by David Blaze
“Yes,” my mom agreed. “Mr. Connors wants to apologize for his son’s behavior. I’ve invited them over for dinner tonight. We want to keep the peace.”
I couldn’t move. Shane was coming back here? In my house? I didn’t trust him, and no matter what he said or did, I knew he had a mission to destroy me. Everyone around me was happy and relieved this was being resolved. I feared the real problem was only beginning.
SATURDAY NIGHT
I couldn’t stop shaking as I helped my mom set the dinner table. I had goose bumps all over my arms like I did on my first day of school here in the country. I dropped a glass and it shattered on the floor. I was glad Fox didn’t see any of that. I didn’t want him to sense my fear. We had hidden him in the one place we didn’t think anyone would look for a fox.
If I was rich, I would take Fox to Japan. I read about a village there, where hundreds of foxes roam freely. You can run and play with them. Then he wouldn’t have to worry about any of this and he could live with his own kind.
“Everything’s going to work out,” my mom promised. She grabbed a broom and dustpan.
I wanted to believe her, and I hoped she was right. I should have told her about Shane and how he bullied me, but there was too much going on. I didn’t need her to worry about anything else at the moment.
I jumped when the doorbell rang. My sworn enemy was on the other side of the door with his dad. I wanted to leave the door locked and tell them to go away. But instead, my mom told me to do the one thing that terrified me the most.
“Go let them in,” she said. “I’ll clean up this mess and get dinner on the table.” I wanted to tell her that she could answer the door and I’d do everything else, but I didn’t want her to know how nervous I was. I hoped I could get my uncle or Dana to do it, but they were at the dining table with their faces buried in their cell phones.
I took a deep breath, rolled my shoulders back, and headed for the front door. It wouldn’t be that bad. They had already taken the video down. They wanted to make this right. Everything would be okay, like my mom said.
I opened the door and stared at the same face I had seen right there months ago. Mr. Connors was wearing the same striped suit he had on when he tried to take this house away from us for the IRS. The only thing missing was his smelly cigar. He was so big that I didn’t see Shane behind him.
“Good evening, Joe,” Mr. Connors said. “May we come in?”
Against my better judgment, I opened the door wide and let them in. It’s not like I had a choice.
My uncle greeted Mr. Connors and led him to the dining table. Shane stepped in behind him, and bent over to put his smug face in front of mine. “You’re dead meat, Jonah.” He needed to come up with some new lines. Even though I had expected it, I swallowed hard.
“My name is Joe,” I reminded him, slamming the door shut and almost catching his fingers in it. Maybe that would make him back off for the rest of the night.
My mom called everyone to the dining table because dinner was about to be served. Mr. Connors grabbed her hand and said, “I’m sincerely sorry for my son’s behavior. That video should have never happened.” I didn’t like the way he was holding her hand. She slipped it away from him.
“But they’re friends,” he continued. He redirected his attention to me. “And the boys were just having fun — right, Joe?”
I wasn’t sure how to respond. Shane was definitely not my friend. And I never had fun with him. He had probably lied to his dad to save his hide.
Something didn’t feel right. Mr. Connors didn’t ask about Fox. He didn’t even ask where Fox was.
The back door barreled open and slammed against the wall. I jumped. I had no idea who or what it was. But I saw the one thing that made my spine shiver. Shane and his dad were smiling.
A chubby man with a huge forehead and a hotdog nose walked right up to the dining table like it was his own house. He wouldn’t stop laughing. “I got him, folks!” he shouted in the strongest country accent I’d ever heard. “No need to worry — I’ve got everything under control!”
My mom ran over and grabbed me. We both knew what he was talking about. But how? We had hidden Fox in the chicken coop. No logical person would look for him there.
“Who are you?” my uncle asked, standing up and challenging him. “What gives you the right to barge into this house?”
The man kept laughing. His tongue wouldn’t stay inside of his mouth. “You don’t know who I am? They know me around these parts!” He posed like he was a superhero about to get a picture. “I’m Tater the Exterminator!”
