The Rightful Heir (12 page)

The Doberman sniffed at the collar. “There's a rotten smell to this.”

“Yeah, this really nasty
dog
was wearing it earlier.” Benjamin had put his foot in his mouth this time! Only Clementine would have said something like that.

The offended Doberman growled softly at the demeaning comment. “What are you doing out here,
boy?”
His voice was intimidating again.

“Well, uh…m-my name is Benjamin B-Biggs, and I'm the king of a secret kingdom of animals, uh, just down the road.” The dog stared into the boy's eyes for a while, with no movement or
expression. Then suddenly he howled with laughter at the ridiculous statement. “No!” Benjamin said quickly. “I'm serious. This collar once belonged to my dog, Pugsly.”

“Pugsly?”

“Yes, and just a month ago I didn't know anything about this kingdom, but my dog, Pugsly, he was their king.”

“Hmmm…” the dog looked suspicious.

“So, then my dog was murdered by snakes…” His voice cracked.

“Snakes?!”

“Yes, and now…I'm the king.” Benjamin looked back at Jessica's house. “And I need to talk to the pug that lives at that house.”

“Why?” The dog puffed out his chest.

“Because I believe he's the true heir to that kingdom.”

The dog laughed sarcastically. “This must be a kingdom of
really
small animals then!”

“Actually, no…they're all sizes. So…well, if you don't mind, I need to hide out behind their fence and wait for that dog to come out.”

“Hmmm… I've only lived here a few weeks, but I know he doesn't come out until morning.”

Benjamin sighed.
“Great.”

The Doberman looked at the fence, then at the house, and blew through his nostrils. “I can help you out. Just go wait by the fence and I'll call him. But don't try anything—”

“Oh no, don't worry! I just want to talk to him.” Benjamin's hand rose in defense. “Thanks a lot, um…”

“Zeus.” He stared into the boy's eyes.

“Thanks a lot, Zeus.” Benjamin laid his bike in the ditch and ran to the fence, just out of the light's glow. Zeus ran around to the garage and stood by the gate. Even from this distance he
looked huge.
Boy I'm glad he's on my side. At least I hope so!

In the voice that had scared the life out of Benjamin just a few minutes before, Zeus boomed, “Mac? Mac, can you hear me? It's Zeus. Come out here! I have a surprise for you.
Mac?”
In a minute the porch light came on and Zeus ran for the trees.

“Okay, Macky, don't stay out too long.”

Jessica!
Benjamin gasped and moved his head to see her.
Shoot! She's already gone back inside
.

A little pug ran off the porch. Zeus shouted, “Mac, come over to the far end of the fence,” and the pug trotted to the spot right in front of Benjamin.

“Okay, Zeus, now what's so important it can't wait until morning?” Benjamin came out of the darkness into the glow of the lamppost. The pug's eyes grew huge.
“Yap, yap, yap, yap!
Help, help, help!” He ran back to the porch, his curly tail tucked between his legs.

“Mac! Stop!” Zeus now stood beside the boy.

Mac turned around. “Zeus, th-there's a boy next to you!”

“Yeah…I
know
that.”

“Why is there a boy next to you?”

“Because he has something he wants to tell you.” Zeus nudged Benjamin forward. Mac's little black ears folded back, on guard against the boy coming up to the fence.

“Uh… hi. My name's Benjamin Biggs.” He looked back at the house and the light in the window. “Look, could you come a bit closer? I don't want anyone to hear me talking out here.”

Mac looked at Zeus. “Don't worry. If he tries anything, he knows I'll bite him!”

Benjamin froze, but Zeus winked playfully. The boy felt some relief.

“Alright, Zeus, but if anything happens to me…well, I'll make sure you limp for the rest of your life!” The Doberman laughed
through his nose at the
threat
while Mac slowly approached Benjamin, who crouched to meet his eyes.

“I'll give you two some privacy.” Zeus smiled reassuringly when Mac flinched. “Don't worry. I'll be watching.” He disappeared into the darkness.

Benjamin took a breath. “Um, hello…Mac, is it?”

“Yes.” The pug kept both eyes on him, waiting for him to do something.

“Well, Mac…first off, don't you wanna know how I can hear you?”

“That thought did cross my mind, yes.”

“Well, it's because of this.” The boy lifted his arm and the pug jumped. Zeus growled in the darkness. “No! No! It's okay, Zeus. I'm showing Mac how I can understand you two.”

Zeus chuckled a little. “Oh yeah, I forgot…Your
Majesty.”

“Mac, it's okay. Come here.” Benjamin smiled as the pug tried to muster the courage to come close, drawn by the sparkling tag dangling on his wrist.

