The Change Machine (Teaser)

Today was a very special day for me and my friend, we were going to go to the arcade and take a break from sitting around the house and doing nothing. We didn't have any money, but we were determined that we would have some by the time we arrived at the arcade room. Whatever that meant we had to do for it, it was going to be done.

            I slid down the rail above the stairs, followed it all the way downstairs. I looked back up and smiled, I had conquered the beast and all its glory—I always wanted to that but never had the nerve to actually go through with it.

            "Hmm, now where could mom be at?" I took a breath and walked into the kitchen. "Something smells good." I shook my head as I said it. "That wasn't what I came in here for. Mom are you ready to go to the arcade with me?"

            I smiled really big, cheesing almost.

            "Yes, dear, but you have to do something for me if you want to play games, you will have to earn the money that you spend."

            "Aw, but mom?"

            "No buts, you will have to make the choice, either take out the trash or wash the dirty dishes in the sink."

            "This stinks, what is James going to do while I'm working?"

            "He can do whatever he wishes to do, I'm waiting on the pizza to cook. Just about another five minutes."

            "Fine, I'll go take out the trash." I lifted the lid and pulled the garbage bag with all of the strength that I could conjure up. I was a lot weaker than I thought but I managed to get it out after a few tugs. I quickly tied it and walked out the back door.

            I set off a mouse trap with my left foot and yelled. "Mom! Who put the mouse trap on the back steps?"

            "Must be those Perkin kids again, dear, don't worry about it, I'll make sure and talk to their parents very soon. They'll end up getting what is coming to them in the future."

            "What exactly is coming to them?" I yelled.

            "How about we do the exact same thing to them? Put a mouse trap on the doorstep and watch them squeal like a mouse."

            "I like how you think, mom." I breathed in and talked to myself quietly. "Please don't embarrass me, please don't embarrass our family."

            "Hurry up, William, the food is almost done."

            I said nothing in return, just nodded and placed the garbage bag in the can.

            I heard a noise and swiftly turned around, it was a mouse, it sat on its hind legs with its head tilted at a slight angle. It was staring at my eyes, I knew it was.

            "Hello."

            The mouse appeared to have nodded it licked its paws and cleaned above its right eye. It looked back up to me staring it must have known something that I didn't. It blinked three times in a consecutive manner. Was it perhaps some kind of signal?

            "Why are you here?"

            Then before I could even blink it had bolted around the corner of our red brick house. With a smug grin on my face I dropped my hands on my side. "Ah, go ahead and leave. You're just like everyone else."

            "Honey, who are you talking to out there?"

            "It was a mouse. It looked rather odd, it was different than a normal mouse."