Carla peered at Ben quietly from her tree branch, ensconced behind some dense foliage. The young brown squirrel stifled a devious snicker with her paw as she watched the other squirrel wander about in the early spring sun, looking for her.
“I’m right here, silly!” She thought, sticking out her tongue at him playfully.
The hapless Ben looked up at her tree, but the five-year old critter didn’t see his friend behind the thick wall of leaves. He sighed; having spent five fruitless minutes so far searching for her.
“Carla!” The little rodent called out with slumped shoulders. “Where are you? I give up!”
The eighteen-year old gray squirrel babysitting them looked up from her phone to rebuke him. “Come on, you can’t do that! You’re just gonna give up like some weenie?”
“But I’m not good at this…” He pouted; his little ears and tail drooped.
“Excuses! Keep looking till you find her, and I’m not helping you, so don’t even think of asking.” She ordered and promptly returned to her game of ‘Candy Mountain’ without another word.
“Dumb kid can’t just go up that tree?” She shook her head as she busily swiped her paw across the phone’s colorful screen to snag those coveted points. “Whatever, I’m still getting paid for this, so what do I care?”
Not even a minute back into her game did she feel a frantic tug at her tail. She nearly dropped her phone in surprise and turned her head about to face another diminutive squirrel.
“Melody?” Ben’s three-year old brother, Peter, looked up at her with wanting eyes; his little paws over his tummy.
“What is it, sweetie?” She forced a polite smile.
“I’m hungry. Can I have food pwease?”
“Oh for Pete’s sake,” she mumbled under her breath and set her phone down. “Hold on, I gotta find that bag your daddy left me with…”
She looked under the table, the bench, and all around her, but didn’t see the bag of goodies Mr. Avery left her. After a few moments, she smacked herself on the forehead with her paw.
“I left the snacks in my car.” She got up from the bench. “Watch my phone for me, thanks.”
She left her phone on the plastic table and scurried all the way to her vibrantly pink car. She hastily popped open the fairy-festooned trunk and saw the duffle bag. It was entirely blue, save for some green lettering stitched onto it that read “Pratley College.” Below that, and with smaller letters, was stitched, “Ronald Avery” in a darker hue of green. She opened it to check if the snacks inside still smelled edible. The pleasant, verdant aroma of celery, cucumbers, and other greens wafted into her nostrils, telling her that all was well inside the bag.
“Great.” She closed the bag, snatched it up with her mouth, closed and locked the trunk, and waddled back with the heavy baggage to the plastic, yellow table. Peter hungrily lunged at the bag when Melody yanked it away and threw it onto the table.
“Patience, grasshopper!” She wagged a disapproving paw in his face. “Also, I don’t see your brother, or that girl, whatever her name is. Where are they? No one’s eating till everyone’s here.”
He pointed up at the tree where Carla was hiding, and they soon heard the two squirrels laughing.
“You’re so slow!” Carla remarked. “Wanna play again? I’ll count to fifty, and you hide.”
“Kids! Lunch!” Melody barked like a naggy drill sergeant, causing the two squirrels to clamber quickly down the tree. “Your folks left you some good crap, er, I mean veggies and fruits and yummy legumes!”
“You said a potty word!” Ben gasped and covered his mouth.
“Uh, I don’t think I did.” Melody casually shook her head as she gestured for the kids to sit down.
“You said-”
“Shush!” Melody cut him off, not wanting this kid’s parents to let her go over the innocuous c-word. She had college to pay for soon, and textbooks that would amount to half her tuition. “How about this; don’t tell your mommy and daddy what I said, and, uh…I promise I’ll take you all to the movies next time.”
“Oh cool!”
“Awesome!”
The boys loved the idea, though Carla didn’t bask in their enthusiasm.
"You're just saying that so we won't tattle!" She frowned disapprovingly at Melody.
Melody clenched her fists as she glared at the little girl, but quickly softened her composure and just laughed lightly.
