“Oh, brother!” Clementine sighed, embarrassed by the display.
“Get off me!” Jonah yelled.
“Call me ‘king’ and I will!” Mac shouted back.
“Ha!” Jonah bit his brother’s black foot, freeing his tail.
Then, in a very un-kingly way, splash! The pugs fell into the pool and submerged. Both smashed-in faces popped up, gasping for air. They dogpaddled to the edge and pulled themselves out, only to be met by Clementine’s angry face.
“Let’s have a little family discussion behind the throne, shall we?” The pig spoke sharply.
Mac shook the water from his fur, drenching the bystanders. “Yeah…sure, Clementine.” Jonah didn’t bother shaking off. They followed the pig behind the throne.
“Uhhh…” The old badger stepped forward so everyone could see him. “First off, we’d all like to welcome you to the kingdom. I’m sure you’re all very hungry.” He pointed to a corner heaped with fruits and vegetables. “So over there is food and please take the chance to meet one another.” They stared at him for a moment, then one of the animals walked over to the food pile. Others followed.
Behind the throne, Clementine was furious. “What is wrong with you two? We have new guests in our kingdom and the first thing you both do is start fighting! How do you suppose that looks to them?”
“Well, if my brother would just accept that I’m the king, then—”
“Oh, shut up, Mac!” the pig snapped. Jonah smirked and Clementine sighed. “…If only we could find out who was born first.”
BENJAMIN SAT IN HIS ROOM daydreaming about the new animals. I hope they didn’t run into any trouble. I hope Roscoe’s okay, too. He decided to check in on them again. He went upstairs and heard his mom snoring, taking an afternoon nap. It was the perfect time.
He pulled the collar from his pocket, hoping it wouldn’t be the last time he’d get to wear it, and ran down the driveway. Across the road the first couple of sticks popped up and he immediately heard more voices than normal in the cave. “Oh, good! They must be back!” He hopped in the hole and hurried through the tunnel. The sound of talking grew louder with every step. Finally he reached the main room, but hesitated at the corner. Should I go ahead and walk in? Do the new animals know about me? Surely they do.
Benjamin peeked into the room and saw more than twice as many animals than he’d ever seen in the cave. His eyes widened. Surprisingly there still was more than enough room for them all to fit and live comfortably.
He saw animals he’d had no idea even lived in the forest. They were talking and laughing with each other. Then he spotted a familiar face. “Roscoe!” he said under his breath. Next to him were the many wild goats they’d encountered in the pastures over a month before. “Whoa! I wonder what’s going on with him?”
He put out his foot to step into the room just as a white mink ran by, playfully being chased by a rat. The mink saw the shoe and looked up. It sucked in a big belly of air and screamed, “MONSTER!!” Everyone looked, including Clementine, who spotted Benjamin’s face as it disappeared around the corner.
As the mink ran back to its family, huddled next to a clan of porcupines now on full alert, Clementine acted. “It’s okay! Calm down, everybody! It is not a monster. Our king has arrived!”
“I thought a pug was our king,” a skunk called out, and the rest of the new animals loudly agreed. “Yeah! What did the mink see?”
The kingdom’s original inhabitants separated from the new ones and stood next to Clementine, who cleared his throat. “Well, yes, one of the pugs will be our king. But we don’t know which one.”
“What? How can you not know?” a voice asked.
Benjamin stood in the tunnel, listening. He subconsciously grabbed his collar and held it tightly.
“Alright, there is apparently an issue over which was born first, making him the rightful heir.”
“Then who is the king now?” “Yes! Who is our king?”
“Now…don’t be frightened…” Clementine looked at the animals around him for support. “Sire, are you still there?”
“Don’t worry! You’re completely safe. He’s very nice,” some skunks and gophers assured the crowd, but they were still nervous.
“Sire, you can come out now!” Clementine shouted at the tunnel. Every face turned. Slowly a sandy-blonde head peeked around the corner. When the new animals saw his face they gasped in horror.
“No! He is not going to hurt anyone!” Clementine yelled.
“I-I-I’ve heard of one of them…hu-hu-humans!” an old otter stuttered.