“That's a nice collar. Okay…is that all you wanted to show me?”

“Mac, this collar once belonged to my dog…” His face lit up with joy. “…Pugsly!”

Mac stared at him, then at the collar, and gulped. “Puh… Pugsly?”

“Yeah…Pugsly,” he replied quietly.

The pug's eyes filled with tears. He took a second to collect himself. “Pugsly…You mean…D-Daddy?”

Benjamin teared up, too. “Yeah…Daddy.” Zeus sniffed in the darkness behind them.

“So…you're my dad's owner?” Mac asked with admiration.

“Mac…” He bit the inside of his cheek and tried to reply gently. “Pugsly died about a month ago. This was his collar.” He
lifted his wrist again. “…And he was a
king.”

“He…he was? Are you serious?”

“Yes.” Benjamin looked down at the pug's little black foot. “And that would make you his heir.”

“His heir? Me?”

“Yes. I've seen you many times from the school bus. I noticed your black foot.” Mac looked down. “Pugsly had a black foot, too.”

“I know. Dad only visited me a few times, but I remember it.”

Benjamin liked hearing his Pugsly being called “Dad.” “Mac, I've told all the others in the kingdom about you. They can't wait to meet their new king.”

“King!” he whispered in awe, then asked, “Well, w-where is this kingdom?”

“About a mile down the road. There's a pond on the right with a mailbox out front. Across the road is a fox den, the entrance to a tunnel that takes you there.”

“I…how…gosh, I don't know what to say.” Mac looked around, bewildered.

“Believe it or not, I think I know how you feel.” He smiled. “Look, I don't want to rush you, but they are anxious to meet you. You should come and see it…tomorrow!”

“Yeah…yeah, I should.” Mac looked up at him. “You're serious about this, right?”

“Oh yes, of course!”

“Because if this is a joke, you'll be limping back home!” They heard Zeus snort again, then heard a different voice.

“Hey! What're you doing out here?” Jessica was on the porch, glowering at Benjamin.

He stood, frozen in his tracks. “Uhhhh.… I uh…I saw your—”

“What're you doing to my dog?” she yelled as Mac ran to her.

“Um, nothing. I just saw him and thought he was kinda… cute.”
Oh, geez, could that sound any dumber?
He started to sweat
profusely.

“Wait a minute…” Jessica stepped off the porch and came toward him. “Aren't you that kid from the school bus?”

“Uh, well I don't know about kid…uh…I'm gonna be thirteen next May, so…” His voice had never been shakier. “I-I gotta go.” Benjamin ran into the darkness. Jessica heard the crunch of gravel, then the squealing bike wheels as he blindly took off down the road as fast as he could. He didn't even know if he was headed in the right direction. He just knew the farther away he was from the Watermelon Queen's house, the better.

Jessica picked up Mac and stroked him.
“That
was totally weird.”

“You've no idea!” the black-footed pug barked in her ear.

For the rest of the night Mac lay in his doggy bed in Jessica's room and dreamed of being a king, just like his dad. Morning couldn't come soon enough.

CHAPTER TEN

B
ENJAMIN MADE IT
to his mailbox safely. He looked over at the shadow that was the fox den. It was too
late to go inside. He didn't want to wake the animals to tell them about his visit. Lightning flashed in the eastern sky. He rode his bike up the driveway and laid it beside his house, glad to be getting inside before the rain came. Exhausted and happy, he fell into bed, only able to give his meeting with Mac a few seconds of thought before he was in a deep, deep sleep.

J
ONAH WAS EXHAUSTED.
He'd wandered off the road, walking aimlessly for hours through dark pasture. He ran into evergreen tree branches when the tall, thick, bluestem grass wasn't smacking him in the face. He didn't care—anything was better than his dead owner's house.
Why did snakes come and kill her… and the cat?
Jonah felt a little sorry for them, but thinking back on how they'd always treated him, he figured they got what they deserved. It didn't matter to him now. He was going to find this hidden kingdom that he'd been king of…for a very short time. After all, he'd worn the crown, until some boy came along and took it from him! He gritted his teeth in anger.
If only that stupid boy had told me where this kingdom is!
At least the grass, which was a lot taller than he was, scratched his itch as it rubbed and cut against his short, grime-ridden body.

BOOM!
Thunder rumbled in the distance. Jonah looked up at the moonless night sky and sniffed the cool, humid air, smelling something he hadn't smelled in a long time. Rain. He walked on, in which direction he couldn't tell. He just walked, hoping he'd somehow stumble on this kingdom and announce the news they
wanted to hear: “Your king has arrived!”