He held up a cage that he had been holding by his side. Fox whimpered inside of it. Tater shook the cage and beat a fist against it. “Quiet down, you filthy animal!”
I saw Fox’s blue eyes through the slits in the cage. He was in there — trapped, scared, alone. “It’s Fox,” I told my mom. “He’s got Fox!”
Tater stared at me with empty eyes and laughed. “No need to shout, young man. Like I said, I’ve got everything under control.” He shook the cage again. “This little guy ain’t gonna bother anyone else. Guaranteed!”
My mom let go of me and stepped closer to the crazy man. “You can’t take him,” she insisted. “That fox is our pet, and he’s not a danger to anyone.”
Tater the Exterminator laughed at her and said that was impossible. “It’s illegal to own a fox in the great state of Alabama!” He lowered his voice for the first time. “You seem like law abiding citizens who don’t want any trouble.” He shook his head like he was concerned. “I’d hate to report you to the police.”
My mom glanced back at me like she was exhausted, and shrugged. I couldn’t accept that. This man couldn’t leave our house with Fox.
“Mom, do something,” I begged her.
Mr. Connors stood up from the table with Shane by his side. “I’m sure it’s all just a big misunderstanding. I’ll do whatever I can to fight this.” I didn’t believe him. Shane wanted to destroy me, and his dad was helping him do it.
“Don’t worry, little guy,” Tater the Exterminator said to me as he passed by with Fox in the cage. “This critter’s gonna be relocated somewhere far away, where he can’t bother anyone else.” My mom grabbed me again and held me tight.
Shane and his dad followed Tater the Exterminator as they headed for the door. I knew they were all together. What were they going to do with Fox?
“Stop!” I shouted. My mom held me tighter as I tried to break free. “You can’t take him!” My uncle Mike and Dana stood on either side of me.
“We’ll get him back,” my mom promised. “Whatever we have to do.”
“I’ll make some calls,” my uncle assured me.
Shane turned and smiled at me. “I told you not to mess with me,” he gloated. With that, he walked out the door with his father, Tater the Exterminator, and my best friend — Fox.
“No!” I shouted. I couldn’t stop crying.
Shane slammed the door shut behind them.
“Come back!” I screamed. “Please come back!”
SUNDAY MORNING
I sat in the church pew farthest in the back, hoping no one would see me. My mom called people who sat there Back Row Baptists. They could call me whatever they wanted to that day — I didn’t get any sleep the night before because I couldn’t stop worrying about Fox.
My plan didn’t work because every kid in church crowded around me. They wouldn’t stop asking me questions about the video with Fox. They thought I was the coolest kid ever, but I didn’t care. Being cool didn’t matter if Fox was in danger.
“Back away from him!” Dana shouted from behind me. Her voice traveled through the whole church. Everyone turned around and stared at me. I wanted to sink to the floor.
Dana stepped into my row and told everyone to move their legs as she worked her way to me. I was in the middle. I was too tired to be embarrassed, so I closed my eyes and ignored everything around me.
“Take a hike,” Dana said to
whatever kid was next to me. There wasn’t any argument and I felt her arms slide in by mine. Things got quieter. I hated to admit it, but I was glad I had a little bodyguard.
“Hey, Melissa!” she shouted. “Sit here!” I opened my eyes and looked around. Melissa always sat with her family, so I didn’t expect that to change. Kids grunted as Melissa made her way through the row towards me on my other side.
Dana leaned across me and said to the girl next to me with too much makeup and a short dress on, “Hey, Blondie. You need Jesus. Go sit closer to the front.” I couldn’t move. Everyone was staring at me again and shaking their heads.
The girl stood up and said, “As if!” She shoved other kids’ legs out of her way as she struggled to get out of the row when Melissa took her place.
