A Strange Day In July

             The shop’s door opened and the little bell rang. “Thanks again Mr. Monroe,” the girl smiled. “Anytime Abby,” Mr. Monroe replied. Abby started down the street when her phone rang. She shifted the groceries to her other hand and answered it. She listened for a few seconds, her eyes grew wider and wider. “No,” she whispered. “No, that-that can’t be true.” Tears welled up in her eyes.

           About a half hour later Abby was at the hospital, sitting on a bed. She was holding Aaron, her eight year old brother’s, hand. He had just gotten into a car accident with one of his friends and there was very little hope of him living through the next few hours.

            “Aaron,” She said. “Aaron do you want to her a story?” Abby got no reply, but she started to tell anyway.

                                *                                     *                                 *                               *

             Once upon a time there was a boy named Aaron. It was only the beginning of July, but it was very hot, so Aaron went to the creek to cool down. He picked up a rock and skipped it; he then bent down to pick up another rock. Just as he picked up the stone his first rock came skipping back.

              Aaron started and looked around. Seeing no one he shrugged his shoulders and tossed his second rock. That stone too, came skipping back. Aaron picked up another rock and threw with all his might, but the third stone came back as well.

              Aaron looked as hard as he could at the place where he thought the rock had come from. Then he saw it, a pair of eyes. He gasped and took a step backwards, and the eyes blinked. Aaron knew that he should probably leave, but his curiosity got the better of him.

             Aaron crouched and held out his hand. The eyes blinked again then started to move towards him. Aaron heard the creature pad out of the woods on the other side of the creek. Then with a splash Aaron saw to whom the eyes belonged.

             It was a griffin, a baby griffin. Its tiny wings shifted when some water splashed them as it waded through the creek. A few moments later it was standing before Aaron. The griffin’s dark feathers started at its beak, went up to its ears and then went down to its shoulders and chest where they either turned into fur or became part of its wings. The griffin’s tawny fur was such a stark contrast to its feathers and its intelligent hazel eyes stared at Aaron out of a sea of black.

             Aaron smiled as the griffin let him touch it. Then the griffin started to do something unexpected. It started to purr and then it cuddled against Aaron.

              “You know what?” Aaron asked. The griffin opened one of its eyes and looked at him. “You need a name.” He thought for a second, “How ‘bout Billy? Do you like that?” The griffin started purring louder. “I’ll take that as a yes,” he laughed.

              Billy stretched out and unfolded his wings. Aaron noticed that the underside was almost black where the feathers attached to the skin and that they turned into a lighter grey until the tips were white. Aaron saw them for only a second because Billy got to his feet.

              Aaron looked at his watch and stood up. It was time to go home. He started down the path and heard Billy following him. He stopped and turned. “Billy, you can’t come with me. You have to stay here, you have to go back to your family.” Billy blinked and continued to follow Aaron. No matter what Aaron did, he couldn’t get Billy to go back. Finally he picked Billy up and carried him home.

              Billy and Aaron become great friends. They did everything together that summer. They fished and swam. They raced, and Billy always won. They played tag and hide-and-seek. Soon Aaron wouldn’t be seen anywhere without Billy.

               The days started getting shorter and colder. The leaves changed colors and started to fall. It was now autumn and Aaron was preparing for school, but the pair was still playing together every day.

               Aaron woke up one morning and he reached over to pet Billy, but his hand only touched air. He sat up, finding the room empty and his window open. A breeze came in through the window and something stirred on the floor. Aaron bent over and picked it up.

                It was a feather.

                One side was almost black and the other side went from almost black to white. Aaron looked out the window and knew Billy wasn’t coming back.

                Fall, winter, and spring passed and soon it was July. Aaron was at the creek again, skipping rocks, until one of them came skipping back.

                             *                                   *                                    *                              *

                 Abby was sitting on the bed, but this time it was empty. They had come and taken Aaron away a few minutes ago. The tears she had cried earlier had left stains on her cheeks. Abby felt hollow as she sat there, unable to cry. She stood up, walked out of the room, and shut the door behind her. Abby looked up and saw a boy about eight years old peering at her.

                  “Aaron? Aaron!”

                  Abby took a step forward just as several doctors wheeled a man on a gurney between her and Aaron. The doctors passed and Aaron was gone. Abby walked over to where he had been standing. She bent down and picked up a feather. One side was almost black and the other side went from almost black to white. Abby looked at it and started to cry.