“I’m just kidding, of course! Look, I’ll just tell your parents I made a little mistake and they’ll forgive me. No one needs to get mad; no one’s perfect.” She took some paper plates from the bag and began loading them with some wholesome, nutritious goodness.
“But you’re still gonna take us to the movies, right?” Ben refused to drop this important subject.
“Of course, sweetie.” She smiled warmly, grateful he didn’t care that much about her language anymore.
Peter was the first to offer a suggestion. “I, I wanna see that movie where, where, where the people are like, PEW PEW and then there’s FIRE and then, and then, and then the monster says RAWR, and then,” Peter paused to regain his thoughts, “and then, there’s this REALLY COOL machine that says BZZZ I’M A LASER ROBOT, and then, and then there’s this BIG WOOF like, like grampa, and, and, and he has these REALLY SHARP TEETH. Ooh, ooh, can we see that one, Miss Melody?!”
Peter’s little tail swished excitedly and his tiny limbs flailed theatrically as he described his personal favorite movie of all time. Ben and Carla had to maneuver out of the way to avoid getting hit.
“But dad took us to see that last week.” Ben rained on his brother’s parade. “I wanna see something else.”
“But Ben!” Peter griped. “I wanna see it!”
Little tears started to well up in Peter’s eyes, and Melody gently took hold of his paw, like a nice, older sister. “Of course we’ll see it, little man. It’s a great movie.” She remarked, having no idea what movie he was even talking about.
Ben threw his hands up in the air, but Carla put a paw out to him, silently urging him to stay calm.
“Maybe we can let Ben choose next time, and then I can choose after that?” Carla offered.
“You’ll make a good diplomat someday.” Melody pointed at Carla approvingly.
“A what?”
“Nevermind. Let’s just enjoy our lunch.”
The shade the ez-up provided was very welcoming, though the squirrels didn’t care for the uninvited flies swarming their little party. A particularly portly bugger plopped itself on a chunk of pear Ben was about to sink his teeth into, paying the rodent no regard.
“AAH!” The startled rodent jettisoned his corrupted pear as far from his face as possible, not knowing how many plagues and pandemics that foul creature could’ve been carrying. The expelled fruit rocketed through the air into Melody’s face. It struck her squarely on the muzzle before she could deflect it or catch it.
Ben gasped and slapped his paws over his mouth. “I-I’m sorry! I-I didn’t mean to-”
“What gives?!” Melody clenched the fallen pear in her paws and raised it as though she was going to chuck it back. The other three squirrels flinched; Carla instinctively put her arm in front of Ben to shield him. However, Melody’s phone spontaneously started to play an 8-bit version of her favorite pop song, “Peace is the Way.” She recognized the number on the screen as Ronald's, so she dropped the pear and answered.
“Hello Mr. Avery!” She cheerfully chirped.
“Melody!” Ronald answered back. “How is it over there with the kids?”
“Well, you know,” she laughed lightly and tousled Ben’s head fur, causing him to recoil, “they’re so delightful; I almost want to just keep them for myself!”
Ronald chuckled. “Well, I’ll have to say no to that, but I’m happy you’ve taken a liking to them. Anyways, please tell them I’m going to be there in ten minutes to pick them up, including Carla. Her parents are also here.”
“Okay. Oh, does this mean the baby is here?!” Melody’s tail swished.
“Yep! Little Rachel was born just an hour ago, and Evelyn and I couldn’t be more thrilled!”
“Aw! Well congratulations to you two! I’d love to see baby Rachel when I have time! I bet she’s the cutest and sweetest little thing ever!”
“Of course! You can come by anytime! Anyways, I’m going to head over there now, and I’ll have your payment too. Thanks for looking after them.”
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
“Anytime!” Melody sang. “See you soon!”
Meanwhile, Ben’s ears were still perked and his senses alert. Was Melody going to throw that pear at him now?
“Welp,” Melody smiled at the boys, “your dad’s coming to pick all of you up in ten minutes, and then you’re going to see your new baby sister. Isn’t that exciting?”
