The Ferret

• Kaori Shima, Grade 3
• Short Story
• 2022

As I shuffled gingerly into the shop, I felt two beady eyes piercing my soul. When I turned around, I saw the pet shop owner with the mirror sunglasses. ‘I knew it!’ I thought and smiled at him. The trembly sort of smile you do before a sabre-toothed tiger eats you. He smiled back at me. The nasty sort of smile a sabre-toothed tiger does before it eats you. I shivered and scurried into the ‘Small Animals’ aisle.
Walking with my small wallet clutched tightly in my sweaty palm, I saw hamsters (my third favourite), Guinea pigs (my fourth favourite), mice (my second favourite) and rabbits (don’t like them, they’re too scary). Finally, I found who I was looking for. Fern the Ferret.
Fern is my best friend. We met when I moved here from Japan. I go to the pet shop every single day to play with Fern the Ferret. Fern the Ferret sounds cool, especially with alliteration, but I just call her Fern. She stared at me with her chestnut brown eyes and blinked curiously, which is adorable no matter how many times she does it. I slightly closed my eyes and stroked Fern’s silky soft fur, squeezing my fingers through the tiny gap of the cage. Fern is the BEST.
Still gently stroking Fern, I looked at the dusty clock next to the dogs section. 5:30. “I’d better go, or Mum’ll be cross,” I whispered to Fern. Just then, I heard the pet shop owner’s deep voice. “Get out kid, the shop’s closing in thirty seconds! You have thirty seconds to get OUT!” he shouted, shaking the whole town down. He clearly wanted to go back to his house and watch TV. ‘That is one scary man,’ I thought, and hurriedly went out the door. Fern the Ferret thought so too.