“King Benjamin, say hello to the new residents,” Clementine suggested.
Benjamin raised a hand to wave and many drew back in terror. He dropped it. “Uh, hi everyone.” They cringed. Oh, boy. Why does this look familiar? “Look, I understand why you’d be scared of me. But to be honest, I’m scared of you.”
A good portion of the new faces went from fear to confusion. Benjamin took the opportunity to move one step forward. “Yeah, I mean…you all have claws and sharp teeth.” He lifted his arms slowly. “Me, I hardly have any fingernails, and my teeth…” He put his fingers in his mouth and stretched his lips. “…my teeth are flat.” He tried to speak with a mouth full of fingers. “So really, I should be afraid of you.”
A chubby baby gopher started growling. “Let’s get ‘im!” His mom, rolling her eyes, yanked him against her belly.
“King Benjamin is right. He’s harmless!” Roscoe stepped up beside him. “See?”
The goat bit the boy on the leg and Benjamin flinched. “Ow!”
“Sorry, Your Majesty. Whoop!” Roscoe smiled innocently and Benjamin looked confused at the sound he’d just heard.
It did the trick. A sense of relief swept the room as they accepted that the human wouldn’t harm them. The original inhabitants went about their usual business to show that Benjamin’s presence in the cave was normal. Roscoe and Clementine took a moment to tell Benjamin about their trip, including seeing the snake and the coyotes. Benjamin was thankful they were all safe. The crowd started to disperse until everyone noticed Mac and Jonah on each side of the limestone throne trying to jump onto the seat.
Clementine sighed again. “Ahem… boys!”
The pugs looked over at him and saw Benjamin, as well as an enormous crowd, staring at them. Mac’s black ears folded back in shame. Jonah’s followed. They slouched with embarrassment. Benjamin and Roscoe went to the throne and Benjamin sat down, making himself comfortable.
Benjamin looked at the pugs. “I guess we still don’t know who the rightful heir is, right?”
“That’s right.” Zeus stepped forward.
“And we don’t know what to do about it.” Malcolm shrugged.
Mac and Jonah bared their teeth at each other, Benjamin noticed. “Uh, then I may have some interesting news I learned earlier today.”
“What is it, Sire?” Clementine twisted his ear.
“I met with Mac’s owner, Jessica.”
Mac gasped and moved in closer. “What did she say, Benjamin?”
“Well…she’s looking for you. She actually thinks you’re missing.” He gave the pug the same stern look he’d received so many times from his parents.
“Ooo hoo boy! You’re in trouuuuuu-ble!” Jonah laughed.
“Oh, shut up!” Mac snapped.
“Anyway, we ended up talking about where her family got you when you were a pup and she said it was a tire shop.”
“Yeah!” both pugs replied.
Benjamin leaned in close and whispered, “And I think I know exactly where it is.”
Clementine looked at the boy eagerly. “Oh, great idea, Your Majesty!”
“Who else but their mom could tell us the rightful heir!” Roscoe tried to hold it in but couldn’t, “…Whoop! Whoop!”
Benjamin looked at the goat. “Roscoe…did I just hear you whoop?”
The goat took a deep breath and slowly exhaled through his teeth.”Yes you did, Sire. It tur
ns out I’m a wild goat.”
“Aaaaaaaaagh!” Clementine shouted in Roscoe’s ear and he fell over in a faint. “Well, Matador…you’ve still got some fainting goat in you as well!”
Roscoe looked at the numerous snickering faces staring at his paralyzed body. “Touché, pig…touché.”
“A wild goat?” Benjamin couldn’t believe it.
“Yeah, and to add to that he is now their leader!” Clementine snorted, rolling his eyes.
Benjamin put his hands to his head and leaned back. “Okay, let’s deal with one crazy thing at a time.”
“So, can we go see our mom?” Mac asked joyfully.
Benjamin noticed that Jonah didn’t look so thrilled. “Jonah? What’s wrong?”
“I never cared much for that lady,” he said with disgust.
“But, Your Majesty, you need to make sure you’re the king!” Malcolm put a hand on the pug’s back in support.
