Bark at the Moon

Clyde raised her arms above her head. The sun rays hit her face. A crooked smile appeared on her face.

“Ah! This is the life!” she shouted.

“Can you keep it down?” someone asked behind her. Clyde turned her head. Lewis, Muriel, and Aisha sat on the grass. Their leader rubbed her forehead.

“Do you always have to be so loud in the morning?” she asked. Clyde tilted her head.

“Why you so cranky?” she asked. Aisha snorted. Muriel and Lewis shook their heads. Clyde walked over to her mates. The leader stood up.

“Aisha?” Muriel asked. She turned to her friends.

“There’s something I have to do,” she said. The other three old biddies gave her an odd look.

“What are you talking about?” Lewis asked. No sooner had that question left her mouth, she started to regret ever asking. Muriel and Clyde glared at her.

“Why did you do that?” Clyde mouthed. The poor farmer shrugged.

“Come on, girls!” Aisha said. “We are heading for the library!” She started marching down the hill. Her friends gave Lewis a cold look. She quickly bowed her head.

“I’m so sorry,” the farmer said.

“Are you guys coming?” Aisha asked. The old biddies groaned and followed behind.

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Tucker flipped the sign to open. It’s another day for the Sunny Plum.

“Annie!” he shouted.

“What?” his wife asked from the kitchen.

“Where is the sugar?” he asked.

“We’re out,” she said. Tucker paused and turned around. Annie stood in the doorway.

“You can’t be serious,” he said.

“You said you were going to get more sugar last week,” she said. Tucker looked confused.

“No, I didn’t?” he said. Annie groaned and threw back her head.

“Why are you so useless?” she asked.

“I’m useless?!” he asked.

“Yes!” his wife yelled. “You said you were getting the sugar last week!”

“I did not!” Tucker shouted.

“Yes, you do!” Annie shouted. The couple descended into another argument. Just a typical morning at the Sunny Plum.

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The old buddies made it to the library. Aisha pushed open the doors. No sooner had he walked in, Clyde pushed past them. But then, she froze.

“Oh…” she said.

“What is it?” Muriel asked as she and the other two walked up to her side.

“’E’s back!” the dirty old biddy said, pointing forward.

“Huh?” Lewis asked as she turned her head. To their shock, Mr. Brice stood at the front desk. He frowned when he looked up and saw them.

“Oh, you again?” he asked. The room went silent. This had to be a joke, right? Aisha cleared her throat.

“Okay then,” she said. “Let’s just keep moving. Come on, let’s go.” The leader walked further into the library. Her group followed behind.

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William sat at his table with a frown on his face. Clover tilted her head.

“What’s wrong, uncle?” she asked. He shook his head.

“Your grandma called this morning,” he said.

“What did she want?” Clover asked. William sighed and looked out the window.

“She’s coming over this weekend,” he said. He grimaced as he said that.

“What day?” she asked.

“Thursday,” he said. His niece stood up from the table.

“I should start cooking then,” she said. William rubbed his forehead as he started walking around the kitchen.

“Clow?” he asked. His niece turned her head.

“What?” she asked.

“It’s only Monday,” he said.

“Oh,” she said. Clover walked over to the table and sat down. William threw back his head and groaned.

“Why don’t you like her?” Clover asked with a strange look on her face. William looked at her and puffed up his cheeks.

“It’s a long story,” he said.

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Clyde paused as a thought crossed her mind.

“My niece and her baby are coming this weekend,” she said. Her friends all looked at her.

“When were you going to tell us this?” Aisha asked. The dirty old biddy shrugged.

“Don’t know,” she said. Lewis frowned as she thought about Kat. She only hoped that Kat wasn’t going to be in the same situation. Please don’t let that storm come near me…

End