Melissa was beautiful in her blue dress with colored polka dots. I wished I was brave enough to tell her that. She wouldn’t look at me. She stared at the bibles and hymnals shelved on the back of the pew in front of us. “Why didn’t you tell me about the fox?”
I wasn’t sure how to answer her. She seemed disappointed I had hid Fox from her. We were friends, but I didn’t expect her to be hurt. “I didn’t want you to think I was weird,” I said.
She looked over at me and smiled. “Of course you’re weird. Just be honest with me.”
The church organ came to life and filled the sanctuary with music. I wondered if the organist knew more than one song. She played the same thing every Sunday.
“Brothers and sisters,” the preacher said to all of us. I didn’t catch much after that. The back row was warm and the lights were dim. I understood why so many adults sat back there. It was the perfect place to close your eyes and go to sleep.
I didn’t plan to do that, but my head fell forward every few seconds. I realized I was falling asleep and kept jerking my head back. But, sure enough, my head wouldn’t stay still. There was nothing I could do about it. The pew was comfortable and I was exhausted.
Then the preacher said the one thing that made me open my eyes and sit up straight.
“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them."
I rubbed my eyes and tried to process what he said. There’s a question I had to ask him when the service was over. It became more important to me than anything else.
It was time to leave when the organist played the same song again. I jumped up and tried to avoid the kids crowding me. Was that how it was going to be for the rest of my life? I hoped not. “I need to get out of here,” I told Dana. “I’ve got to talk to the preacher.”
She nodded like she was accepting a mission. “Out of the way, heathens!” she yelled at the kids. “Move it, move it!” I wasn’t surprised when they cleared the row.
I weaved my way through the old people and young people, and regular members I saw every Sunday. After I got through the foyer, I stood in front of the preacher. He wore a black suit with a red tie.
“I need to ask you something,” I said to him.
He put a hand on my shoulder. “Of course, Joe. Go ahead.”
I felt silly asking it, but I had to know the answer. “Do foxes go to heaven?”
He smiled and squeezed my shoulder. “I like to think so. God created all of us. He created foxes, giraffes, hamsters and elephants — every living creature. I hate to think of a world without them.” He let go of my shoulder and bent down to my height. “It’s important to love our animals as much as we can while they’re here.”
An old guy stepped up behind me and grabbed the pastor’s hand. “Good sermon, brother. We need to talk about the budget.”
I stepped out of the way and thought about what he said. I didn’t want to think anything bad happened to Fox. I hoped he wasn’t alone in some swamp or forest he had never seen. He was just a kid, like me. I was scared for him.
“What’s going on, Joe?” Melissa asked when she stood by my side. “Be honest with me.” I trusted her more than anyone else. I told her everything I knew about Fox, from the first day I met him.
She stopped me before I could finish. “Where is he now?”
I wished I knew the answer. I told her how Shane and his dad tricked my family. “Some guy named Tater the Exterminator took him. I don’t know what to do. I have no idea how to find him.” I searched for Tater the Exterminator on the internet, but he didn’t have a webpage.
Mr. and Mrs. Hunter stopped next to me. “Hey, Joe,” Mrs. Hunter said. “You’re looking for Tater? He lives on Brown Street with his mom.” She pointed to my right. “Big orange house — can’t miss it. It’s less than five minutes from here.” She sprayed some perfume on her neck. It smelled like an old person.
I couldn’t believe my luck. I knew where Tater the Exterminator lived. Maybe Fox was there!
“Tater is a disturbed young man,” Mr. Hunter added. “A lot of loose screws.”
Dana joined us and sniffed the air. “What stinks?”
“I’ve been meaning to pay Tater’s mom a visit,” Mrs. Hunter continued. “She’s a lovely lady who’s always left at home.” She shook her head like she was angry. “Tater goes fishing on Sundays. He won’t be back for hours.” She snapped her fingers at her husband. “We should stop by and check on her.”
He sighed and said, “Yes, dear.” He rolled his eyes.
Melissa stared at me and nodded. I knew she was thinking the same thing as me. Maybe I could read other people’s minds.