Benjamin looked concerned. “Do you guys want me to take you to see your mom?”
“Yes! Let’s get this thing resolved!” Mac said eagerly.
“I guess…” Jonah sounded unsure. “But how will you take us?”
Benjamin thought for a moment then smiled. “On my bike!”
The two brothers looked at each other doubtfully.
“Oh-ho-ho, this oughta be good!” Roscoe said from the floor.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
A Simple Trip to the Tire Shop
BENJAMIN MET HIS MOM in the hallway. “I’m gonna go ride my bike for a while, okay?” He remembered the collar around his wrist and threw his arm behind his back.
“Alright, but be home for dinner.” As he hurried down the stairs she added, “I’m thinking about roasting your pig!” Benjamin was glad Clementine wasn’t there to hear.
He found an empty cardboard fruit box in the storage room. Running his hand along the inside, he envisioned Jonah and Mac sitting in it. “This should be big enough for them.” He walked his bike to the end of the driveway. The two pugs sat on the other side of the small hill beside the pond. Mac appeared happy. Jonah didn’t. They stared at the box in the boy’s hand and looked unsure. “Alright, guys. This may seem a little scary, but I’m gonna put both of you in this and hold you while I drive.”
“What?!” Jonah asked, horrified.
“Oh, don’t be such a baby!” Mac said. “Of course, you are my baby brother, so-”
Jonah quickly jumped in the box in retaliation. Mac followed. It was a tight fit but both were able to stick out their heads. When Benjamin lifted the box, it was heavier than he had imagined. “Whoa! You guys are pretty heavy! Now hold on while I get up on my bike.” Their ears folded back in fear as the box tilted up and down while Benjamin mounted. He rested the box on his lap, holding it with one hand and his handlebar with the other. “There! How’s that?”
“Fine, except we’re facing you,” Jonah said, unimpressed.
Benjamin started pedaling and the box shifted back and forth with each push of his legs. “Oh boy, I think I’m gonna be sick!” Mac’s mouth started twitching and Jonah moved his body up against the side. When Benjamin gained full momentum the box moved back and forth quickly.
“Keep your puke on your side!” When Jonah shifted again, Benjamin lost control and the box upended. Out tumbled the pugs. Benjamin tried to slam on the brakes but he was also trying to catch the pugs with his knees. Yelp! Yelp! Jonah hit the gravelly road first, then Mac fell on top of him. Benjamin drove past them but finally stopped. He scrambled off his bike and went over to help. “I’m so sorry! Are you guys alright?!” He knelt and put his hands on both of them.
“No, I’m not alright. I’ve got an idiot for a brother!” Mac yelled in Jonah’s face.
“Speak for yourself. I’m not the one who was about to throw up on everybody.”
Mac started heaving as the blood rushed to his head. He raced to the ditch and, with his back toward the other two, threw up whatever was upsetting his stomach.
“Just let it out, Mac. It’ll make you feel better.” Benjamin picked up the box and looked at the sky. The sun was over halfway across and had started to descend. “We’d better get there quickly. Pickrell Corner is a couple miles from Mac’s house.”
“I’ll be there in just a second.” Mac finished and took a deep breath before he jumped back in the box. Jonah looked irritated but hopped inside. Benjamin put them back up on his lap and continued pedaling on the gravelly road.
“I need you guys to stay still.” He picked up the pace and quickly his bike was racing along. Soon they approached Jessica’s house. “Mac, if you don’t want to get caught, then you need to crouch down while I drive by your house. You too, Jonah.” They both stayed low and Benjamin rode past her front yard. Her dad was standing in the window and saw a boy ride by with a big box resting on his legs.
“Hmmmm. That’s odd.” He shrugged.
“We’re almost past your house, Mac…WHOA!” Benjamin was so busy looking back at Jessica’s house that he never noticed his bike headed right for an oncoming car. Honk! Honk! Benjamin gasped! “Get down!” The car tires made a crunching sound on the gravel and Mrs. Howell stopped right next to Benjamin.
“You should watch where you’re going! I could’ve killed you!”
