The Rightful Heir

by Jefferson Knapp

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  The Coroner’s Grave Report

  BENJAMIN PEDALED as fast as he could down the road. He didn’t bother to look over at Jessica Howell’s yard for the pug. Mrs. Crane was dead and he was the only one who knew it. He shivered as he pedaled harder and harder. His tired mind tossed around crazy thoughts. He didn’t know what happened to people who discovered a death. Will I go to jail? Will I be in trouble? He wasn’t paying any attention and soon found himself at his mailbox. He was up the driveway in seconds, then remembered how his mom felt about Pugsly’s collar. He slipped it off his wrist and shoved it in the front pocket of his jeans. Jumping off his bike, he let it fall beside the garage and raced inside the house. Panting, he opened the door and shouted, “Mom?! Dad?! Are you home?!”

  His mom called from the kitchen, “Hi, sweetie. Your dad’s at the auto glass shop getting a new windshield put in. Are you done mowing already?”

  “Mom…” Benjamin took a second to catch his breath. “…Mrs. Crane is dead!”

  Loud footsteps immediately came his way. “What?!”

  “She’s dead.” He leaned over, resting his hands on his knees. “I-I walked inside when she didn’t hear me at the door…she was sitting in her chair watching TV and I thought she just couldn’t hear me.” Carol’s hands were clasped, covering her mouth. “So I went inside and walked up to her…” His heart pounded in his chest “And she was dead!”

  “Did you call 911?!”

  “No, I—”

  “You didn’t call 911?!”

  “Mom, I couldn’t find her phone! I looked all over! I didn’t have mine with me!”

  Carol tried to calm down. “Okay. Okay. I’m gonna call the police.” She exhaled through her puffed-out lips and grabbed the phone. Benjamin went to sit on the couch but quickly stretched out from exhaustion. He could faintly hear her talking to the 911 operator. He grabbed a couch pillow and covered his head to mute her voice. His nerves were shot. He expected the worst. After a few minutes of silence he was startled.

  “Ben?” His mom patted the pillow covering his face. “Why are you doing that?”

  He moved the pillow off his face. “So what’s going to happen? Am I going to jail?”

  Despite the seriousness of the situation, Carol let out a little laugh. “No, sweetie, you’re not going to jail.” He felt a sense of relief until she said, in the deepest voice she could, “But you will get the death penalty!” Then she smiled and he returned it. “The police and coroner are going out to examine her.”

  “Oh.” He let out a sigh of relief.

  “Then they’ll be coming by here to ask you a few questions.”

  “Oh no!” Benjamin put his hands on the back of his stressed head.

  “Now, sweetie, it’s not what you think.” She saw the scared look on his face. “They’ll just ask you some questions about how you found her, and things like that.”

  Benjamin took a deep breath. “Okay.”

  The front door suddenly opened and Tom came in. “Whew! That was some day!”

  “We’re in here, dear.”

  With his hair all messy and a few black feathers stuck to his beige suit, Tom loosened the brown tie around his neck. “Well, I got a new windshield!”

  “That’s nice. Tom, Mrs. Crane—”

  “And ya know what’s crazy? This morning I tried pulling that buzzard out of the windshield and I couldn’t!” Tom looked at them in amazement as their faces remained stoic. “And I had to drive to work like this…” He stretched his neck far out to the side as he mimicked steering the wheel. “…with my head out the window!”

  “That’s nice, honey, listen. Ben just found—”

  “You know how many honks and laughs I got driving around town?”

  “Tom!” Her husband jumped. “Ben found Mrs. Crane dead this afternoon.”

  His face quickly changed from cheery to, well, less-cheery. “Dead? Ben, are you okay?”

  “I guess so.” Benjamin thought for a moment. “Better than that buzzard you hit.”

  Tom guffawed, his buzzard incident acknowledged.

  “The police are coming by to ask him a few questions.” The boy still didn’t like hearing his mom say that, even if he wasn’t in trouble.

  “What happened, son?”

  “Well, I walked up to Mrs. Crane’s screen door and looked in. She was sitting in her chair watching TV and I told her I was there to mow the lawn. She never answered so I walked inside because I thought maybe the TV was too loud. I went up to her and…she was dead.”

