The Animal Boy

"Get that thing away from me!" the girl yelled. Jake scrambled to put the snake back in his pocket. He hadn't meant to scare her.

"Sorry. Sam's really nice you know. He won't bite or nothing." Jake pulled his hands out of his pockets, snake free. She gaped at him.

"You named that thing?" She was backing away slowly, like Sam might escape and come for her. That was silly. Jake had told Sam to stay and he would.

"Course. Everything's gotta have a name don't it. Snake's no different. But I didn't name him, Sam's just his name. Like mine's Jake." He stuck out his hand hoping she might shake it but she was backing off much faster now. "You gots a name?" Jake hoped if he could get her to talk she would stay.

"I have a name, yes. My name is Lucy." She stopped moving away. Her name gave her courage. Not that much different than the animals then, their names always make them braver.

"Lucy's a right pretty name. I had a deer named Lucy. She was pretty too." Lucy folded her arms across her chest, she wasn't scared anymore.

"That's silly. Deer aren't pets. No one keeps a deer; they're wild animals."

"Well I has a deer. I gots lots of pets. Wanna see em?" Jake could tell she did, he should have started with the rabbits or cats, girls love cats. Lucy didn't speak but she nodded. Jake turned and walked deeper into the woods, to his home.

Jake lived in a care about a quarter of a day outside the town. Been there long as he could remember and he liked it, just him and his animals. Sometimes he went to town to buy something pretty, or talk to people. Mamma told him before she died that the animals were better but Jake shouldn't forget that he was a person. He even went to the school once but they kill mice there and he couldn't stay. Jake knew a few of the other children, and they sometimes played with him, but he'd never met Lucy.

"Where you from?" Jake asked as they walked. "I never seen you 'fore today."

"My father is the new doctor. We moved here from Boston. Mother said it would be good for me to grow up someplace small, like she did." Jake could see Lucy wasn't used to walking in the woods. He dress was catching on the ground and she kept forgetting to duck from the branches. Jake went back and helped her. Eventually they reached the creek.

"We're going to cross that?" Lucy looked really scared now.

"Yep. Don' be afeared I know just where to cross." Jake took her hand and helped her from one rock to the next. Soon they were on the other side. From there it was only a short walk to his cave. He stopped at the entrance.

"This is my home. My momma brought me here when I was little and she couldn't stay in town no more."

"Why?"

"Don't know. She never said. Here I want you to meet my family. Family I has a friend for you." Lucy had never seen so many animals. First rabbits, mice, squirrels, chipmunks, then cats, dogs, a beaver, and deer. After that came birds that Lucy didn't know, bats, foxes and finally a bobcat. The last made Lucy cry out, but Jake petted them all as she would her puppy at home.

"Lucy this is my family." Jake spent the rest of the afternoon introducing Lucy to everyone. She was really nervous around Sara at first, but when the big cat started to purr Lucy laughed and began petting her. Jake's family liked Lucy and Jake liked her too. Soon though it was getting dark. Lucy stood.

"I have to go. If I'm late to dinner Mother will be very upset." Jake wanted her to stay but he knew not to argue. He helped her back down from the cave. When they reached the spot just inside the trees where Lucy had found him playing with Sam he stopped. Lucy turned and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

"I think we will be great friends." Then she turned as was gone, but Jake knew that wasn't the end. It was the beginning.