“Yeah,” Peter replied, “but when are you gonna take us to that movie?!”
“I’m more excited to see the baby!” Carla’s tail wagged.
“Me too!” Ben echoed, relishing the thought of having another sibling to play with. Melody’s paws were no longer on the pear, so he was no longer on high-alert.
“Before you leave though, I have something I want to give to each of you; just a little thank you for letting me watch you today. Wanna follow me to the car?”
The kids didn’t need to be asked twice; the babysitter likely had goodies or toys she wanted to shower them with. They eagerly followed her, though Peter raced ahead, as though the car would magically unlock for him first.
“Calm down kiddo, it’s not going anywhere.” Melody laughed at the child’s fervor. She began to unlock the passenger-side of her car and told the three to wait behind her. They watched with wide eyes as she opened the glove compartment, wondering what precious bounty laid in its depths.
“Let’s see…I know I put them in here…” Melody muttered to herself, setting her phone on the passenger seat without fully paying attention to where she laid it.
Close to the edge.
While Peter and Carla were fixated on whatever Melody was soon to unearth, Ben was distracted by the phone hovering halfway off the seat. He wanted to nudge it forward himself just so it’d be more stable, but also didn’t want to touch her phone without her permission. While the gray squirrel continued shuffling things about in the compartment, he tugged lightly on her bushy tail.
“Uh, Miss Melody?” He asked softly.
Before Ben could utter another word, the startled Melody whipped herself about and inadvertently kicked her phone with her left foot. The younger squirrel watched as the device crashed onto the slab of sidewalk he stood on. The unmistakable clamor of cracking glass rattled their ears, and little Ben gasped.
“I-I’m sorry! I-I” Ben stammered, but the angry scream and petrifying death stare from the older squirrel silenced him.
“You STUPID little shit!” Melody snapped and leaped down from the seat to pick up her phone. The screen was still intact, but a fresh, jagged zigzag spanned its width. She quickly tested its basic touch functions, and though they still worked, she was no less inflamed.
“I-I-” Ben started to cry. “I didn’t mean-”
“What’s the matter?!” She cut him off like an executioner’s ax. “You couldn’t wait another five seconds for your toy? You impatient little BRAT!”
Spittle from her fuming invective speckled his little face; he wanted to speak, but her threatening posture and bared teeth besieged the younger squirrel into quivering submission.
“Do you THINK I wanted my phone like this?!” She shoved the device in his face, nearly hitting him with it. “You know how much this damn phone cost me?”
“I’m sorry…” Ben repeated, looking down and still crying.
Carla got in between the two. “Hey! It was an accident! Stop being mean to him!” She interjected. She wanted to add that it was Melody who broke her own phone, but didn’t want to incur additional wrath upon herself.
“Accident or not,” Melody didn’t remove her gaze from Ben, “this is YOUR fault.”
The accusation was a barbed, poison dart that plunged into his soul and lodged itself there. The sting silenced any shred of defense Ben still had. After all, had he not made Melody jump, her phone would still be okay.
It was all his fault.
“And I’m going to tell your dad about what you did; there’s NO way I’m paying for this.”
Meanwhile, the four of them heard the familiar sound of Ronald’s sleek, green car approaching them. Melody’s ears perked up, hearing the sound of hard-earned dollars coming her way. She also grinned slightly, knowing he was going to recompense her for his clumsy son’s mistake.
“Hey, look who’s back!” Melody cheerfully sang as she switched personalities. “It’s your dad!”
Peter was the first to run to his car, scared the babysitter would bite his head off next. Carla contemplated snatching Melody’s phone and stomping all over it, but instead followed Peter for the sake of civility.
“Ben, come on!” She called him, but her friend was frozen in place, as though he didn’t hear her. He continued to stand before Melody, like a convicted felon awaiting his next flogging. When Melody started for Ronald’s car, he followed her.
“Melody, I’m sorry…” he moaned once again. “Can you forgive me?”
