” he pointed. As she looked more closely, Lily realized there was a paw print in the mud. It was too big to be a dog or cat, though. What could it be?

“RAAAWRRR!” Owen roared, placing his tiny hand in the imprint. Lily gasped, realizing her brother was right. This paw print belonged to a bear.

The furry face she’d glimpsed last night! There must have been a bear in the backyard! Did it overhear her father joking about why bears were the worst? Did it kidnap him as payback?

Lily’s heart was pounding, her breathing coming fast. What should she do?

She felt a tug on her sleeve. She looked down to see Owen’s big blue eyes, looking up at her. “Get Daddy!” he insisted. He pointed toward another paw print, a little beyond the first one they’d spotted.

The bear had left a trail.

Lily’s mind whirled. She couldn’t do this alone! She needed help! But her mom and older sister were out of town. It was just Lily, Owen, and Dad at home together this weekend. There was no one else here to help.

Except Owen. He was still so little, though! What could he do?

What can I do, for that matter? Lily thought. I’m just a little kid myself! But she knew she had to act, and she had to act fast.

“Grab your shoes,” she instructed Owen. “We’re going to get Daddy.”

***

They followed the trail for what felt like hours, going deeper into the woods behind their home. Sometimes they lost the tracks, and had to search around before they were able to pick the path back up. Fortunately, they went in a fairly straight line.

Eventually, they came to a warm-looking cave. A soft light shined from inside, and there were curtains hanging over the entrance. A mat in front had the words, “Wipe your paws, please.” Flowers had been planted to either side of the cave mouth. Overall, it was a strangely welcoming scene.

Lily gulped, too nervous to move. The paw prints led directly into the cave.

“Daddy!” Owen cheered, and raced for the entrance. Lily tried to catch him, but he was a little too quick. He ran through the curtains and into the cave.

Lily crept in quietly behind him, shaking with fear. She didn’t like bears! How did she end up in this situation? This was crazy!

Taking a deep breath, trying to calm down, she peeked through the curtain. A large bear was standing upright, looking down at Owen, paws on hips. Owen was staring right back. Her father sat at a round table behind the bear, looking pale and alarmed.

The bear growled quietly, a low rumble of sound.

“RAWR,” Owen growled right back. He looked over at the entrance, and waved Lily inside. “Lily, come!”

The bear looked up, making eye contact with Lily. She shivered. The bear waved one paw toward her, almost… welcoming?

“The bear says come!” Owen repeated, impatiently. So, Lily slowly walked into the cave, crossing to sit by her father, wanting to check that he was all right.

“Wait,” her father said, bewildered. “Owen, what do you mean ‘the bear says?’ Do you understand what the bear is saying?”

Owen nodded, grinning. “I talk bear! RAWR, RAWR!”

The bear looked thoughtful, then answered in a long string of grumbles and growls. Owen looked over at his family, and told them, “The bear is mad.”

Lily stood up, trying to look braver than she felt. “It’s my fault, bear. You heard what my Dad was saying last night, didn’t you? But he was joking! He didn’t mean any of it. He was just teasing me because… because…” Her knees were shaking. She took a deep breath, then admitted, “I’m scared of bears.”

The bear made an indignant snorting noise.

“It’s not your fault!” she tried to explain. “You haven’t done anything to me! No bear has done anything to me! I just get nervous. You’re all so big, and with such sharp claws…”

The bear growled, and Owen translated. “The bear says ‘thanks.’”

Lily’s eyes widened. Of course! Bears are supposed to be big, with sharp claws! It had taken it as a compliment! Maybe honesty was the best policy.

She cleared her throat, and continued, “You all have such thick, fluffy fur, like you can handle any kind of weather. Your eyes are such a deep black color, you have an amazing sense of smell, and your teeth are like knives!”

The bear looked very pleased by her words.

Feeling a little braver, Lily continued. “Now that I’ve seen a bear in person, I can see that all of that was true! But it was no reason for me to be scared. And my dad knew that. He likes bears! He was just making up ridiculous jokes to try and help me see that I was being silly. Bears are actually very cool animals. So, please don’t blame him. It was really all my fault,” Lily finished.

The bear looked at Lily for a long time, then reached out, and patted her gently on the head.

Owen beamed up at his sister. “He likes you!”

The bear moved around the table and patted Dad on the head, too. He smiled shakily, and thanked the bear.

Growling mildly, the bear held out a piece of honeycomb towards Lily. Owen translated, “Want a snack?”

Lily gave a startled laugh, then shook her head. “That’s so nice of you, but no, thank you. I think we need to get back home. It’s been a long day.”

The bear gave a comforting “mrowr,” then patted each of them on the head once more. Owen hugged the bear’s large, furry leg in farewell. “Bye, bear! See you later!”

The bear waved goodbye to the family as they headed out, and soon the cave was lost in the trees behind them.

“Thank you for coming to rescue me, kids,” Dad told them after they’d walked for several minutes. “I didn’t know what I would do when that bear carried me away. It sat me down at the table and was making all kinds of terrible growling noises, but I had no idea what any of it meant, or what to do. You two really saved the day!”

Dad looked down at Owen and ruffled his hair. “Also – when did you learn to speak bear, buddy?? That was amazing!”

Owen grinned and made his little fingers into claws. “RAAAWRR!”

Dad put his arm around Lily. “You were so brave in there, Lily-girl. I’m so proud of you. I know you don’t like bears.”

Lily smiled. “I have to say, Dad, now that I’ve met one… maybe they aren’t so bad after all.”

“Bears are the best!” Owen cheered.

“Why are they the best, Owen?” Dad laughed. “Is it because they help old ladies cross the street? Do they donate their change to charity? Maybe they sneak into your room and make your bed for you while you’re at school?”

“Or maybe,” Lily added, “They invite you into their homes and offer you honeycomb. Maybe they forgive you when you say things about them that aren’t very nice. Maybe they’re patient with silly dads, and noisy little boys, and scared little girls.”

“Maybe,” Dad agreed. Lily reached up to take his hand, and the three of them walked home together, safe and sound.


The End