“Oh, I’m really sorry, I was—”
“How are you able to ride with that box on your legs?” She leaned to look inside.
Mac’s claws were digging into Jonah’s belly. “Yelp!” Benjamin started coughing to cover the sound.
“What do you have in there??”
“Honey? Everything alright?” Mr. Howell shouted from the driveway.
That was Benjamin’s chance to get away. He stopped coughing and pedaled hard. “I, uh, gotta get to the tire shop! See ya!”
Mrs. Howell shook her head. “What a strange kid.”
At the next road Benjamin turned left and headed west. The pugs stayed still until they arrived at several old buildings near a community of houses intersecting a two-lane highway. Across the highway from Bonnie’s Bait Shop was a dirty old white-brick building with “Lee’s Tire Shop” written in large, faded-red letters on the side. Two trucks were parked out front on the dusty-white gravelly drive.
“Okay, I’m gonna let you guys out. Hold tight. I’ll go in and act like I’m looking at tires.”
He lay the box down and the pugs were quick to get out. Benjamin walked his bike up next to the building, where tall weeds had overgrown the edge. The large front window hadn’t been cleaned in years. The door was propped open by a big rock and Benjamin took one last backward look at the pugs before he walked in.
“Afternoon, young feller.” An old man wearing oil-stained blue overalls leaned behind the counter next to a dusty cash register with business cards taped all over it. He held a greasy cheeseburger that kept losing fixings onto the floor with every bite he took.
“Hello. I’m just here to…um, look at your tires.” Benjamin didn’t know what to say or how. Two customers around the same age as Lee stood in front of the counter with their hands in their overalls pockets. One was wearing sunglasses and chewing on a toothpick and staring right at Benjamin, which made him feel out of place.
“Well, Earl, let’s go and take a look at that truck.” Lee walked around to the front of the counter and the other two gentlemen exited through the door behind him. “You just holler if you need something.” Lee nodded his tanned bald head at Benjamin.
“Oh, yes, sir! I’m just checking to see what you got.” That sounded stupid! Benjamin stared at a wall-mounted rack of new tires covered in dust.
“Sounds good, partner.” Lee walked out the door. “Now how much did you say you want for this piece of junk?”
Benjamin kept a free eye on the old men as they walked around Earl’s rusty white pick-up truck. He then walked to the door and peeked out. The pugs weren’t there. “Psst! Hey guys! Are you there?” Two little black faces peeked around the corner of the building. Benjamin waved them
in. “C’mon! Quickly!” They raced inside. He knelt and spoke quietly to them. “Your mom might be in the back. I don’t know. I didn’t go back there yet.”
“Hey, I remember this place!” Mac had a look of wonder as he stared at the painted blue brick walls with old posters of Model-Ts and other cars and trucks.
Jonah smelled the air. “Still smells like mildew in here.”
“Probably like your old home,” Mac added. Jonah returned an insolent look and started to walk behind the counter. Mac followed. Benjamin stayed in the front lobby and continued to look at tires.
Jonah entered the shop. A garage door with large, dirt-smudged glass panes took up an entire wall. In front of it was an old wood paneled, metallic pea station wagon with four flat tires and missing hubcaps. Old tires were stacked up behind a large tool bin. The pugs heard a loud snore. Right next to an old pop machine and a half-eaten hot dog was a fat old tan pug sleeping on the dirty concrete floor. Her body almost covered a faded oil stain never fully cleaned off the floor. Their eyes grew wide and they slowly approached.
“M-Mom?” Mac said. The fat pug snorted and opened an eye. She saw two pugs staring at her. Then she noticed their paws. Each had one black foot.
“Boys! Is it you? Snort! Give your momma a little help here, will ya?” Mac went around to her fatty backside and nudged her with his snout. She grunted and sat up. “Ohhhh, let me get a good look at you two!” They walked in front of her. Mac smiled but Jonah remained stoic. “Ah, you’re as handsome as I remember! So…what’re your names now?”
“I’m Mac, Mom.”
“Ahhh, Mac.” Her fat smashed-in face made a funny smile.
The Rightful Heir Page 15