Feral

Feral

By Stephen A Abell – Monday, 3rd January 2023.

Number of Words – 299.


         “Come on Billy, ya’ bugger,” Mikey called back over his shoulder, ”ya’ chicken or summat?”
         “I don’t know,” the hesitant boy answered. “This don’t feel right.”
         “You didn’t deserve that “F” and you sure didn’t deserve to be sniped at in class, did ya?”
         “Well…”
         “Don’t go making excuses for Ms White. That ol’ witch'll get 'er just deserts, right?” Billy spotted a glint in Mikey’s eyes, and a shiver ran down his spine. “We’re only gonna put a fright inta ‘er. Nowt too bad.”
         “We gonna knock an’ hide?”
         Mikey fingered the firecracker in his pocket and smiled. “Yeah, summat like that; come on!”
         Ms White was the only schoolteacher living in the village. As such, everybody held her in high esteem. Only the kids saw her mean streak. She never missed an opportunity to ridicule her students. Ms White loved how the children feared her.
         They arrived at her door.
         “I think this is a bad idea, Mikey.”
         “Just knock!”
         Billy’s shaking hand tapped on the door.
         “What in Jesus’ name was that(?) Shift! This's how ya knock!”
         His fist thudded on the door, swinging it open.
         A rusty iron and rotting smell greeted them. Mikey’s curiosity carried him over the threshold as he turned to Billy, who was legging it down the street. Slowly, he padded down the hallway into the front room.
         Ms White sat in her chair. At Mikey's entrance, the cats ceased feasting. One feline stood on her bosom. It held an eyeball between its oh-so-sharp teeth. Bile roiled in his stomach as he turned to run.
         Savage claws ripped into his ankles, shins, thighs, arse, back, and one furry demon landed on his head, tearing away at the thin skin. Before being blood-blinded, Mikey saw more cats before him, preparing to pounce.

For the "Daily Flash Fiction Challenge"   by Arakun the twisted raccoon