Winning Stories 2009
Pet Shop Protectors by Ellie Walling
‘What’s in here then?’ Corey comes up beside me and squints into the cage.
‘A Python.’
He watches it with me for about five seconds. It looks sad in there, all curled up on itself. ‘It doesn’t do much, does it?’ He taps on the glass. The python doesn’t stir. He taps again.
It says don’t bang on the glass,’ I tell him, pointing to the sign.
He narrows his eyes at me and says, ‘You always follow the rules, don’t you?’
It makes me smile, because he’s so wrong. I’m about to turn the whole world upside down. Upside down and inside out.
Corey banged the glass again. ‘Hey don’t do that,’ croaked an old, weak voice. We looked round to see old man Pete, the pet shop owner, standing behind us, his old wrinkled hands holding us by the shoulders.
Old man Pete had run the local pet shop for as long as anyone could remember. He was an aging gentleman with fine white hair and two long white whiskers growing from his chin. He had beady owl-like eyes and a large, wide mouth like a frog. My parents often recalled stories of visiting the pet shop when they were young. They spoke of Old Man Pete and always said how well he’d aged. In fact my Mum wishes she knew his secrets because although he looked at least seventy years old, he never changed. The pet shop was in desperate need of repair, but old man Pete always made sure his animals were clean and comfortable.
In a slow voice he said, ‘I see you like my python, would you like to buy him?’
‘Errr, no thanks’ said Corey.
‘Well you’d best not disturb him then, as he’s as old as me, and just like me he needs lots of rest.’ I turned to reply but as quickly as Pete had appeared he had vanished.
I grabbed Corey by his arm. ‘You wanna watch me play by the rules,’ I whisper. ‘Follow me’. Quickly I opened the cupboard door next to the Python’s cage. The door closed behind us and the sounds of the pet shop beyond disappeared. It was pitch black inside. ‘Well, here’s the plan. After Old Man Pete leaves the pet shop we’re gonna sneak out and unleash the python from its cage.’
‘I’m getting out of here now and besides I don’t like the smell in here’. Before I could reply, or either of us could move, the scent of the fish food drifted us into a deep sleep…
…Waking with a start, I nudged Corey, who was snoring loudly. ‘Wakey, wakey sleepy head. It’s time.’
‘What’s up-what’s happening-call the Police-I want my mum!’ he yelped in one stumbled breath.
‘Ssshhh, be quiet! I can hear something.’ Slowly, I began to open the cupboard door. It let out a long squeak. The pet shop was dark, lit only by some of the aquariums that had their fluorescent lights left on. It was spooky but I felt more confident in the knowledge that Corey was trembling behind me. I turned immediately to the Python’s cage and stared inside. My mouth fell to the floor. Frozen, I stood still - staring. I felt round to grab Corey, his hand felt smooth and scaly, more muscular and powerful than I could ever imagine. I let out a small squeak. ‘Corey! Look!’ I stood pointing toward the cage.
Then a very posh voice broke the silence. ‘Ahhemm. Please would one let go of my body; one is beginning to squeeze me so hard I think I might have to shed my skin’.
As I turned round I saw Corey standing with his back against the cupboard door. His mouth was as wide as mine. He was pointing too, but not at the cage. I gazed in front and saw a thick tall body reaching from the floor to the ceiling. I looked up and up and up, there at the top were two large round shiny eyes peering down toward me.
‘If one would be so kind as to soften one’s grip, one would be awfully grateful.’ The python spoke with a posh accent and a slight lisp that seemed to be more apparent whenever his tongue flicked out of his mouth. ‘Come, come this won’t do, we’ve been expecting you two, you’re holding up proceedings, this way my dears, this way.’ The posh python swooped his head down, one eye following Corey and the other following me. His head nudged us forward toward the light of the aquariums.
If a talking python was hard to imagine then what happened next was even harder to believe. For there in front of the aquariums stood the strangest collection of animals you would ever see. Gathered in a circle there were dogs next to cats, cats next to birds, snakes next to mice and at the head of this motley looking crew was a large green iguana. As we approached, the ring of animals opened and the python pushed us toward the centre before settling next to the iguana.
