"Can't even look at them, Can you Carol?"

A man softly spoke to a woman organizing fairytale books in the shelf. She hesitates a bit as she stares at the "Litte red hood" book.

*sigh*

"It's very hard.....Thinking that 12 years have passed......but I hope he can live a normal life.

*door slam*

Sudenly the door of the trailer swings open. A cheerful little boy come bursting in with glimer in his emerald eyes.

"Mommy mommy, look look!!!".

She smiles and pats his golden brown hair.

"Wow, where did found that? Can mommy see It Owen?"

He hands over a crystal geode. She examines the round rock with a crack reveling little crystals inside. The sunset rays coming through the dusty trailer's window make It glimmer even more.

"It was in the river next to the berrie bushes."

But Carol's face changes to worried as she caress his cheecks.

-This rashes don't go away, John could come see, too?

The man bends down and give a good look at his scar shaped rashes.

"It doesn't look It got worse but I will ask Mike to take a look later."

 Jonh gets up and hands a small plastic suitcase to Owen. 

"Change yourself and let's go shoot something, today you will shoot a diferent calliber."

With a determinant look Owen go into his side bunker bed to change clothes. Carol places the geode in Owen's bunker bed.

-Dinner will be ready when you two come back.

*kiss*

*blushes*

Later on that day both of them went to a wasteland spot. But for their suprise two man were arguing. Owen hides behind his father.

"quite the fuss you two are making here, huh?"

the chubby and ginger beard man wraps his arm around the other's kneck.

-How is going Jonh, It's just this fool thinks we should talk to the feds

In retaliation the younger man pinches the other stomach.

"auhh, what was that for?!!"

"Hi Jonh, the little one's training is today, right,?"

"that's right, now say hi to uncle Mike and Uncle Sam."

The little boy slowly comes out of hiding behind his father. the Chubby man bends down and greet him.

"hi little guy, you…..have grown a lot?."

"Hi.......uncle.......Sam....Bye now!"

Owen is shy at first. But he grows the courage to give the suitcase to Mike. Then he picks ups the boy and places him on the balcony of the shooting range. Mike hoovers his hands in Owen's back.

"Do you know what calliber this is?"

"3....8?"

"380, almost right, now look carefully how to load this thing."

Mike tries miserably to find the magazine buttom but is unable to.

"Hey Jonh!!! this thing don’t have a mag!!!"

"the hell you saying ?"

both man were annoyed at the contrapition for a few minutes. But they finally take humble approuch to read the menu coming to the conclusion to load It through the top.

*Click Click Click*

"Be careful son, so It doesn’t bite your fingers"

"ahhh, ok."

*Click Click Click*

"Now, Owen I want you to breath in and out."

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

*fuuu pufff*

"Shoot when you don’t feel the air in your lungs."

*Bang Bang Bang Bang*

The range was filled with dust. They wait but the target were with their paint intact.

"Maybe my instruction were not clear ?"

"Don’t worry Mike, he is moving to a new calliber. It mess with your accuracy."

Uncle Sam came running to see the results.

"stick with the 22 kid, hahahaha!!!"

Owen pounts his face and cross his arms making the man to laugh even harder.

*radio static*

the mood changes. Suddenly Uncle Sam, Mike and Jonh starts looking for their radios.

*shuffle shuffle shuffle*

"What ? Do you copy ?"

"Code…Red….Breach….Farm…."

*radio static*

Without a word they hastly enter in their vehicles and speed up to road.

"Daddy what happened?!!!"

*radio static*

"…..Nothing….just stay put."

He hastly put his rifle on passenger sits. Opens the glove box and takes spare magazines for his rifle along side with backup pistol. Jonh changes the radio frequency to talk to Sam and Mike.

"Got any new info ? Copy."

"Nothing just static in the momment. Copy."

"When shit hits the fan they always call us, heh? Copy."

"I’am getting close gonna cut comms from now on."

"The heck you said ?"

The frequency falls silent. jonh hands sweats as he steers the wheels to pull up to the place. He takes a glimpse of Owen in the back.

*tsk*

The sun was comming down only the dim light covered the corn fields and red blight barn. Only the small beam of light comming out of the farm house to light up the path. for the rest only some feet up front could be seem.

"Daddy…."

*slam*

"(muffled) Stay in there. don’t come out, ok?"

The boy nods his head in agreement. Jonh smiles back and start walking to Sam and Mike.

"whats the deal with the googles, ex-mil ?"

"shut it Sam, this shit is serious."

"What’s the plan here, guys?"

"Jonh I will keep watch. You and Sam go see if there is someone in the house."

"Roger that."

"Keep good watch on our asses bud."

Sam and Jonh carefully walk toward the porch of the house. Sam was with his spas-shotgun in hand and Jonh with his ar-15. they ready the guns for any confrontation as they come close to the door.

