Inferno

~162~ Repay the Favor

Luke's POV

Dad and Wes are gone this weekend. They wanted to go ice fishing at this campground that's a couple hours away. Sounds miserable. Trace and I quickly turned down the invitation. It's, like, 20 degrees out this weekend.

Liam is gone too. He went with Diego to some Lieutenant's convention. He's not coming back until Tuesday.

Trace is here all weekend, and it's been cool so far. Now that dad is gone, I want to have a little fun with mom. He got a little mad at me the other day.
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I brought Manny down and was holding him. He's a cool Ringneck snake. He's gray with a literal orange ring around his neck. He's sweet. He gets annoyed if I hold him for too long, so I let him go a lot when he's in my room.

Since mom knows about him now, I figure I can take him downstairs. I bring him down and dad says nothing. He just takes him out of my hand and holds him. He like Manny just as much as I do.

Dad puts him down and we watch him slither around for a while.

Mom comes in and her face goes white.

"No. I may have lost the battle of you keeping him, but he's not coming down here when I'm home. Got me? Take him upstairs, now" she barks. That really makes me mad.

"Mom, just hold him" I say, putting Manny right in her face.

Mom's face goes white and she closes her eyes.

"Lucas, get the snake out of your mother's face, NOW" dad yells.

Why is dad mad?

"Don't you ever do that again. She is scared of them. Do what she said and put him back. Do that to her again and I WILL make you get rid of him. Got me?" He asks darkly.

"Yes sir" I say as I put him back.
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Dad is gone this weekend and it's just Mason here. What's he going to do? Trace and I get Manny out and take him downstairs. We let him roam the living room for a while.

He makes his way into the kitchen, where mom is making cookies. Mason is working on something at the table.

"Oh my gosh! Luke. Get him out of here" she says, once she sees Manny making his way to where she is.

"He's fine" I snap. This is fun.

"This is crap. This is my house too. Get him out of the damn kitchen" she says, jumping onto the counter.

Trace and I are hysterical. That was the exact expression I was hoping for.

I look over and expect Mason to be laughing, but he's not. He looks mad.

Mom looks like she's about to hyperventilate. She's still sitting on the counter like a baby.

"Luke, put him up" Mason snaps.

I just stare at him. Since when does he tell me what to do?

I pick Manny up and bring him over by mom, giving her an evil smile.

"Don't you dare" she says. Her voice is shaking.

I chuckle as I start to put him on the counter next to her.

Suddenly Mason is out of his chair and has rushed over, picking up the snake and taking him away from mom.

"Put him up, Luke" he says. He is furious.

"Or what?" I ask him.

"NOW" he says, getting quieter.

I just look at him and cross my arms.