Charms Form the Looming Darkness (Short Stories)

Norman as a calf

Olsen was sitting in the green fabric chairs at the hospital's waiting room. His wife was delivering a calf, and he knew how large elk calves could be. Yet Penelope was equally as large, right? Surely the birth would be fine. But he wasn't too sure. He tried to refrain from crying. His cousin had passed away giving birth a few years prior, and he hoped and silently prayed to the lord for a successful birth.

Suddenly, a doctor opened the door to the waiting room. "Mr. Peters?"

Olsen picked up his ears, not quite making eye contact. "Yes, that's me."

"You may come in," the doctor said.

Olsen stood up, straightened his tie, and gulped nervously. His hooves were visibly shaking, but he followed the doctor (a female red deer-cat named Doctor Agapov, by the looks and tag.)

He opened the door to his wife's room. She was cradling a young calf in a blue blanket.

"Olsen?" She asked. She looked a bit drained, but other than that alright.

"Penelope," Olsen said, rushing to her side, "are you hurt, love?"

"Not at all!" She giggled, being her usual, sweetheart self. "Look at our baby, isn't he sweet?"

Olsen hesitated before gently stroking the calf's head. The calf bleated like a little lamb.

"Aww," Olsen said with a smile, looking down at the Elk's big, beautiful eyes. The little elk stuck his tongue out at his father in a loving way.

"Do you have a name for him yet?" Olsen asked.

"Not yet," Penelope said, "I was waiting until you came in. I brought the baby names book if we need it."

Olsen grabbed the book on to the shelf, and began to read it. "Any specific letter?"

"Try A?" Penelope suggested, "but it really doesn't matter to me."

Olsen cleared his throat. "Hmm... Aaron, no, no, no, Adrian, no, no, no, no... Ashton, Aster, ...no... no... Avery, Axel, no..."

He kept reading some of the names out loud, and then he got to N.

"Nicholas, Nolan, Norman..."

"Stop," Penelope interrupted, "what was that last one?"

"Norman. Why, you like that one, Penny?" Olsen asked.

Penelope stroked behind her soft baby's ears. "It's perfect."

"Norman it is!" Olsen exclaimed, but not loud enough to scare the calf.

Penelope giggled again. "Now, let's find a middle name!"

"Oh for heaven's sake!" Olsen exclaimed, "I'll just google it."

The couple came up with the name Norman Jake Peters. Olsen decided the small calf was the cutest thing he had ever seen. Round, bright blue eyes, a black nose, fuzzy brown white-spotted fur, a slightly pudgy body, and a bleat like a lamb.

That night, Norman was sleeping with his mother at the hospital, in her arms. She was fast asleep, and he wiggled to slip out of her grip. He landed on his fuzzy tail with a small bleat. He laid on his back, and then turned his body over. He kneeled on his knees, still getting a hold of his balance. He held one hoof onto the bed railing, and lifted his body up to try and stand.

Olsen was sleeping at home, on his couch, where he had passed out watching Netflix and eating chips. The phone rang, and he was awoken abruptly. He panicked, thinking something went wrong. He struggled over to the house phone stand to grab it and pick it up.

"Hello?" He said.

"Hi, sweets! Norman's taking his first steps!" Penelope exclaimed.

Olsen widened his eyes in shock. "Blimey! Already? There's no way!"

Penelope giggled. "We're Elk, my love! We start walking a few hours after we're born. Our ancestors have to develop quickly to survive."

"Oh," Olsen said.