  His dad grabbed him and gave him a hug, which Benjamin needed. “I’m sorry you had to see that, son.” Tom gave him a couple of gentle pats on the back, “She was old. It was just her time.”

  Where’ve I heard that before? Benjamin thought, but this time knew it was true. He went to his room to wait for the police. Pulling the collar from his pocket, he noticed a slightly sour smell from Mrs. Crane’s dog. The tag was just as silvery-blue as before. The thought of giving it away for good to Pugsly’s rightful heir made him a little sad. In just a month he’d grown attached to the animals in the kingdom. One named Paco had given his life to save him. They made him feel special and wanted, ever since the incident at the barn, but he understood their eagerness to see Pugsly’s son…Benjamin more than the others.

  He lay on his bed and recapped everything from the moment he’d ridden up Mrs. Crane’s driveway until he raced home. He wanted to get the details straight, minus the part about the talking dog, so the police would know exactly what happened.

  It didn’t take long for the doorbell to ring, causing Benjamin to spring from his bed and run upstairs. He heard his parents open the door.

  “Hello, Mr. and Mr. Biggs? I’m Officer Mica Hunter.”

  “Hi. Please come in.”

  Benjamin walked into the room to see a thirty-something-year-old woman holding a clipboard. “Are you Benjamin?” she said softly, looking him in the eye.

  “Yes.” Benjamin wasn’t as scared to talk to the police officer as he’d thought. He stared into her big, brown eyes.

  “Do you mind if I ask you some questions?”

  “Sure.” They sat on the couch and Carol and Tom left the room to give them privacy. Carol stayed busy in the kitchen but kept an ear open as her son retold the events of the day. When he was through and Officer Hunter finished her notes, she cleared her throat and looked him in the eye. “Benjamin, did you see any snakes around the house?”

  He flinched. “Snakes?”

  “Yes, rattlesnakes.”

  “Uh…umm, no, no, I didn’t see any–”

  She leaned forward and said gently, “Mrs. Crane was bitten by a rattlesnake. The coroner found a bite mark on her shin.” Benjamin gasped. “He also found bite marks on her cat. So you saw no sign of any rattlesnake?”

  It took him a moment to speak. “No.”

  The officer stood and put her pen in her shirt pocket. “Okay, Benjamin, that’s all the information I need. Sorry you had to see that, but thank you for your help.” She held out her hand to the open-mouthed boy and shook his limp hand firmly.

  “Uh, you’re welcome.” Benjamin was dazed.

  “Have a good evening.” Officer Hunter walked out the front door and got into her patrol car, took a minute to make a phone call, then drove off.

  Benjamin stood staring out the large front window. The clouds in the eastern sky were building as the sun set. He glanced at the calm pond and orange and red leaves on the tall oak, deceivingly peaceful. He knew something evil was brewing again.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  A Stressful Request

  TOM AND CAROL CAME IN THE FRONT ROOM and saw their son staring out the window. “Ben, is everything alright?” He didn’t reply to his mom. “Ben? Sweetie?”

  Benjamin turned to them, looking like he had seen a ghost. “M-Mrs. Crane was bitten by a rattlesnake.”

  “You’re kidding!” his dad cried. “Oh, how awful!”

  �
�Benjamin, I’m so sorry.” His mom hugged him. “Do you need to talk about it?”

  “No…I think…I think I just wanna go outside.”

  “Okay. You probably should get some fresh air, but don’t wander off in the weeds. There may be rattle—” Tom frowned at her, then nodded at his son with a faint smile.

  Benjamin opened the door and trudged off the porch. The rocks in the driveway crunched under his feet. His wrenching gut told him his collar was the reason the snakes had come. He felt too guilty to dig any deeper. As he approached the mailbox he looked back to make sure his parents weren’t at the front window. He pulled the collar from his pocket and slipped his hand through. As he neared the fox den the sticks popped up. He made sure no one was around, then leaned over the entrance. He heard shouting from far inside the cave, like all the animals were in the hall arguing. Oh boy, that’s all I need! He was already having a horrible day. He popped down the hole and walked through the darkness, unable to distinguish any words in the noise. When he rounded the last corner his suspicions were confirmed. They were all in the hall, and they were mad!

