G. Wright - Broken Things

He dropped the tailgate and lifted it in. He tossed his gloves in next to it, and got back in the cab. He looked at Josh curiously, as though trying to read his expression. “Did you see anything in the woods?”

“Did you see it? Did you capture the monster?”

“Monster? That there’s no monster.”

“What is it? What’d you get?”

“Josh,” the ranger said, “We’re going to the station and calling your parents.”

“But what’s in the bag?”

“Something that doesn’t belong out here. Never you mind that.”

“Okay,” Josh sighed. He supposed that’s what grown-ups did, they had a responsibility to make the monsters disappear. Maybe it was just a dead animal. Maybe his imagination had made something out of nothing. He stared out the window, watching the forest pass by in a blur. He’d been saved. Now the only things that mattered were food and warmth. He would be back in his own bed tonight, safe from monsters.

The man led him into a well-kept, very clean building. Stuffed and mounted dead animals decorated the walls and filled display cases. Deer, bobcats, and even a large black bear stared at him through glassy marble eyes, poised for eternity in mock ferociousness.

He noticed Josh studying them and said, “We’ve got a local that does a hell of a job at taxidermy. They look alive, don’t they?”

He shrugged. “I guess so.”

The ranger shrugged back. “Well, let’s call your parents, shall we?”

Josh flopped into a large chair with a soft yellow cushion and gave him the number. His clothes were damp, and he’d kept the blanket wrapped about his shoulders. He listened as the ranger introduced himself to his parents. They were alive! They’d be so happy to see him. He wished he knew what they were saying. The ranger nodded as he listened, eyebrows furrowed. He hung up the phone and looked over at Josh.

“Plans have changed, kid,” he said, “I’ve got to make another phone call in the other room.”

“Are they okay?” he asked.

“Yes, they’re fine. Aside from the littering ticket I’m sending them.”

“What’s the change of plans?”

“Nothing you need to worry about. I’m taking care of everything.” He disappeared for a few minutes and returned. “You’re all taken care of,” he said, “Hang tight. You hungry?”

He nodded eagerly. “Animals ate my food,” he said.

“If you leave it where they can get to it they’ll do that. Hold on, we’ve got some sandwiches. I’ll be right back.”

The man disappeared into the office again. He could hear him talking to someone else, a woman, who glanced out to look at him curiously. She wore the same forest uniform as the man. She had short curly blond hair and bright red lips. Despite himself, he eavesdropped. The man was taking far too long with those sandwiches.

“You should see that thing I found,” he said, “It looks like it crawled into that log to die. It must’ve been hidden there for years.”

“How’d you find it?”

“I could smell it. I can’t help but wonder, based on the markings, if the kid didn’t dig it up. He asked me if I’d found a monster.”

“So it’s in the back of your truck now?”

“Yup,” he replied, “I called up the Reclamation Department. I’m going to have them take it back with them. Kill two birds with one stone.”

She laughed, a high pitched nasally sound. “That kid looks like he’s been raised by wolves. And that noise! I can hear it clear in here.”

“He’s got some kind of damage. He wouldn’t talk about it.”

That’s why I never wanted kids, they break too easy. But I think someone had more money than sense, to just throw one away. I wouldn’t have spent the money in the first place.”

“Me neither, not on this salary. The wife though, she brings it up occasionally.”

“That’s why I settled for a dog,” the woman laughed again, “Cheaper to feed and I can tie her up outside when I’m not home. You get in trouble when you do that to a kid.”

“You just lock ‘em in a room, same thing, just more humane.”

“I guess. But it’s easier to clean up after them when they’re outside.”

“Well I better get him fed. Where’s those sandwiches?” the man asked.

“In the cooler. Don’t take the chicken one though, that’s mine.”

Finally. They were going to feed him instead of just talk about him. He didn’t like either one of them. He hadn’t been thrown away. The ranger returned with a sandwich. Despite his hunger, he tore off the crust, leaving it on the napkin. The ranger raised an eyebrow, but didn’t say anything. He also handed him a soda, not one of his favorites, but he took it anyway.

“Hey Ted,” called the woman, “I think you took the chicken one!”

The ranger, Ted, called back, “I didn’t see a chicken sandwich in there. I don’t think you got chicken today.”

Josh quickly bit into the sandwich, hoping for chicken but getting ham and cheese instead. He didn’t say anything, but ate it quickly, before they had a mind to take it away from him to check for the woman’s chicken.

As he ate, he glanced out the window. Beyond the parking lot the trees pressed almost nearly to the concrete. Josh couldn’t see too far into them but he knew the forest held secrets. Secrets like the thing in the bag in the truck. He knew what the man had found. His curiosity wanted him to go look while in the safety of the sunlight, to see what had attacked him. Could it really be dead? He hoped so, but monsters always had a way of coming back at night. He intended to be as far away from it as he could be when that happened. A few more hours, and he’d be home.

Time passed slowly, and Josh had nothing to do but stare at the dead animals. They stared back, impassively. It would be strange to decorate in dead things. Back in the city, the only usable animals to decorate with would be squirrels, cats, and dogs. Would his parents go for that? He smiled at the thought of his mother hanging an angry squirrel on the wall.

The late morning turned to early afternoon and it too slipped away. He began to think he’d die of boredom. He’d gotten up to look around and maybe check out the animals but the woman had flown out of her office as though he had just broken something. Just when he thought he couldn’t take it anymore a black four-door sedan pulled up outside the station. He watched curiously as a lone woman climbed out and walked purposefully to the door.

Her looks screamed business and out of place for the mountains. She wore a dark skirt, dark blazer, frighteningly high heels, and hair pulled into a tight bun. Her dark eyes quickly took in the room, including him as though he were one of the dead animals, and then approached the front desk. The female ranger emerged from her office as soon as she heard the door and greeted her.

From the breast of her blazer pocket, she pulled out a business card and handed it to the woman. “Hello,” she said, “I’m Tamara Hart, from Kidsmith Reclamation.”

The woman flashed Tamara back a tight-lipped smile as they exchanged false pleasantries. “I’m Cindy.”

“Where did you find him?”

“Ted found him up on the mountain,” the ranger Cindy said, “We think his owners dumped him.”

The woman nodded. “Is Ted here? I’d like to ask him a few questions.”

Cindy nodded. “He’s in the office.”

The woman, Tamara, disappeared into the office and closed the door. The ranger, Cindy, flashed him that same fake smile that her eyes didn’t match. Josh looked away. He’d rather stare at the marble eyes of a dead animal. They were friendlier.

A few minutes later, Tamara exited the office, heels clicking loudly on the tile floor with the ranger Ted following close behind her. Josh watched as the ranger’s eyes remained on the lady’s butt when her back was turned. She walked over to Josh while Ted broke his stare to walk outside. “Hello there,” she said, “I’m Mrs. Hart. What can I call you?”