‘Silence please.’ said the Python in the most polite voice you could imagine. “Thank you all for coming and taking time out of your busy schedules.”
“Busy,” whispered Corey “he’s been asleep all ….”
‘Silence means everyone, Corey, including you and your friend Eleanor. Now if we could have some manners please we have a lot to deal with and the sooner we get it done the sooner we can get back to sleep”, the python spoke with such a calming relaxed voice we stood and listened intently.
‘Firstly, the matter regarding the little boy that took Rebecca the Rabbit and decided to put tomato ketchup on her lettuce has been resolved. Thanks must go to Iggy the Iguana along with Carmine the Cat who mounted a successful rescue for her return last night. We welcome Rebecca back to the pet shop and hope she has more success with her next owners.’ The animals let out squeals of congratulations.
The meeting drifted on discussing which animals had issues, whose cage was not big enough, homes were swapped. Then abruptly it all went silent and everyone began to stare at Corey and me. ‘This brings us to our final matter.’ The python’s voice grew lower and deeper, his head dropped to our level, swaying from Corey to me and back in a hypnotic motion. His enormous tongue flicked from his mouth and lay on the floor. ‘If you would be so kind as to do the honours, Dave,’ he said.
A little mouse broke from the circle and ran across to sit on his tongue. With an instant flick Dave disappeared inside the python moments later reappearing carrying two scrolls of yellow paper and a pencil. He rolled them out in front of us. ‘Please sign here, here and here,’ he said in his surprisingly deep voice.
Feeling brave I broke my silence. ‘I’m not signing anything until I know what it is.’
The silence grew louder. The python spoke again. ‘As one has already broken two of the rules one has no choice. It would appear that these terms and conditions have already been agreed and the signing of this membership is merely a formality.’
Gaining in confidence, I grew in stature. ‘Agreed? I have done nothing of the sort. As for rules we only broke one, and that was Corey for banging on the glass.’
The Python’s eyes grew brighter and brighter until they glowed intently. Like a beacon the light shot across the pet shop and lit the tiny sign above the cupboard door which read DO NOT ENTER. MEMBERS ONLY. ‘As I said,’ began the python ‘You already have agreed. So if one would be so honourable, then we may proceed.’
Hastily, shaking and sweating Corey and I signed. I only had time to glimpse the top of the document which read Pet Shop Protectors. Terms and Conditions. No sooner had we finished signing, Dave deposited the scrolls back inside the python.
‘What now?’ I questioned.
‘All will be revealed in due course, but for now it’s time to celebrate,’ announced the Python. With this the animals broke from the ring, the birds began to sing and a band of crickets played. As Corey and I relaxed, we enjoyed the company of our new found friends until a white owl swooped down through a hole in the ceiling, he had familiar beady eyes and a peculiar wide mouth.
He landed one claw on Corey’s shoulder, one on mine. In a wise old creaky voice he said. ‘It is time for you to leave now. Your presence is requested tomorrow at three’. He gently guided us back to the cupboard. Once inside - the wafting smell, the deep sleep, and what seemed like an age passed.
The pet shop was almost empty, but open; there were very few customers. As we left the cupboard we gazed at the Python asleep in his cage. I looked at Corey. No words needed to be said. As we turned to leave the Python opened one of his eyes and winked.
‘Let’s get out of here,’ said Corey.
Before we could run a hand fell on our shoulders. In an old croaky voice Old Man Pete said. ‘Leaving so soon - you forgot your membership agreements.’ he handed us a copy of the scrolls. ‘Read them carefully,’ he said, ‘especially the rules’. Something told me that we, the Pet Shop Protectors, were going to turn the whole world upside down and inside out.
Ellie Walling Aged 9
Archive - Henrietta Branford Writing Competition 2009 - 10th anniversary year
The Branford Boase Award for authors and their editors
The Henrietta Branford Writing Competition for young writers
