Kevin's Watch

dANdeLION wrote:Kept in the cellar by his evil aunt Gertrude for hours longer than was usual, little null had an epiphany. He could hide here any time he wanted, and nobody would look for him. So the cellar became a place of solitude, rather than the place of fear it had been all his short life. It was still dark, still damp; but now he found it comforting. Null explored every corner of his new domicile. He found several old tools, an abandoned tricycle, a pair of binoculars, an old lawnmower engine, several feet of rope, and an old vice. He also found a mouse, whom he called Mallory. Null loved Mallory; he brought the diminutive rodent cheese, bread, or cookies whenever he could. Null told his deepest, darkest secrets to mallory, too. One day, at school, one of the usual bullies chided null, saying he was an epic overposter. Null was crushed. No one was supposed to know null's aunt had forced him to go to several Overposter's Anonymous meetings, as null had never mentioned it to a living soul. Well, except for Mallory. Furious, null ran home. Quietly creeping past his aunt's room, null entered the cellar, with revenge on his juvenile brain. Null grabbed the rusty hammer in his sweaty hand, and held out a slice of cheese in his other hand, sweetly calling for Mallory.

But Mallory didn't come.

Looking around, null realized that the trike, engine, and rope had also disappeared. Also, null now noticed, the cellar window was unlocked; ajar.

Absentmindedly grabbing the binoculars, null quickly left the cellar. Null went out back, where he found the tricycle tracks and an empty gas can. Looking out in the direction the tracks went, null saw a startling site. Using the binoculars, null witnessed what appeared to be a castle, ascending above a plume of billowing smoke, hurtling towards the stars. Atop the castle was a man, dressed like a king, or perhaps a sorcerer, laughing like a drunken clown. And on his shoulder perched Mallory, who was looking straight at null, and flipping him a bird.

Nobody has seen Mallory since.