I wrote this short story as a flash fiction challenge during Covid. But I think it can be expanded. What do you think Iggy should be? I still haven't decided. When I do, it will determine where the story goes next. Oh, and the Jazzy Dragon is me playing around with generative fill in Photoshop. It's silly, but I got to learn somehow. ha ha ha.
The Caretaker
By Sonja McGiboney
copyright 2024
Lily unlocked the back door of the thrift store using a key that didn't belong to her. Before turning the knob she gathered her courage and tried to stop the fluttering in her heart. “It’s going to be okay. Mom was just being a mom, don’t be mad at her. You’ll find him.”
Her mom’s new job managing “Two Times a Charm” had started a crazy plunge to de-clutter the house. Lily ignored her mom’s behavior until tonight. After band camp, she discovered her old toy box, with everything in it, missing from her room.
“Mom, where’s my chest?”
“You mean that old thing filled with stuff you never use?”
“Yeah.”
“I took it to Two Times.”
“What? You can’t do that? Why’d you do that?”
“Well, darling, don’t you think you are too old for those things?”
“That’s not the point. They were mine and you had no right taking it from my room.”
“As your mother, I have every right, but I suppose I should have asked you first. I’m sorry.”
Lily bit her lip. “Did you empty it?”
“No, it’s in the storage area. I thought I’d go through it tomorrow.”
“Can we go get it and bring it back?”
“Now?”
“Yeah, now!”
Lily, it’s 7:00 at night, it will keep until the morning.”
“Please?”
“No, I’ll bring it home with me when I’m done work tomorrow. Then we’ll discuss its contents.
Lilly wrung her hands. “But that might be too late!”
“Too late? To get an old box? Nonsense.”
Lilly knew her mother wouldn’t change her mind. “Fine!” She walked up the stairs thinking of a way to get there tonight.
At 1:00 am, Lily woke to her phone alarm, almost knocking it off her bedside table trying to find it to turn it off. She listened to the silence waiting to see if her mom heard it. Thankfully, it didn’t.
Already wearing black leggings and a black sweatshirt, she walked on the plush carpet into the bathroom, pulled her unruly, red hair into a ponytail, and tucked it all under a black, knit hat. She stared at her reflection in the mirror and quietly chuckled, “Just like the movies.”
She crept down the stairs, remembering to skip the two steps that squeaked and, thankfully, her mom’s keys were still in the bowl by the front door. After pulling the store key off the key ring, she made her way out the back door.
Lily started the four-block walk to the store using the sidewalk. Leaves crunched under her feet, the sound breaking the quiet of the night, so she moved to the road. When she saw headlights, she darted into the shadow of the closest building. She was about to go back out to the street when she spied the police cruiser. She looked at the street then turned and looked at the alley behind the buildings. The alley was much darker but at least she wouldn’t bump into cars again.
She walked slowly at first, but the shadows creeped her out. She arrived at the back door, huffing from the sprint. The lamp across the alley, the only one on this side of the block, barely lit the entry. Lily fumbled with the lock and finally pulled out her small book-light that she used to read at night, she peeked around to make sure there were no cars or people, turned on the light, unlocked the door, then slowly pushed it open.
It creaked, of course it did. The eerie sound echoed through the high ceilinged room. She continued using the little book-light since the phone’s flashlight would be too bright.
Worry etched her face as she slowly walked toward the storage area looking for her toy chest. Was she too late? Was she doing it right? Was he okay? All this was new to her. Maybe they should have picked someone else. She wished she could ask someone, but the directions were clear. “Nobody else is allowed to see him or your world will be changed.”
“Iggy? Where are you?”
She heard the familiar scritch-scritch-scritching sounds of Iggy’s tiny claws in the small wooden box.
Lily sighed with relief. “I hear you! I’m coming!”
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