She turned and faced him with a sweet, sisterly smile on her face. “Of course I do!” She picked him up and hugged him, turning her head ever so slightly to make sure his father noticed. Ronald did notice the babysitter’s display of affection…as well as the guilt and defeat on his son’s face.
Not three seconds after Ronald got out of his car did Peter tackle him with a desperate hug.
“Whoa, slow down there, buddy! Did you have fun with Melody today?”
“I don’t like her. She’s scary.” Peter refused to let go despite his dad trying to pry him off. “I wanna go home.”
“Aw, I’m sure it wasn’t that bad; you’re just not used to her yet.” Ronald defended his and his wife’s choice for babysitter that day. They never hired her before, but her ad was convincing (it mentioned she was also going to Pratley, so how could Ronald deny his support?) With her paycheck in hand, he started to rationalize his choice further until he noticed Carla as well.
She also looked scared.
“How was it today?” He asked her, a contrived smile on his face to shield his budding concern. Before Carla could answer, Melody caught up, with Ben behind her. Though the younger squirrel wasn’t crying anymore, Ronald beheld his tear-stained cheeks and reddish eyes.
“Mr. Avery!” Melody interrupted the worried father’s line-of-thought. “Congratulations on the baby! You must be really proud.”
The older brown squirrel nodded and smiled. “Thank you, Evelyn and I couldn’t be happier.”
“I’m sure of it,” Melody fixed her eyes on the envelope Ronald was holding, half-paying attention to his words. “Would love to see her sometime.”
Ronald noticed her subtle gaze upon the money in his paw. “Ah, sorry. Here’s your payment.” He promptly handed it to her, and the gray squirrel had to resist from tearing the envelope apart like some feral beast.
“So, how were the kids?” He inquired, hoping to gain some insight on the children’s negative reception of her.
“Well, you know,” she chuckled nervously, “they were a handful at times, but I managed.”
“If I requested you to watch over them again for a whole day, would that be something you’d enjoy?”
“Of course I would! They’re such lovely children.” She sang as she subconsciously began opening the envelope; her eyes still fixed on Ronald. “And with Rachel now, I can’t imagine all the extra pay, er, PLAYtime all the children will get.”
Ronald nodded, fighting to keep a neutral smile on his face. Melody’s words and tone took him back to an unpleasant time. The adults at his and Cecilia’s orphanage employed the same fake, sickly-sweet, verbal saccharine when dealing with the children. If not for the conversation he overheard about the increased funding the building would get thanks to him and his sister being added there, he would’ve bought into it. He knew their caretakers cared more about filthy lucre than their wellbeing. The fact that they continually overlooked quiet, little Cecilia during dinner, and how he always had to split his meals with her just so she wouldn’t starve, was evidence enough.
“Indeed,” he simply uttered.
“Oh, and I really, reeeeeeally hate to bring this up, but…” Melody clicked her tongue and turned her head to face the submissive child before facing Ronald again. “Ben accidentally broke my phone’s screen, so I’ll have to be compensated for that.”
This was all Carla could take. “He didn’t break it, YOU did! You’re the one who kicked it!”
Melody let out an innocent laugh. “Oh, don’t mind her, she’s just mad at me because she wanted to stay longer. You know how kids can be.”
Carla wanted to interject again, but Melody continued.
“Besides, Ben already apologized for it,” she faced the child again, “right Ben?”
The younger squirrel looked up into her eyes with fear as she manipulated him with her smile.
“You said it was all your fault, right…sweetheart?”
“...Yes…it was my fault. I’m sorry…”
“What!” Carla yelled in disbelief. “No it’s not!”
“It is too!” Ben countered with uncharacteristic sharpness. “I-I scared her and made her kick it! I-it’s all my fault!”
Carla’s mouth was agape, and Melody nodded and grinned. “Oh Ben, it’s okay.” She playfully pinched his cheek and chuckled. “You know I forgive you; everyone makes mistakes. I like that you’re so responsible and honest.”
