Happy Won

Flash Fiction

Happy Won

“Benjamin Homes, what did you get into out there!?”

Ben looked down at his clothes. They were filthy, he looked up at Mom. “Um…” he started.

“Never mind,” Mom said, “just take them off, I don’t want you tracking dirt all over the house. Go get clean clothes. What were you doing anyway?”

“I was exploring that place under the house!”

Mom felt a stab of panic, the house was seventy-eight years old when they bought it, and had had at least four different families in it before them. The under part was supposedly where you could store things, but it was only three feet high at its highest, and stuffed with dirt, rocks and cobwebs. When they moved in, they’d bought a storage shed so they had never stored anything under there.

“You know I’m afraid of that place. Nobody knows if it’s really safe, there could be bees, snakes, all kinds of creepy things under there!”

“Dad said it was ‘sound.’ I didn’t hear the sound, but he said it means probably not dangerous.”

“Did he also tell you, that you would probably get in trouble because I told you never to ever go under there?”

“You did? I guess I forgot…”

“Right,” Mom said, “well I’m telling you again.”

“OK, but look what I found!”

“OK, then go change.”

Excitedly, Ben reached in his coat pocket, and he pulled out a wad of money!

“That was under the house?” Mom gasped.

“And there’s lots more too.”

“Benjamin Homes! You just made my day!” Mom said. “And, in fourteen years I do believe now that, you will be going to college!”

Ben didn’t know whether to be happy or sad about that. But Mom seemed happy, and he was not in trouble, so happy won!