“Where’s Mama?” Kismet whispered to Jovie as he stepped into the house. He hung up his jacket and kicked off his shoes. “Hey,” he clicked his fingers around Jovie’s head in annoyance. He danced around his younger brother, occasionally tapping him on the head and asked where their mother was.
Jovie slapped Kismet’s hands and smiled before placing his head between his knees. He looked at the glowing fire again and wiped the tip of his nose, snorting loudly. He stood up and went over to the table to grab the slate. He scribbled his answer and handed it to Kismet.
“She and Pa are across town…” Kismet read out loud, “Won’t be back until tomorrow morning.” Kismet tossed the slate aside and plopped down beside Jovie. He whistled for Prestige, who came presently and sat down between them.
“Close the door, it’s drizzling outside,” Kismet instructed, playfully tapping Jovie on the back of the head.
“Alright, alright, stop before I knock the fire outta you!” Jovie teased back, jumping from his spot in front of the hearth and running over to the door. Before latching it, he poked his head out and was haunted by the pregnant clouds hovering over their house. His soft brown eyes bent in fear when he saw a blanket of darkness closing in on the horizon. He gulped and shut the door. He latched it and walked back to Kismet in a trance.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Kismet asked in a quiet voice. He took Jovie’s trembling hand and pulled him down beside him. “What’s wrong? What did you see?” Kismet passed two fingers over Jovie’s eyes. “What did you see?”
Jovie reached over for the slate and sketched out. “Nothing big. It just might thunder some.”
Kismet nodded his head and swung an arm around Jovie’s neck. “Want to read?”
Jovie’s fear of the storm disappeared at the Kismet’s suggestion. He leaped to his feet and scurried over to the bookcase with a huge smile smeared across his face. He grabbed the book they were reading and tumbled back down beside Kismet. Jovie lay on his belly with his feet dancing behind his head and his arms propping his head. Kismet cracked the book and cleared his throat. In a mellow, concentrated tone, he began reading. An hour in their session, Jovie poked Kismet.
“Will Prestige be in heaven?”
Kismet pursed his lips and closed the book. He passed his hand over the gold sacred letters engraved deep in the leather cover. He turned to Jovie and placed an arm around him.
“I’m not going to go if there are no dogs in heaven.” Jovie crossed his arms, confirming his decision.
Kismet laughed and kissed his brother on the crown of his head. “He’ll be there. Why wouldn’t he? God loves His animals just as much as He loves us.”
“Good, then I’m gonna pray for Prestige, cause I don’t want him to be left behind!” Jovie snuggled up beside his brother and waited for the reading to proceed.
Kismet opened the book again and continued. He read and read and read in his soft, tentative voice until he felt Jovie’s head drop in sleep. Kismet stopped reading and placed the book aside. He picked up Jovie and carried him to the bed. He tucked him in and blew out the lantern. Before leaving the room, he pulled the curtain aside for his window and peeked out. The sky was dark and the trees were bending to a strong wind. Kismet didn’t think twice about the weather, it wasn’t like they hadn’t had storms before.
The boy walked back in front of the fire where the wolf promptly crawled over beside him. “Good boy, Prestige, good boy.” Kismet stroked the warm, bristled hair and leaned down, planting a kiss on the moistened nose.
Prestige groaned in happiness and pressed up against Kismet’s leg. He kept his eyes open, even after he felt his master fall into a peaceful slumber. The wolf stayed awake, listening to the world outside their doorstep. At the crisp sound of a tree branch snapping, Prestige’s head jerked up. His eyes went wide and his nostrils flared. He stared at the door and a deep growl rumbled in his chest. He listened, but no strange sounds followed afterwards. Prestige placed his head on Kismet’s lap and kept his eyes fixed on the door—he did not fall asleep.
YOU ARE READING
The Wolf's Boy
AdventureKismet and Prestige are just as unusual as their names. Though one is a boy and the other a wolf, they both desire the same thing: love. Through the years, their friendship grows and they become inseparable. But when their town is hit by a natural...