  Wrapped up in their own arguments, none of them noticed him pass through the crowd. It reminded him of the first time he’d walked in on them. But this time they were not happy and laughing. He didn’t like seeing the chickens arguing with gophers, the squirrels and rabbits yelling at the mice and cats. Benjamin finally had enough.

  “Quiet!!” The hall went silent as the echoes of his shout sounded down the tunnel and throughout the cavern. They looked in awe at the boy who stood among them. “Hello everyone.” He lazily raised a hand in greeting, slouching as he ambled toward his throne.

  “King Benjamin, can you understand us?” the old badger shouted.

  Instead of answering he lifted his arm, showing the collar around his wrist. They all gasped in excitement. Roscoe galloped happily over to the boy as he sat on the throne.

  “Oh! Good to know, Your Majesty! Now, is there any news of King Pugsly’s heir?”

  “No, Roscoe…” He really wanted to say that, for the last hour, the heir had been the last thing on his mind. A rattlesnake killed the old lady because her dog was wearing the collar. It wasn’t the best thing for them to hear. The kingdom had been living in peace since the small band of heroes saved them from Farangis. That should have been the end of the snakes’ threat to the kingdom, and now this! Benjamin hunched over in his seat and rested his face in his open hands. “I don’t know what to tell you, Roscoe.”

  “Sire?” Clementine asked, concerned. The fox came forward. “This is Felix. He uh…he sort of fell in on us…through the hole.”

  “The hole?” Benjamin peeked at the pig through open fingers.

  “Yes, that hole.” Clementine looked up at the fading light shining through.

  “He fell through that hole?”

  “Oh, it’s not uncommon, Your Majesty. We’ve had numerous occasions over the years where someone has fallen through by accident.”

  “Yeah, like me!” a possum yelled from the crowd.

  “Yeah, like Dennis!” replied the pig joyfully. “So Felix, here—”

  “I think I’d better explain, Clementine.” The fox stepped before the throne and bowed. “Hello, King Benjamin, I’m Felix and I was sent to find your kingdom…hopefully sooner rather than later.

  “And you couldn’t wait for the beacon at the full moon?”

  “No, Your Majesty, because while I’m safe here with you there are a thousand more of us deep in the heart of Persly’s Woods who aren’t.”

  Benjamin immediately stood up. “A thousand?!”

  “Give or take,” Felix mumbled, looking guilty.

  Benjamin plopped down and looked around the cave, trying to fit a thousand more animals. “Well…why so many? W-Why right now?”

  The fox took a big, deep breath, then slowly exhaled it as he looked around the room at all the animals staring back. He wanted to put it delicately but couldn’t. He shook his head in grief. “We’re being eaten, Your Majesty.” Everyone gasped. Some even passed out. Although his hind legs stiffened, Roscoe was not one of them.

  “Eaten?! Who…who’s doing this?” Benjamin had a hunch but hoped he was wrong.

  “There’s a creature out there that no one has ever seen and survived—”

  “Yeah, Felix, look, we already know about it,” Clementine interrupted, “so why don’t you just spare us the—”

  “Yes, Clementine,” Benjamin cut him short. “We know about it,” he looked back at the crowd, “…but they don’t. Finish what you were saying, Felix. They need to know.” Benjamin looked reassuringly at Roscoe and Clementine, who bowed their heads in regret.

  “Well…no one has seen it and lived.”

  “Except for a skunk!” Clementine quickly added.

  “What?” Felix said, annoyed.

  “N-nothing.”

  “Whatever it is, there’s no way we can live in the wild anymore with it out there. Almost every morning we hear that it killed during the night. We have to watch for it every moment.” The animals trembled. “So those of us who knew about your kingdom told the others. Now we’ve all decided this is where we want to live.…” He looked down and smiled at Squeak standing next to his mother and sister. “…in safety and peace.”

  Benjamin hesitated, then leaned in. “What do you need from us?”

  Felix gulped but looked frankly in the king’s eyes. “We need a protected escort. Someone who’ll go with me to lead them all back to this kingdom.”

