Pet

PET By Harrison Pyros Serena unlocked the door to her basement and opened the wooden door. She brushed her golden hair behind her ear and descended the stairs carrying a Tupperware container. The old, termite-infested wood created with each step as she neared darkness. She calmly hopped off the last step and flicked on the light switch. A moan sounded from somewhere in the basement and Serena sniffed the air. She smiled at the smell. She walked around the corner and there he was: her pet. He was so beautiful. His wonderful long brown hair. His warm chocolate eyes. Serena's heart melted every time she saw him. He was so lovely. So intriguing. So //human.// “Please,” he whispered. “Please let me go.” His wrists were scrapped almost raw to the bone thanks to the chains around them. Serena loved those chains so much. They always made her happy. They made such a melodic, magical sound whenever rattled. She smiled at the musical sound and spoke to Johnny, her pet, “I can’t let you go, my little lamb.” She smiled at Johnny in a motherly way. “Because then you’ll just leave like all the others.” She stuck out her lip and pouted. “I promise I’ll come back,” he rasped and gave a forced smile. Brown plague covered his teeth from weeks of neglect for dental hygiene. Puss leaked from his cheek and the corner of his eyes, all yellow and squishy. His clothes torn and hanging in tatters and his cheeks concave from hunger. His ribcage was outlined against his shirt and his bony fingers wiggled. “I’m sure you would,” Serena said admiring his handsomeness. “But you like it here, don’t you?” Johnny looked up at her with pleading eyes as flies crawled across the skinned red and now green part of his arm. “Well, I’m sure you must be starving!” Serena said. “I brought you dinner.” She opened the Tupperware container she had come down with and pulled out the best meal Johnny would have in days. A hairy, disease-infested rat. It’s eyes still open and its legs frozen in a dead position. Johnny’s stomach lurched at the stench and the sight of the lifeless rodent. But disgustingly, his stomach grumbled. Serena tossed the rat in front of Johnny and she turned and started walking back towards the stairs. “Wait!” cried Johnny. “Where are you going?” “Eat up, Johnny,” she called over her shoulder. “Nighty-night.” And then she flicked off the lights to the basement as she started to climb the stairs again. Serena’s humming blocked out Johnny’s screaming from the darkness below. She shut the door and locked it once more cutting off the pleads. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">She skipped away from the basement door humming:

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">//Serena had a little lamb,// <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">//Little lamb,// <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">//Little lamb.//

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">//Serena had a little lamb whose fleece was white as snow…//