He nodded, buying into her faux-flattery.
“I think we’ve beaten this dead horse enough.” Ronald finally cut in, letting out an exasperated sigh he intended to keep inside. “Let me know the estimate of the damage and I’ll take care of it.” He didn’t think for a second his son was guilty either, but didn’t want to drag this out either.
“I appreciate that, thank you!” She went to give him a hug, and he subconsciously stepped back to avoid her. She didn’t notice though, wrapping the distrusting brown squirrel with her arms.
“Uh-huh.” He made no more attempt to sound enthused. “Well, thanks for looking after them.”
“Of course!” She smiled. “And congrats on the baby again!”
Ronald beckoned the kids to get into the car, and they climbed in like eager children excited to get away from a plague. He got in himself and told his young passengers to buckle up. He heard the clicks of all their seatbelts then buckled his own. He looked one more time at Melody, who was already gazing euphorically upon her check; the torn-up envelope discarded lazily at her feet. He tapped his horn twice, which was his signature way of saying “good-bye,” but Melody merely returned a half-hearted wave; her eyes never leaving that check. Not even the toys she forgot to give the children crossed her mind again.
“You’re no different from them…” Ronald muttered to himself as he backed out. “Next time we’ll pick more wisely…”
—
Within the following few days, the family was back home with their new addition. Rachel was a little smaller than an adult mouse, and was almost completely hairless and blind. Though she couldn’t see her own parents or brothers yet, they were happy to see her. The small, fragile rodent enjoyed and soaked in every new moment and experience with her senses. Her tiny ears perked up at the distinct voices of her family members as they called her name.
Even Ben’s spirits were lifted as he let his sister blindly grasp at every square inch of his face and head (except his eyes, obviously). She seemed particularly fixated on his nose, and she grabbed at it as though trying to steal it.
“Hey, get your own nose!” He laughed. However, the infant mistook his playful tone for hostility, and she started to whimper and back away.
“Huh? Wha- no! I-I was joking!”
It didn’t matter, Rachel scurried away with a frantic squeal, hoping to find mommy or daddy. Ben stood and let out a defeated sigh.
“Of course she hates me…”
That night didn’t help much either. He had a dream where he was back at the park with Melody, but instead of her phone being on the seat, it was Rachel. He reached for her to keep her from falling, but inadvertently knocked her off with a clumsy paw, and she plummeted straight down into the gutter and vanished into the darkness with fading squeals.
“NO! RACHEL!”
He was about to dive into the gutter himself when Melody yanked him back up with a forceful arm.
“You STUPID little shit! This is YOUR fault!” She dangled the helpless squirrel before her face. He trembled and whined as he beheld her sharpened molars and fangs, her forked tongue, as well as the orange, fiery glow emanating from the back of her throat.
“I-I’m sorry! I-I didn’t mean it! I swear!” He cried.
But she beat him relentlessly with the same accusation over and over.
He broke her phone.
He killed his little sister.
He was responsible for every crime and every sin.
He was the root of all evil.
Him.
She thrust him to the ground in fury and jabbed a finger into his face. “Everything is YOUR fault!” He looked up at her to find any shred of forgiveness.
But there was none.
—-
Evelyn woke up at 2:38 that morning to lull crying Rachel to sleep for the seven-billionth time that night. Ronald was sound asleep on his own side of the bed, but to his credit, he took his turn of baby-duty just twenty minutes ago.
“Comin’, sweetie…” Evelyn yawned as she trudged to the adjacent room. However, she stopped when she also heard crying from Ben’s room. She walked up to his door, and just before she knocked, she heard him talking to himself.
“It’s not my fault…it’s not…I’m not bad, I swear…” He moaned and sniffled.
Evelyn had no idea what he could’ve been talking about, but it was enough to make her stop and pray. She didn’t know what decided to take over her son’s mind, but she hated it.
The worst part was that…Ben’s story was just beginning.