Chaos Critter Tails: Carter's Halloween Surprise
This week for our final Halloween story, we're back to the fluffy, happy world of Nano Sapiens. Plus, come see our pumpkins!
This is our final Halloween story for the month. I (Tod) did another fluffy, goofy story that we hope you enjoy. We also took a now-traditional picture of our critters next to a neighbor’s Halloween decorations. We feel like the setup is sized perfectly for us.
We also toured a local pumpkin patch at one of the local churches. We ended up with three office pumpkins. One ended up in my home office.
And two went to work with Anna. One of Anna’s “pumpkins” looks like it walked off a Studio Ghibli movie set. Her office brick animals are enjoying the new scenery.
This week’s story features some of the first in-universe Nano Sapiens - dogs and cats that become people via nanotech shots. Carter is a Landseer - a black and white Newfie. We have an ongoing set of shorts where he experiences new cultures and holidays. They are some of my favorites to write and read.
The published story with Carter is “Peer Review Parenting” in Or All Will Burn. It tells of the origins of the Nano Sapiens in a Texas laboratory and the graduate students that made it happen. https://www.amazon.com/Will-Burn-Raconteur-Press-Anthologies-ebook/dp/B0CKX6KXVR
Warning: Our story in Or All Will Burn is one of the few non-traumatizing stories in the collection. Many of the other stories include children in bad situations.
Carter’s Halloween Surprise
The big, black and white Newfoundland dog towered over the little boy. Wet, drooling lips drew back to expose teeth, bright white against the boy’s light brown skin.
The fierce, concerned expression on the boy’s human face was replaced with a laughing smile. “That’s perfect, Carter. You’ll make a great Peter and the Wolf for Halloween.”
A blue LED shone deep within the Newfie’s mane as he replied via his collar translator. “Thanks, Benjamin. Mom said I had to pick a classic costume. When I was little, she was curious about why I liked the wolf in that fairy tale symphony so much. She didn’t realize it was the French Horn.”
“You haven’t talked about anything else except food and your wolf costume for a month.” The more serious look returned to Benjamin’s face. “Aunt Veronica is helping me with my costume. It’s a surprise for everyone. Your mom promised to keep it a secret.”
Carter flopped to the floor, his sign splattering drool from the puddle on the floor. The three-year-old human, having grown up with his cousin Carter, didn’t even notice. “Mom won’t give me a hint. When you were talking with her in the Sukkah, I was too distracted by the food to listen in.”
Carter sighed again, this time in pleasure. He loved eating outside during Sukkot - the time of remembering when God protected the Jews for forty years in the desert. “I got to help put the Sukkah shelter together this year - dragging tree trunks around. Next year, your mom is going to find Nano Sapiens tools for me to help with the actual construction.”
More drool joined the puddle on the floor. “I like Halloween even more now that Nano Sapiens candies are stocked by the grocery store.”
Benjamin scratched Carter’s ears. “Momma said she didn’t expect to have to use the Chaos Critters Critical Care kit the first day she bought it. But you know better now.”
He paused. “You know, we don’t have Halloween at church or synagogue? Instead, both have a Fall Festival.”
The Newfie and the little boy thought for a moment. Their mutual thought expressed itself simultaneously. “I’m not sure why.”
Later that evening, Veronica came over to help the two children. Her big, orange Maine Coon cat body climbed around the black and white Newfie fluff, adding big triangular ears to his head and wrapping him in the brown fur Carter had insisted because “that’s what wolves look like.”
He considered himself in the mirror while his mom went to help Benjamin. As a graduate student, Benjamin’s mom had injected Veronica with experimental nanotech that made her a person. In turn, Veronica had injected and adopted Carter.
A wail of distress broke from the next room. Despite his promise not to, Carter’s rescue instincts, bred for water but still working on dry land, drove him to burst into the next room over.
Benjamin wailed again. His three-year-old face blotched with tears. Carter forgot how young he still was - he’d just became an interesting conversational partner this year, and with three Maine Coon cat siblings, his idea of how long before someone matured leaned more towards the shorter Nano Sapiens time than human times.
The wail became words. “I can’t be Daniel Six with just five lions!”
