laboratory animal. I don’t really know why he didn’t, but it worked out all right. Your sister had a nice pet for a while.” He stood up and walked over to stand in front of the crackling fire, staring into the flames for a few seconds. “Tell me, Felix, you don’t think the little creature will come to any harm, do you? There aren’t any predators in Seattle, are there?”
“We live in the country, so there are a lot of coyotes and foxes. Sometimes cougars come down from the mountains.”
Felix watched as the professor’s shoulders shook slightly, then in a very strange, squeaky voice he said, “I see. Nature can be cruel at times―but then, life is a bit cruel for all of us occasionally.”
Aesop crept out from beneath the hedge as the Huttons’ car pulled away from the house. He saw clearly that Jake was driving and Elaine and Melinda were passengers. The car disappeared down the lane and that meant the house was empty.
Eagerly, the rabbit sped across the garden towards the house. When he reached the back door he froze his movements, gradually changing from brown to pink. Then his entire body began to contort. His fur seemed to dissolve and his hind legs grew to several times their original length. His long floppy ears receded then flattened against the sides of his head, and his front paws slowly became hands. Within a matter of minutes a tall, muscular man with grey-streaked brown hair appeared.
Aesop examined his hands, looking at them as if for the first time. He looked at his palms, then at his fingers as he clenched his fists. Laughing in delight, he looked at the rest of his body, shivering slightly.
When he was satisfied with his transformation, he began looking around the back porch. There were about a dozen pots of red geraniums lining the steps. His pulse quickened as he lifted each one. Upon hoisting the eighth pot, a wide smile lightened his expression. Quickly he grabbed the gold key that had been hidden underneath, replaced the pot and, with trembling hands, inserted the key into the lock on the door. He turned the handle and dashed inside.
Aesop trotted through the kitchen and down the hallway, up the stairs and directly into Jake and Elaine’s bedroom―more precisely, directly to Jake’s closet. He rummaged through the hangers, choosing a maroon button-down shirt and a pair of casual beige trousers. Next, he hurried over to Jake’s chest of drawers and withdrew underwear and socks. After dressing, he admired himself in the floor-length mirror by the window; the trousers were snug and a couple of inches too short and the shirt pulled at the buttons. He sat down on the bed with a smile.
He seemed excited and exhausted and slightly confused as he sat there for a couple of minutes, then reached over to a bedside table and lifted the phone. Pausing only to take a deep breath, he dialed a number, crossed his fingers and closed his eyes as he listened to the ringing through the receiver. Finally there was an answer and he sighed happily. “Hello,” he said, almost startled at the sound of his own voice. “Could I please speak with Dr. Harmony Melpot?”
C HAPTER T EN
The day arrived when Felix was scheduled to move into the dormitory. Dr. Melpot had volunteered to pick him up and help him get settled; she was due to arrive any minute and Felix was dreading the day ahead of him.
He sighed as he looked out the front windows at the bright October morning. Autumn reds and golden yellows were beginning to mix with the green that dominated the formal gardens. He knew he would miss this place. The professor had promised that he would be back for lots of visits, but it wouldn’t be the same as living here. He had gotten used to the splendor of the estate, and the prospect of settling into a room that was about the same size as his closet here left him feeling a little depressed.
After glancing at his watch another depressing thought blanketed his mood: Dr. Melpot would be there soon.
“We live in the country, so there are a lot of coyotes and foxes. Sometimes cougars come down from the mountains.”
Felix watched as the professor’s shoulders shook slightly, then in a very strange, squeaky voice he said, “I see. Nature can be cruel at times―but then, life is a bit cruel for all of us occasionally.”
Aesop crept out from beneath the hedge as the Huttons’ car pulled away from the house. He saw clearly that Jake was driving and Elaine and Melinda were passengers. The car disappeared down the lane and that meant the house was empty.
Eagerly, the rabbit sped across the garden towards the house. When he reached the back door he froze his movements, gradually changing from brown to pink. Then his entire body began to contort. His fur seemed to dissolve and his hind legs grew to several times their original length. His long floppy ears receded then flattened against the sides of his head, and his front paws slowly became hands. Within a matter of minutes a tall, muscular man with grey-streaked brown hair appeared.
Aesop examined his hands, looking at them as if for the first time. He looked at his palms, then at his fingers as he clenched his fists. Laughing in delight, he looked at the rest of his body, shivering slightly.
When he was satisfied with his transformation, he began looking around the back porch. There were about a dozen pots of red geraniums lining the steps. His pulse quickened as he lifted each one. Upon hoisting the eighth pot, a wide smile lightened his expression. Quickly he grabbed the gold key that had been hidden underneath, replaced the pot and, with trembling hands, inserted the key into the lock on the door. He turned the handle and dashed inside.
Aesop trotted through the kitchen and down the hallway, up the stairs and directly into Jake and Elaine’s bedroom―more precisely, directly to Jake’s closet. He rummaged through the hangers, choosing a maroon button-down shirt and a pair of casual beige trousers. Next, he hurried over to Jake’s chest of drawers and withdrew underwear and socks. After dressing, he admired himself in the floor-length mirror by the window; the trousers were snug and a couple of inches too short and the shirt pulled at the buttons. He sat down on the bed with a smile.
He seemed excited and exhausted and slightly confused as he sat there for a couple of minutes, then reached over to a bedside table and lifted the phone. Pausing only to take a deep breath, he dialed a number, crossed his fingers and closed his eyes as he listened to the ringing through the receiver. Finally there was an answer and he sighed happily. “Hello,” he said, almost startled at the sound of his own voice. “Could I please speak with Dr. Harmony Melpot?”
C HAPTER T EN
The day arrived when Felix was scheduled to move into the dormitory. Dr. Melpot had volunteered to pick him up and help him get settled; she was due to arrive any minute and Felix was dreading the day ahead of him.
He sighed as he looked out the front windows at the bright October morning. Autumn reds and golden yellows were beginning to mix with the green that dominated the formal gardens. He knew he would miss this place. The professor had promised that he would be back for lots of visits, but it wouldn’t be the same as living here. He had gotten used to the splendor of the estate, and the prospect of settling into a room that was about the same size as his closet here left him feeling a little depressed.
After glancing at his watch another depressing thought blanketed his mood: Dr. Melpot would be there soon.
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