I played near the river of my home, letting the cool stream trickle against my toes as minnows swim by. I was skipping stones when I heard my mother call. "Holden, come inside." I reluctantly obeyed and ran through the country of my home towards my mother's voice. Once I slow to a stop inside, I call out. "Yes, ma?" She came into the kitchen and draped her afghan around her shoulders. "I'm going down to the market, you be sure to do your chores while I'm gone." "Yes, ma." I obey. Before stepping out she said, "Now don't go wandering' off before I'm back." "Okay, ma." I call as I get on the stool and get to doing dishes. I was an only child, my father died when I was only a toddler and mom hasn't been able to remarry-since. We lived in a house that was a pretty good distance from our neighbor Mr. Walton, a cantankerous old man whose hearing is failing him. The day was on the verge of blistering, so mom had kept the door open. Little did I know, this would be the entrance of something that would change my life forever.

I sang to myself as I continued onto dishes when I hear the flapping of wings very close by. I look around and perched on the kitchen chair was a barn owl. "Hey, shoo! Shoo! Go on!" I cry, waving my arms. The owl only flew into the living room crashing into things and causing a huge mess before perching on the edge of the mantle. "No! Get! Get!" I cry. The owl took off to perch on the edge of a cabinet and in the process knocked over a vase that dad had gotten for mom on their honeymoon. I tried to catch the irreplaceable sculpture, but before I could catch it, it shatters into tiny pieces, one of them slicing my hand in the process. "Oh..." I groan, mom was going to have my neck! And it's not like I could fix the vase either with how tiny the pieces are. "Damn you, you stupid owl!" I curse before washing my cut and wrapping it with a tattered strip of cloth.

Sullenly, I awaited my punishment. Mom would always tell me to be good or else the goblins would take me away. That's what all mothers say to their children to get them to behave, you know. But what if the goblins were real? I shake my head. "Don't be silly Holden, of course it's not going to happen!" Just then, I heard the dreaded sound of my mother's voice. "Holden, I'm home!" She then comes to the living room where I stood and had my head bent whilst I stood among the broken pieces of what was left of our memory of dad. "HOLDEN!" I winces at the shriek. "M-Ma! I can explain! An owl flew in through the door!" I quickly explain. Naturally, mom's back was to the owl so she took no notice. "Telling me a lie, Holden?" She then lifts me by my ear causing me to cry out. "That was the only thing we had left of your father! Well, I hope you're happy now, because I'll have the goblins take you off my hands!" She lets in. "No ma, please no!" I wail. "Oh yes!" She then sets me down and storms into the kitchen yelling, "I WISH THE GOBLINS WOULD TAKE YOU AWAY RIGHT NOW!"