The Monster

The Gift

It was early in the afternoon when the man received a small knocking at his front door. With the wind blowing through his shattered window, he watched silently from the hallway, convinced that the sound was nothing more than branches against the old house. But to his surprise, the knocking came again. With a sigh, he walked to the door and yanked it open.

"Lucas!"

"You again?"

"The monster ate my sandwich!" she exclaimed, pointing to the tree across from the house.

"Is that so?"

"It didn't leave the note though," she admitted sadly.

"Well, it's not a very friendly creature, the monster."

"It will be. I just have to be patient with him. Or her."

"It's a him," the man confirmed, staring at the tree. "What brings you back? More sandwiches to feed him?"
"I had one, but I saw a homeless dog on the way here and I left the sandwich with it."

"Hm." Looking at the girl, the man spotted a small, white flower clutched in her hand. She held it ahead of her with care, making sure to keep it upright. "So you're going to give it a flower instead?"

"No, the flower is for you," she said matter-of-factly. "I saw it in the forest and thought it was pretty." She held it for him, and he gently plucked it from her hand.

"Can I come in?" she pleaded.

He held the flower close to his eyes, spinning it in his fingers as he inspected it. Then, turning his attention to the girl, he gave in. "Ok. Just for a little while."

He moved aside for her, and she entered with wide eyes. Enchanted by her new surroundings, she spun in circles as she examined each room. "You live here?" she asked in wonder.

"Yes," he answered uncertainly, baffled by her reaction.

Entering the parlor, her eyes darted each and every way as her attention shifted from a pile of bedding in the corner to the faded table in the center to the shattered windows on the walls.

"Can you hear the birds when you are sleeping?"

"Yes, sometimes."

"My mom says I can't sleep with my window open," she complained.

As she stared about the room around her, the man walked past her and sat down at the table. After carefully placing the flower on the table, he picked up a web-like structure of twigs and continued weaving it together. Fascinated by this, the girl skipped to the table and took seat across from him.

"What's that?"

"Uh..." He looked up briefly to reply. "It's a fishing trap."

"You catch fish?"

"Yes."

"What do you do with them."

"I... I eat them."

"Really?"

He nodded without looking up.

"My family likes to eat fish sometimes too. But my dad usually gets it from the grocery store."

There was a small pause for a moment before the man returned, "What, uh... what fish does he get?"