Black Eyed Susan by Elizabeth Leiknes

Author:Elizabeth Leiknes [Leiknes, Elizabeth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bancroft Press
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

When Leo and I got back to the car, Will was filming Calliope as she pretended to make out with one of the flying monkeys on the parking lot sign.

“Hey, Leo!” Will said. He turned away from Calliope and pointed the camera at Leo. “Taking a break from the forest?”

Leo, tense and suspicious, pointed at me. “Talk to her.” He then walked over to the front grille of our hearse and inspected it with an uneasy paw.

Just then, an angry mayor walked out on the porch and witnessed the Tin Man canoodling Glinda, the good witch. “I’ll remind you both that you are currently on the clock. Hello?” He stared at them and shook his head.

The mayor, losing more control with every miniature step, snapped as he moved toward us. He shook his finger at Leo. “And what do you think you’re doing? Get back to your bush!”

I was not intimidated. “He’s coming with me. I’m adopting him.”

The mayor looked serious. “You, um, can’t. As of today, that program has been suspended. There’s an ongoing investigation by the Little People’s Coalition.” He talked under his breath. “Some hogwash about exploitation.”

“I’m reinstating the program,” I said, motioning for everyone to get in the car.

The mayor was mad. It had not been a good day for him. A mental patient had named himself the wizard, and been taken away on a stretcher. He’d lost his one good witch to a love-struck Tin Man. He was being abandoned by his Munchkin-turned-lion. And I had a strong suspicion that the coroner had sexual harassment suits pending against him.

Everyone got in the car, except for Leo, who was standing with folded arms next to the back passenger’s window. “Sorry. I can’t get in there.” He stared at Eternity, then snuggling in Will’s lap, as if he were a ferocious beast. “Not with that thing.”

The mayor was getting closer and angrier. “I’m ordering you to come back here right now, Leo. If you’re not back to work in two minutes, you’re done here, Leo. Fired!”

“Come on, Leo. Get in,” I begged him. “Are you gonna let a little dog stop you from breaking away from this freak show?”

The mayor had reached Leo and was standing eye-to-eye with him. “Go ahead and leave. You’re the freak, Leo. You’re weak. Always have been … always will be.”

Leo held the door handle, paralyzed by the mere sight of Eternity.

“Look at you. Afraid of a little dog,” the mayor laughed. “You’re a disgrace to all little people. You won’t get in that car. You don’t have it in you.” The mayor looked into his eyes and waited for him to retreat.

Leo took a step toward the mayor and took a deep breath.

“Now that’s more like it, Leo.” He put his arm on Leo’s shoulder. “Come with me. You belong here. Remember when I got rid of Toto for you? We accept you and your idiosyncrasies … Others won’t.”

At the very moment the mayor said that, something happened to Leo. His posture changed, and he removed the mayor’s arm in one quick, deliberate move.

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