Carl in the Cupboard
by M.M.
It’s
Christmas!!” my brother Ian called out at exactly 12:00 midnight. Ian
and his twin brother, Riley, always wake us up at 12 midnight on any
Holiday they get presents. That’s why on holiday eves my parents go to
bed at 7:00 pm. We all went downstairs to open presents. When we got to
the living room there was three piles one for Ian one for Riley and one
for Me. Instantly without waiting for mom to get the camera, Ian and
Riley started opening presents. I ran over to my pile and sat down. I
then started opening. When everyone was finished opening and all the
pictures were taken, I noticed a small box probably about 1(inch) by
1(inch). I picked it up and saw it was addressed to me. I looked
around. Everyone was in having breakfast. I ran up to my room. I slowly
opened the box. A piece of paper inside of it said:
THE CUPBOARD
‘We don’t have a cupboard only the wood box my grandma passed down to me.’ I went downstairs, “ What is this called?” I asked holding up my grandma’s box. My mom replied “ a cupboard,” Well we have a cupboard, but what’s so special about it? I wondered. Just then Riley came rushing in and took the cupboard. Then Ian ran down the hall with Carl, my favorite stuffed rat! I ran after them. I couldn’t catch them but I saw them locking Carl in the cupboard. Once they saw me they dropped the key and ran. Even though Ian and Riley were gone, and I knew they wouldn’t be coming back, I still kept running. When I reached the cupboard I unlocked it. I reach in to get Carl but he growled at me. “Carl?” Another growl. I shoved the key in my pocket, closed the cupboard and ran upstairs. When I got in my room I locked the door. I sat on the floor and put the cupboard down. Carl slowly walked out. “Carl, do you remember me?” “Why would I forget my mommy?” he said. At first I was confused, but then I remembered that when I was little my mom told me I was Carl’s mom since I ‘adopted’ him. “Carl, um, could you, go to your room, you’re not in trouble I just have to get your breakfast and Christmas presents. Okay?” He nodded. I went downstairs to get Carl’s breakfast. I put some toast in the toaster and grabbed an apple, banana and half a bagel. I grabbed the toast and other foods. I ran upstairs into my room. Here’s your breakfast. “Where’s my drink?” He asked. I ran back down to get a Juicy-Juice.
* * *
“Ian, look. Maddie left her door open!” Riley said. “Alright” Ian responded. They bolted in and I had just brought the Juicy-Juice up, when I saw Ian and Riley locking the cupboard. This time they took the key with them. I grabbed a bobby pin and un-locked it. “Oh, Carl! I’m so sorry; they’re gonna be dead. Carl?” Carl was a toy again. ‘ If when he was a toy, locking, then un-locking him with a key made him alive. Maybe it will work with a bobby pin!’ I put the bobby pin in, locked then un-locked it and… Carl was still a toy. I guess it only works with the key. The key! Ian and Riley have it! “Ian, Riley!” I called. They came. “Where’s the key?” I asked. Then Riley blurted out “We dropped it in the fire.” The key was melted.
My time with Carl was great, but he’s better off as a stuffed rat.
THE CUPBOARD
‘We don’t have a cupboard only the wood box my grandma passed down to me.’ I went downstairs, “ What is this called?” I asked holding up my grandma’s box. My mom replied “ a cupboard,” Well we have a cupboard, but what’s so special about it? I wondered. Just then Riley came rushing in and took the cupboard. Then Ian ran down the hall with Carl, my favorite stuffed rat! I ran after them. I couldn’t catch them but I saw them locking Carl in the cupboard. Once they saw me they dropped the key and ran. Even though Ian and Riley were gone, and I knew they wouldn’t be coming back, I still kept running. When I reached the cupboard I unlocked it. I reach in to get Carl but he growled at me. “Carl?” Another growl. I shoved the key in my pocket, closed the cupboard and ran upstairs. When I got in my room I locked the door. I sat on the floor and put the cupboard down. Carl slowly walked out. “Carl, do you remember me?” “Why would I forget my mommy?” he said. At first I was confused, but then I remembered that when I was little my mom told me I was Carl’s mom since I ‘adopted’ him. “Carl, um, could you, go to your room, you’re not in trouble I just have to get your breakfast and Christmas presents. Okay?” He nodded. I went downstairs to get Carl’s breakfast. I put some toast in the toaster and grabbed an apple, banana and half a bagel. I grabbed the toast and other foods. I ran upstairs into my room. Here’s your breakfast. “Where’s my drink?” He asked. I ran back down to get a Juicy-Juice.
* * *
“Ian, look. Maddie left her door open!” Riley said. “Alright” Ian responded. They bolted in and I had just brought the Juicy-Juice up, when I saw Ian and Riley locking the cupboard. This time they took the key with them. I grabbed a bobby pin and un-locked it. “Oh, Carl! I’m so sorry; they’re gonna be dead. Carl?” Carl was a toy again. ‘ If when he was a toy, locking, then un-locking him with a key made him alive. Maybe it will work with a bobby pin!’ I put the bobby pin in, locked then un-locked it and… Carl was still a toy. I guess it only works with the key. The key! Ian and Riley have it! “Ian, Riley!” I called. They came. “Where’s the key?” I asked. Then Riley blurted out “We dropped it in the fire.” The key was melted.
My time with Carl was great, but he’s better off as a stuffed rat.