“You live across the street from us,” Mrs. Hunter said to me. I realized that a few months ago when I knocked on their door and sold them all my chocolate. “You kids can catch a ride with us to Tater’s house, and we’ll drop you off at home — if your parents let you.”
Dana pushed me forward and said, “What are we waiting for?”
SUNDAY AFTERNOON
I knew Tater’s mom was as weird as him when we were all sitting around a hot fireplace, sipping hot chocolate while it was eighty-eight degrees outside.
“It’s good to see you again, Mary,” Mrs. Hunter said to Tater’s mom. “How are you these days?”
I kept looking around the room for any evidence Fox was there. The walls were covered with hundreds of pictures of Tater from when he was a baby all the way until now. His mom must have thought he was the greatest kid in the world.
She rocked back and forth in an old wooden chair. Her eyes stared straight ahead. I suspected she was blind. She had fluffy pink hair that was oily and looked like it hadn’t been washed in weeks. “No one comes to see me anymore,” she complained. “No one cares.”
“Maybe it’s because her son is a lunatic,” Dana whispered to me.
Tater’s mom stopped rocking. “Who are the children? I love children.”
Mr. Hunter shrugged and motioned for me to say something. Melissa nodded like it was my job to explain who we were and why we were there. I’m not proud of what I said. “We’re friends of Tater.”
Dana almost choked to death.
Tater’s mom smiled and started rocking again. “He loves animals and children. He’ll be happy to see you.”
Not if I could help it. I had to get out of that room and search the house for Fox or some clue of where he was. I hated to be that close to the answer but feel trapped in my seat. I asked the one question that would get me out of there. “Where’s your bathroom?”
“It’s down the hall, honey,” she said. “Second door on your right.”
I didn’t waste any time and headed for the hall. I waved for Melissa and Dana to follow me. They jumped up and followed without any argument. We were covered in sweat from the fireplace, so it was a relief to get out of there.
“Keep your eyes open,” I told them. “We’ve got to find Fox.” We opened the doors to every room and peeked inside. Nothing appeared unusual until we reached the last room with a sign on the door that looked like a kid made it.
I almost had a heart attack whe
n I pried the door open. There were stuffed animals everywhere! A bear, lion, possum, squirrel, duck, beaver, rabbit, wolf — every animal you can think of. My heart wouldn’t stop racing. With every step I took I was afraid I’d find Fox stuffed like one of those poor animals.
“Looking for something?” a man’s voice said from behind us. Dana and Melissa shrieked. It was Tater the Exterminator! He closed the door and shook a finger at us. “You shouldn’t be here.” I didn’t know what he planned to do with us, but I knew we were trapped in the room with a crazy man.
The girls held onto me. “Do something, Joe,” Melissa pleaded.
Tater rolled his sleeves up. “I haven’t decided if I should call the police or stuff you like one of these animals.” He rubbed his chin like he was struggling with the decision. “The three of you would look good stuffed by the curtains,” he said, pointing to the only window in the room.
Dana stepped away from me, and towards him. I tried to stop her. “That’s enough!” she shouted at him. “Quit being a big meanie!”
He stared at her for a moment, then let his shoulders slump. “I’m sorry. I’m not good with people.”
“You need to be nicer,” Melissa added. “People will like you better.”
I didn’t know what to say. Dana and Melissa had expected me to protect them but I failed. They stood up for themselves and saved all of us. How was I supposed to be able to protect Fox?
“I remember you,” Tater said, pointing at me. “You’re the kid with the fox.”
“Not anymore,” I reminded him. “You took him away from me. Where is he? You’re going to take us to him right now.”
He shook his head. “I can’t do that. It’s too late.”
I stopped breathing. My worst nightmare was confirmed. There was no way to save Fox. He was gone forever. It was my fault. I had failed to protect him.
“Joe,” Melissa said, grabbing my arm, “you’ve got to see this.”