Only a Game (Olympus Drive Chronicles)

Chapter 12: How to catch a cow thief

Calypso

I thought it was going to be way harder and more exciting than it is.

"Got you! Little ingrate," my father says, unimpressed, holding up a scrawny, maybe eight year old child by the back of his neck. The boy has rust colored hair and light hazel eyes, and is wearing tattered jeans, old shoes with holes in them, and a faded white t-shirt.

"How did he get here?"

"He's a monster. Likes stealing my cattle," my father says, glaring at the child.

"What are you going to do with him?" I ask. I realize we normally kill monsters.

"Call his father and tell him his bastard needs collecting," my father says, walking unceremoniously back towards the house.

"Here I'll hold him, here," I take the kid and hold him firmly by the shoulders, "What's your name?"

He sticks his tongue out at me.

"Ew," I say, sticking my tongue out back, as I walk us onto the patio.

"Here, this will hold him," my father produces a long chain not unlike for holding dogs. He snaps it around the boy's waist. The child immediately tries to run away.

"He's feral," I say, frowning, "Nobody's been taking care of him."

"Nope. I'm pretty sure that's just how he is," my father says, leaning against a pillar.

The boy is crying now, twisting at the end of the chain, trying to escape.

"It's okay, we're gonna take you home---how do you know who he belongs to?" I ask.

"Unfortunately I've dealt with them before----hello yes?" he says the last bit into his phone, "I have your horrible child here; he is currently stealing my cattle. Kindly collect said horrible child before I find a hydra to feed it to."

"I have no idea who you are. How did you get this number or my kid---?"

"Horrible child, here, about to fed to Hydra, please collect, bye," my father hangs up.

"He didn't sound like he knows you," I say.

"Oh, he'll show up. It's late. You should get to bed," he says, going to the doors.

"What ---you're going to leave him tied up to the porch?"

"Yes? That's what he gets for stealing my cows."

"I'm going to bring him food," I say, stalking inside. He looks hungry.

"You're ridiculous; he's fine."

"Night dad, I'm going to feed the child you kidnapped."

"I did not kidnap him!"

"You caught him and chained him to the porch. That's kidnapping."

"Well, he shouldn't have taken my cows."

"I don't think 'well he shouldn't have taken my cows' is a legal argument," I say, getting cheese and crackers from the kitchen. "You can go to bed."

"Don't get emotionally attached to the ingrate," he sighs.

"I won't," I already am.