  “Someone who’ll take you through Persly’s Woods, and the tall-grass pastures…with that thing, and who knows what else, out there?” Roscoe smirked. “Safely?”

  “Yes.” The fox couldn’t look at them.

  Roscoe shook his head and lightly stomped his hoof. “Oh, boy…”

  “Oh, boy,” Clementine quietly agreed.

  Benjamin stood and looked down at the pig and goat, then at the crowd. Every creature felt the tension. They waited in silence for Benjamin to speak. He wanted to tell them about the rattlesnake attack but couldn’t. They had enough to worry about already. “I think we need to make plans on who will lead the fox and his…large group back to our kingdom.” He looked around at the troubled faces. They needed good news. “Also, uh… tonight I’m going to talk to the dog who I believe is King Pugsly’s son.” They all loudly cheered. That was what they all had been waiting to hear.

  Amid the applause Benjamin spoke quietly to Roscoe and Clementine. “Okay, I want you two guys to come up with a team to help me lead Felix and the others back here.”

  “Yes, Sire.” Clementine stood up straight.

  “Uh, Your Majesty, may I say something?” the fox asked, unsure.

  “Sure, what is it?”

  “Well, thousands of us animals out there have always lived in the wild. I’m not sure how to put this…” His eyes avoided Benjamin’s as he looked everywhere else. “Um, I don’t think you should come along…Your Majesty.”

  “What?!” Roscoe yelped. “Fox, don’t you know he is the reason we saved the—”

  “It’s okay, Roscoe. Let him finish.” Benjamin felt insulted but remained composed.

  “Well, you see, most of them probably have never seen a human before. And if they have, it tried to catch or kill them. We all were told that your king is a little dog. It’s nothing against you, King Benjamin, I just think the others would relate more to, well, other animals.”

  “I understand.” Benjamin thought for a second and sighed, “Well, hopefully I’ll have your new king on the throne pretty darn quick.”

  Roscoe and Clementine looked at Benjamin curiously. They noticed he looked a little stressed, and a little sad. “Are you okay, Your Majesty?” Roscoe asked carefully.

  “Yeah…I’m fine. I need to get back home, though. I’ll see you in the morning before the school bus picks me up. Hopefully I’ll have some good news.”

  “Okay, Sire. Good luck tonight!” Clementine said as they watch
ed him go, saying “good night” to the animals.

  In the dark tunnel Benjamin not only had Mrs. Crane’s death on his conscience, but something was out there eating up animals left and right. He was feeling the heavy burden of ruling a kingdom with enemies. A hint of relief came with the thought that, perhaps, he wouldn’t have to worry about it much longer. But something in him didn’t want to say goodbye to that. Not yet.

  Tom and Carol were on the couch watching TV when Benjamin came in. “You look tired. Where’d you go?” his mom asked.

  “Yeah, and did you watch out for snakes?” Tom asked.

  “I was in a giant cave full of talking animals, but there were no snakes,” he answered with a tired, half-hearted smile, much to his parents’ amusement. “I think I’ll go to bed soon.” He wanted to believe it but knew he’d be sneaking out later.

  “Yeah, you’ve had quite a day. Stress will wear you out, son. Just don’t let Mrs. Crane’s death get to you. It was just an unfortunate incident.”

  Grateful for his parents’ ignorance, he headed downstairs. “Yeah…well, goodnight.”

  “Goodnight, dear.”

  Benjamin felt the collar crammed in his pocket poke him in his leg. Closing the door to his bedroom, he took it out and looked at it. It felt heavy on his heart. All the pain and suffering it had put not only him through, but all the creatures in the kingdom…and Mrs. Crane. There was no doubt in his mind the snakes were looking for that hideous dog that was wearing it. But how did the snakes know he had it? Then it came to him. The buzzards! When his dad hit one with his car he said they were everywhere. That was the day before old Mrs. Crane was killed. So now the snakes are after Pugsly’s heir, and that monster is still in Persly’s Woods eating everyone. And now a thousand others want us to find them and lead them back to the kingdom unharmed. But why would the snakes still be involved? We killed their leader.