{"id":1964,"date":"2024-11-11T14:46:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-11T13:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alexisveenendaal.com\/?p=1964"},"modified":"2024-11-21T13:20:58","modified_gmt":"2024-11-21T12:20:58","slug":"little-creature","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.alexisveenendaal.com\/index.php\/2024\/11\/11\/little-creature\/","title":{"rendered":"Little Creature"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

From an exercise in my writing course…<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cry is anguished, inhuman, such a painfully lonely sound in that single note \u2013 enough that Perry and I stop to listen, panting. An animal. Hurt, by the sounds of it.\u00a0
The sky has paled to a cold purplish haze, the last dipping rays of the dying sun casting long shadows across the stubbled yellow field. My heart thunders. Perry\u2019s freckles stand out against his pale features, his red hair plastered over a dirt-streaked brow. My hair is the same shade as his but braided down my back.
\u201cDad said we have to be home before sunset,\u201d I say, swallowing the dryness in my throat.
\u201cIt sounds hurt.\u201d
\u201cWhat can we do about it?\u201d But my chest aches. I know we have to go back. Perry sees the decision in my eyes. \u201cFine. But stay close to me.\u201d The brambles at night hide deep pits and dangerous snares. I grab Perry\u2019s little hand and pull him after me, crunching as we run back across the harvested field toward the looming forest. I shove my foot on the barbed wire and pull up the top band. Perry bends through, then holds it open for me.
Dad always said to be home before dark. He also told us to be kind. If something is hurt, alone, scared? We have to do something. We have to help it.
I took the brunt of the mangled branches against my exposed skin, feeling the scrapes climb up my forearms as Perry ducked behind me. We moved forward, my ears prickling for any sound. The hoot of an owl; the distant, wild call of coyotes. Perry\u2019s breath, nervous, or excited, I couldn\u2019t tell. We press on. It\u2019s now so dark that the trees have become black monoliths against the grey.\u00a0
A mewl, somewhere close, pitiful.
Then, a growl.\u00a0
I drop Perry\u2019s hand and dash for the tiny creature curled in the rotting leaves. \u201cRun!\u201d I cry, and scoop whatever it is into the front of my shirt \u2013 wet fur, warmth, and sharp claws. I don\u2019t stop to see what predator lurks in the woods. I run, half tripping over my skirt, following Perry as he scrambles up the steep slope, clutching onto trees for support. I hold the weight close to my belly. The thing mewls again, but we don\u2019t stop. Not until we burst from the trees, through the barbed fence, and into the open expanse of farmer Herman\u2019s field.
Only once we\u2019re safe inside our little farmhouse do I unwrap the bundle in my shirt, spilling it gently onto my bed. Perry stands beside me, still panting, still wide-eyed. We stare at the trembling creature as it stretches out long limbs, its tail curling away to reveal a beaked snout. Fur, but also feathers.\u00a0
\u201cA griffin,\u201d I breathe. No injuries as far as I can see, but I\u2019m no Vet.
\u201cA baby griffin,\u201d Perry says.
\u201cPut it back,\u201d says a terrified voice behind us.
We whirl. Dad stands in the doorway, his face whiter than Perry\u2019s. He wears his overalls, ripped at the knees. He strides into the room, his eyes not leaving the creature as he takes each of us by the shoulder. His grip is fierce. \u201cI told you kids never to stay out after dark,\u201d Dad says. \u201cPut it back. Before They come.\u201d
I meet Perry\u2019s eyes. Tears already pooling, making shimmering orbs. \u201cWe can\u2019t take it back, Dad. Something was trying to kill it,\u201d I say.
Dad sinks to the floor on his knees, his eyes still never leaving the little creature. It cocks its head at him; flicks a small wing. It probably can\u2019t fly yet.\u00a0
\u201cAnd now They will kill us all,\u201d Dad whispers.
The griffin opens its beak and lets out a soft, mournful squeak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From an exercise in my writing course… The cry is anguished, inhuman, such a painfully lonely sound in that single note \u2013 enough that Perry and I stop to listen, panting. An animal. Hurt, by the sounds of it.\u00a0The sky has paled to a cold purplish haze, the last dipping rays of the dying sun…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1965,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,342],"tags":[408,407,405,100,80],"series":[],"class_list":["post-1964","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fiction","category-young-adult","tag-discovery","tag-forest","tag-griffin","tag-kids","tag-short-story"],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/blog.alexisveenendaal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/The-Reluctant-Mentor-1.png","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/blog.alexisveenendaal.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/seriously-simple-podcasting\/assets\/images\/no-album-art.png","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"dark","subscribeUrls":{"amazon":{"key":"amazon","url":"https:\/\/music.amazon.ca\/podcasts\/09c34bbc-b359-49af-a286-31830ed5634c\/short-stories","label":"Amazon","class":"amazon","icon":"amazon.png"},"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/short-stories\/id1621456328","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"google_play":{"key":"google_play","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.google.com\/feed\/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbGV4aXN2ZWVuZW5kYWFsLmNvbS9mZWVkL3BvZGNhc3Qvc2hvcnQtc3Rvcmllcw","label":"Google Play","class":"google_play","icon":"google-play.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.google.com\/feed\/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbGV4aXN2ZWVuZW5kYWFsLmNvbS9mZWVkL3BvZGNhc3Qvc2hvcnQtc3Rvcmllcw","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0lcQCRs52MfYlKs35lVX4K","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"itunes":{"key":"itunes","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/short-stories\/id1621456328","label":"iTunes","class":"itunes","icon":"itunes.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/blog.alexisveenendaal.com\/feed\/podcast\/default-podcast","embedCode":"

Little Creature<\/a><\/blockquote>