Only a Game (Olympus Drive Chronicles)

Chapter 9: I love my cow

Thief

I love my cow. My cow is my friend. I'm not alone in this awful little room anymore. Instead it's like my treasure trove. Where I have all MY special stuff. I love my stuff. My stuff now includes a nice little cow. I'm going to name him Todd. I think that's a nice sort of name. For a cow. I don't have a name that I like. People just get cross with me; they aren't nice to little me. Maybe if I had a dad he'd like me. But probably not. No one does.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING??"

I hiss. She's screeching again.

"MOM, COME HERE IT HAS A COW IN ITS ROOM—"

"How did he----oh my god. What the hell---what IS all this?"

I hiss and hide behind my new pet cow, Todd, who is my only friend, as my mother and my grandmother walk around my room and try to touch my things.

"Use your words---you stupid shit! Where did you get this?" my mother points to some of my pretty shiny jewels which are on my dresser.

"He has laptops---cell phones---wallets----is he just walking into people's houses and taking their stuff?"

"You can talk---you can talk you dumb little fuck---where did you get all this?" My mother shakes me.

"M---m----m—mine---it---m—mine," I say, feeling my face go red.

"No it's not! There's loose ---are these diamonds?"

"Mine," I hug my cow.

"What is WRONG with you???" my mother smacks my face. I start crying. I hate her. I hate her.

"I thought you were going to tie him up!?"

"I did! He chewed through the rope."

"You need to get rid of him," my grandmother sighs, "He has brought a cow into this house. A COW."

"I know! I noticed we'll---you're grounded Mason. That's it you're—you're grounded—I'm gonna lock him in here---if we lock the door he can't get out, right?"

"We'll lock it and put something in front of it."

"Good idea—put a chair in front of it. Then he can't get out."

I can most certainly get out. And I think my cow needs a friend. Another cow friend. I like my cow so much. I want two. And we have established. That I should have. Whatever it is I want.