*Knock Knock*

"Someone in here ?"

*Creck Creck*

"It’s Jonh, right ? Right ?"

"Yeah. Where is the thing ? are you all right ?"

"It’s in the barn….eating….something."

with the confirmation they signalize to Mike that they were going to the barn. Mike stay behind and cover them with his m-14 while Jonh and Sam where to investigate.

slowly but surely they come close to the barn.

"fuck this Jonh."

"that’s our job man, just foucus."

they come close to barn’s door.

*moan*

*Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang*

They unload at the barn’s door.

Owen was trapped in the car. Hearing the sound of the shots popping off in the distance he scramble to find his pistol.

*Click*

His hand tramble.

*Click*

*huff huff*

He aims at the car window wating for something.

Sam and Jonh were speeding off while something was following than. Mike tries to land a shot at the creature while looking them through his sights.

*Huff Huff*

*Bang*

The creature shambles towards them. But suddenly It jumps pinning Jonh down

"fuck!! fuck!!"

*Crack*  *Bang*

"Wrahhhhh."

The monster was hit in the eye. He screams trying to remove the bullet. this oportunity allows Mike takes the last shot finally taking.

"Great, hah, shot."

"It wasn’t me Jonh."

Owen comes running towards his father.

"Daddy!!! Daddy!!!"

"was It you ?"

"uhum."

"Huh, you’re a good shooter after all."

Mike looks at his rifle and them at Owen. “how in hell did he take that shot? It was dark….and the window should ha-."

"Great fucking shot there ex-mil. Just not better than the kid there!! hahahhaah!!!"

*Door slam*

The of the trailer sliwngs open showing a Jonh all patch up and Owen helping his dad to enter.

"What happened dear!??"

"Nothing honey….ah…..the job called an-"

"That’s no excuse."

*pulls*

Carol carefully pulls Jonh from Owen and make him seat at the dinner table. She undos the poorly made bandages and sanitize them in water.

"Dear, you need to be more carefull."

"I was….ahhhh, shhhh…That was an ambush. The thing was smart."

"Sweet pie go play with your toys, mommy is going to help daddy and them she will make dinner, alright?"

"Ok…"

*Rumble* *Gurgle*

"I will make quick, promise."

Owen went to his side bed and play with his wooden carved figures. A small lizard creature and a humanoid figure holding a sword. He imagine them going adventuring together.

*Clanck* *Bam* *Bam*

"shoooh, bang, bammm…"

He stops for a momment to look at his doodles. They are all little swords, guns, acessories and figures ranging from animal-like to humanoid . He was fixed wondering the next one he father would carve for him.

"Huh?"

Strangely enough the geode was lying right next to him. He reaches with his hands.

*nodge*

*badum* *badum* *Badum*

The little boy retreats his hand from the object. The geode was alive. He overcome his initial fear. Compelled and holds it next to his chest as It was a baby need for care.

*Crack* *Crack*

blight purple light mommentarily blinds Owen.

"ahhhh…."

"Fuahhhh."

Sudenly the geode was molded in the shape of small dragon. The creature clings to Owen. the parents seeing the comotion come running toward the side bed

"wahhhrrr!!!"

"the heck is that son ?!!!!*

*recks slide*

"Ow.... dear drop that thing !!!!!"

The creature clings harder to him. Owen feels the creature scared grasp.

"Mom, daddy stop!!!!!"

He hungs him in response.

"wahhhh?"

"please stop!!!"

*Weeps*

Jonh lowers His firearm. The trailer falls silent. Carol hugs her son.

"Sorry for scarring you I will make dinner, alright?"

The family quietly goes to the dinner table. Carol places the plates for her son and husband.

"Mom for him too."

"Sorry dear but we don’t know what he ea-"

"meat, he eat meat like in the stories you told me."

Jonh signalizes for her to bring some leftovers. Then he looks at his son branding a big smile and wrestling with the dragon.

"ahhh….Owen, we need to talk."

"We can’t keep hi-"

"why not?"

"Can’t you see theses scars!!? Things like that do that to humans like us!!!"

"……No dad…"

"huh?"

"He is made by me. Like you and mommy made me. I will take care of him!!!"

*Sigh*

"Fine keep him then. But for the love of god don’t show him anyone that you don’t know…..You will put mommy and daddy in danger. But most importanly He is in your care."

"yipppie, yay!!!"

"Fuahhhh!!"

Carol interrupts the conversation bringing the leaftover meat for him.

"there you go little one."

It devours the plate. The family have a nice dinner, Owen and his little dragon goes to bed as well his parents.

"Good night….huh….phyro?"

"fuahhh?"

"yes that is your name!! Phyro firecracker henry saverin."

"Mine is Owen henry saverin. Owi for short."

"Owrrri?"

"yes that is right."

"I will turn the light off."

click

"good night phyro."

*Unknown noise*