Short Story, Part 1
There were three bears left. Fisher carefully contemplated upon which one he wanted. After all, this was to be his Monday Bear. All three were even in size and color, but the one in the middle had one ear lower than the other and irregular fur on its belly. This would be Fisher’s choice. In a sea of conformity, Fisher always tried to be different. The fat sweaty man behind the counter reached up to the near empty shelf and pulled down the fluffy stuffed toy. Fisher handed over his three crumpled pink scripts to the weezing gastropod. “Now, this is a Monday Bear, boy” The man said. “Do you know what that means?” Fisher nodded in uneasy agreement and swiftly grabbed his purchase from the man’s stubby digits. He held it tight to his chest. Finally, he had his own.
On the way home, Fisher thought about his Mom and how she had always wished for a Monday Bear of her own. It made him a bit guilty inside that he felt good he got one before her. They passed the daily lines of cars and people and Fisher clenched his new friend tighter. He looked up at his father as he quietly piloted their car back home. He sensed his dad was just as jealous as his mother would be, and knew he’d have to keep his bear in a safe place. He decided he would keep it in the iron tank he had welded himself, in secret anticipation of this day. Fisher clutched the toy tighter as his Dad glanced to the back seat with a half smirk. “Better not lose that boy. You’re not allowed another one, you know”. “I know”, Fisher said. “I know”. His Dad couldn’t scare him. Nobody could. Fisher had a Monday Bear. There was nothing he couldn’t do now.
When the two returned to the house, Fisher jumped from the car and ran straight to his room. He opened his closet and pulled the chain to open the secret compartment. He placed the Monday Bear in the home made welded tank, laser locked it and lowered it into the dark cavern below. Fisher stared down the hole for several minutes with wide eyes and smirked. His thoughts wandered to how much better things would be now. How much better things would be…come Monday. As he climbed out of the closet and shut the door, Fisher glimpsed a blur of his father racing from his window. He had been watching the whole time. Fisher knew he’d have to sleep with one eye open from now on. He was prepared, not only mentally, but also physically. He was well informed of the challenges of owning a Monday bear. Fisher would have to grow up quickly if his plans were to work.
Fisher slept very little that first night. There was a bit of fear, mixed with an emotion he had never felt. He was happy, happy not for what was, but what could be. He imagined this was the feeling his mother had described the night before Christmas to be. Her stories of that day always intrigued and comforted Fisher. Sometimes he missed his mother. Sometimes.
The next day, Fisher made a quick check on his security system and snuck a quick hug from his Monday Bear before heading off to society training. He clipped the fluorescent tag that came with his bear to his shirt before putting on his jacket. Things would be different in training now. The guard would see his tag and know what to do. Upon a quick authentication scan, Fisher would be swept to the 52nd floor and start advanced training. It was important to understand his Monday bear before it’s first run, the ads always said. Of course, Fisher had already read all the manuals and rules online a hundred times. He knew the protocol up and down. The training was a necessary evil, otherwise Fisher would be in possession of an unauthorized product and face incarceration in the trailer town. He would gladly go through the motions and the training. This could only further cement his place in society and guarantee the implementation of his plan.
Fisher waited for his father to be safely on his way to work at the syndicate, then he headed off to the training building. He had a smile on his face and a spring in his step. The neighborhood roof was open and the sun was out. Fisher stopped to let the sun bake his skin for a moment and then ran around the corner with glee.
It was three days until Monday. Three days until the rule of Fisher would begin.
On the way home, Fisher thought about his Mom and how she had always wished for a Monday Bear of her own. It made him a bit guilty inside that he felt good he got one before her. They passed the daily lines of cars and people and Fisher clenched his new friend tighter. He looked up at his father as he quietly piloted their car back home. He sensed his dad was just as jealous as his mother would be, and knew he’d have to keep his bear in a safe place. He decided he would keep it in the iron tank he had welded himself, in secret anticipation of this day. Fisher clutched the toy tighter as his Dad glanced to the back seat with a half smirk. “Better not lose that boy. You’re not allowed another one, you know”. “I know”, Fisher said. “I know”. His Dad couldn’t scare him. Nobody could. Fisher had a Monday Bear. There was nothing he couldn’t do now.
When the two returned to the house, Fisher jumped from the car and ran straight to his room. He opened his closet and pulled the chain to open the secret compartment. He placed the Monday Bear in the home made welded tank, laser locked it and lowered it into the dark cavern below. Fisher stared down the hole for several minutes with wide eyes and smirked. His thoughts wandered to how much better things would be now. How much better things would be…come Monday. As he climbed out of the closet and shut the door, Fisher glimpsed a blur of his father racing from his window. He had been watching the whole time. Fisher knew he’d have to sleep with one eye open from now on. He was prepared, not only mentally, but also physically. He was well informed of the challenges of owning a Monday bear. Fisher would have to grow up quickly if his plans were to work.
Fisher slept very little that first night. There was a bit of fear, mixed with an emotion he had never felt. He was happy, happy not for what was, but what could be. He imagined this was the feeling his mother had described the night before Christmas to be. Her stories of that day always intrigued and comforted Fisher. Sometimes he missed his mother. Sometimes.
The next day, Fisher made a quick check on his security system and snuck a quick hug from his Monday Bear before heading off to society training. He clipped the fluorescent tag that came with his bear to his shirt before putting on his jacket. Things would be different in training now. The guard would see his tag and know what to do. Upon a quick authentication scan, Fisher would be swept to the 52nd floor and start advanced training. It was important to understand his Monday bear before it’s first run, the ads always said. Of course, Fisher had already read all the manuals and rules online a hundred times. He knew the protocol up and down. The training was a necessary evil, otherwise Fisher would be in possession of an unauthorized product and face incarceration in the trailer town. He would gladly go through the motions and the training. This could only further cement his place in society and guarantee the implementation of his plan.
Fisher waited for his father to be safely on his way to work at the syndicate, then he headed off to the training building. He had a smile on his face and a spring in his step. The neighborhood roof was open and the sun was out. Fisher stopped to let the sun bake his skin for a moment and then ran around the corner with glee.
It was three days until Monday. Three days until the rule of Fisher would begin.