Benjamin was dressed as a boy would think someone from a Bible or Torah story dressed. Desert pants, loose shirt, and headscarf. Around him were Carter’s three siblings, with extra fluffy brown fur around their necks. Two more young Nano Sapiens cats, also with the fake brown manes, joined his family in rubbing in turn against Benjamin, trying to comfort him.
Carter charged up to Benjamin and licked his face vigorously, knocking the headscarf off. “What’s wrong?”
Slowly, he got the story from Benjamin and his Maine Coon cat family.
His mom’s blue LED shone brightly as she softly summed it up. “Benjamin’s idea was a Halloween costume from the Old Testament - to be shared by both of his parents’ faiths. Daniel 6 tells the story of Daniel in the Lion’s Den.”
Veronica rubbed her cheek against Benjamin who threw his arms around her. “He thought of it during Sukkot. Just as the Lord projected the Jews for forty years, He also protected Daniel, who refused to quick praying to God, when the king cast him into a lion’s den to be consumed. The story is in Daniel chapter six.”
A sob interrupted her. “It doesn’t work with five!”
Veronica continued. “The sixth kitten can’t make it. She caught the new upper respiratory infection. She’ll be fine, but until her antivirals kick in, she’s quarantined.”
Carter licked Benjamin again. He thought furiously. “I can fix this! Mom, can you help me with it?”
His mom blinked cat acceptance. Instinctively, he licked her too. She fluffed up and shook, making the younger cats laugh and even drawing a sad smile from Benjamin. “Son, I love you. And I love hot baths. But I’ll never get used to your drool.”
His three siblings on the floor replied with Carter. “Drool is love.”
Carter gave Benjamin a quick, dry-ish lick. “Hang in there. I’ll fix it.”
Carter and his mom went back to the other room.
He kept his mom moving, since he didn’t want Benjamin to give in to despairing wails again.
“Okay, Mom. I think we’re ready.”
He waited inside while his mom got Benjamin and the kittens ready for him.
“Y’all ready?”
“Yes, son.”
Carter burst through the door. His wolf’s fur was now a brown lion’s mane around his neck. Another tuft marked the end of his tail. He concentrated on whipping his tail around, like his mom did with her tail when one of them misbehaved.
“Roar! I’m a lion! Where’s that boy they threw in my den?”
Benjamin’s face brightened, as only a young child’s face can do. Going from grief-stricken, to inconceivably happy, to laughing.
“Carter! You gave up your wolf costume? But...”
“But nothing. I bet with these outfits we get more Halloween candy than anyone else.”
Chaos Tip of the Week
Small acts of silliness (or kindness) make the world move forward better than 100 hamsters running around in a single wheel. Break free of the wheel and find a new way to run across the sands of time.
Chaos Question of the Week
What is one holiday that made the most impact on you as a child? What was it about that holiday that lingered with you and made you the adult that you are?
~ Anna (and Tod)
Anthologies!
Black Cat Tales! What better time than Halloween to buy a black cat anthology? You can purchase Black Cat Tales Anthology on Amazon and other retailers https://www.amazon.com/Black-Cat-Tales-Anthology-Cats-ebook/dp/B0DXMXX5JP/ Black Cat Tales reach #1 for Horror Anthologies for both IngramSparks (the main distributor for bookstores) and Barnes & Noble! If it isn’t on your Halloween reading list, it should be.
Discover the origins of the species! Meet the graduate students responsible for creating and saving the first Nano Sapiens - dogs and cats who become people via nanotech shots.
This story includes the first appearance of Carter, the future Space Marine Newfoundland Landseer.
So checkout “Peer Review Parenting” in Raconteur Press’ Or All Will Burn.
https://www.amazon.com/Will-Burn-Raconteur-Press-Anthologies-ebook/dp/B0CKX6KXVR
While we didn’t make it onto the cover for Or All Will Burn, we know everyone who did. We were particularly happy to see
there - we critiqued his novel manuscript before its release. Check his Substack and his stories out.Warning: Our story is one of the few non-traumatizing stories in the collection (Or All Will Burn). Many of the other stories include children in bad situations.