小说园

第11部分（第2页）

My　brothers　looked　at　each　other　with　enormous　eyes　and　started　up　all　over　again。　“Kill　the

Chicks！　Thats　it！　Get　it？”　“You　mean　like　were　chick

killers？　Or　like　we　kill　the　chicks？”

Dad　turned　around　and　said；　“Out。　Both　of　you；　get　out。　Go　find　a　name　elsewhere。”

So　they　scrambled　out；　and　the　three　of　us　sat　in　the　car　with　only　the　gentle　peep…peep…

peep　from　my　little　flock　breaking　the　silence。　Finally　my

mother　heaved　a　heavy　sigh　and　said；　“They　dont　cost　much　to　keep；　do　they？”

My　dad　shook　his　head。　“They　eat　bugs；　Trina。　And　a　little　feed。　Theyre　very　low…

maintenance。”

“Bugs？　Really？　What　sort　of　bugs？”

“Earwigs；　worms；　roly…polys　…　probably　spiders；　if　they　can　catch　them。　I　think　they　eat

snails；　too。”

“Seriously？”　My　mother　smiled。　“Well；　in　that　case　…”

“Oh；　thank　you；　Mom。　Thank　you！”

And　thats　how　we　wound　up　with　chickens。　What　none　of　us　thought　of　was　that　six　chickens

scratching　for　bugs　not　only　gets　rid　of　bugs；　it　also

tears　up　grass。　Within　six　months　there　was　nothing　whatsoever　left　of　our　yard。

What　we　also　didnt　think　of　was　that　chicken　feed　attracts　mice；　and　mice　attract　cats。　Feral

cats。　Champ　was　pretty　good　at　keeping　the　cats

out　of　the　yard；　but　theyd　hang　around　the　front　yard　or　the　side　yard；　just　waiting　for　him　to

snooze　so　they　could　sneak　in　and　pounce　on　some

tender　little　mousy　vittles。

Then　my　brothers　started　trapping　the　mice；　which　I　thought　was　just　to　help　out。　I　didnt

suspect　a　thing　until　the　day　I　heard　my　mother　screaming

from　the　depths　of　their　room。　They　were；　it　turns　out；　raising　a　boa　constrictor。

Moms　foot　came　down　in　a　big　way；　and　I　thought　she　was　going　to　throw　us　out；　lock；　stock；

and　boa；　but　then　I　made　the　most　amazing

discovery—chickens　lay　eggs！　Beautiful；　shiny；　creamy　white　eggs！　I　first　found　one　under

Bonnie；　then　Clyde—whom　I　immediately　renamed

Clydette—and　one　more　in　Florences　bed。　Eggs！

I　raced　inside　to　show　my　mom；　and　after　a　brief　moment　of　blinking　at　them；　she　withered

into　a　chair。　“No；”　she　whimpered。　“No　more　chicks！”

“Theyre　not　chicks；　Mom　…　theyre　eggs！”

She　was　still　looking　quite　pale；　so　I　sat　in　the　chair　next　to　her　and　said；　“We　dont　have　a