Shelly

Mr Peter Knowhim was a man in his early thirties, earlier he used to be hemmed in by people always when he had wealth and all the comforts of a gratifying estate but rapidly he grew a vile manner of gambling and gave up all his wealth in it.

All his associates had turned their backs when he had lost everything, but he sold his mansion and purchased a cosy flat on the Royal field Avenue now he was getting along a fresh life but it was lonesome for him as it was just him and his tragic thoughts of the past and he grew sober in those dreadful notions of him. One day he decided to go fishing there he saw a little boy playing hide and seek with his dog and the thrilled Peter scrambled to the bus stand and caught the morning bus to reach the pet shop. After fifteen minutes he arrived at “Marquees Pet Shop” when he entered the shop it was elegant and cramped zone and a tidy place, He asked “Sir is there any dog that I can buy with $30?” there was a halt and everybody in the room laughed and the sales attendant said, “Mister it isn’t a sweet shop that you’ll pick up some confections and ice cream for $30 it’s a dog a living being like you and me so he has a value, So if you wish any pet under $30 I am sorry that any breed of the dog wouldn’t be available”. Peter Gasped and asked ”Cats, Parrots or Monkeys” “I am sorry Sir“ came the response. Then Peter was distressed and was about to leave the shop suddenly. He saw the sales attendant from the shop coming and said ”Sir if you want a pet under $30 it is Pink Fairy armadillo” Peter was elated and when he saw the Pink Fairy Armadillo he asked,” Sir this creature is so beautiful then why does it seem to have a low price?”

“Well let me tell you it is a bad omen for one to pet a Pink Fairy armadillo so many people don't buy it”

“Eh! I have lost all my wealth what else bad can happen it might turn out to be my good omen”

“Very well then” he exclaimed as if trying to say that it was a warning 

Peter rushed and took the Pink Fairy armadillo to the bus and asked 

Her ”Oh my! Why don’t people see your beauty and the intricacy of your scales which looks like a Strawberry cream roll a bad omen also come from people do they abandon them of course not”

“Okay so what do you want to eat?” he continued

“Hmm it seems as if you are gonna eat some ants well that isn’t a problem for me as all the ants of the area live in the balcony of mine they are my friends too but now you are my best friend so anything for you ”

When Peter reached home he took an old cardboard box and made a cut in the front for the armadillo to breathe in the night and had stitched some clothes together that made the box look like a tent and a blanket was also kept so the armadillo was yet to be kept so he placed her on the top and said ”I have a companion who will listen to me always” By saying so he slept. The next morning he woke up and saw that the armadillo was hungry so he walked her to the balcony to eat and suddenly he screamed ”Shelly, Your name should be shelly yep that’s a good name isn’t it shelly? And shelly tapped her claws in such a way to show agreement. Peter smiled and said “You are so pretty I feel curious after I see you”

And in the midst of all this the doorbell rang and it was Mrs and Mr Knowhim the parents of Peter, Peter was elated and his happiness knew no bounds and he jumped and hugged his parents and said ”Mom, Dad I love you do you know I was So lonely until I met Shelly She is so good and Beautiful she speaks less but yet I love her so much she is a fairy indeed ” Mrs KnowHim slapped Peter on his shoulder and said “Oh Why did you hide the news that you are marrying and finally we all will reunite because of your shelly an angel she is What are you staring at we both want to meet Shelly ”

Peter was about to explain everything until Shelly herself walked out of the room and made the tapping sound from her nails as if to show she was happy to meet Peter’s Parents 

“Oh good gracious you are so unkempt that armadillos are roaming in your house remove this filthy creature off my feet I have only heard that due to untidiness this happens but your case is due to haywire you have all the bad habits of a rich foolish boy but remember you are not that boy anymore and poor shelly she is living with you ” Mr KnowHim interrupted and said “You are so careless that armadillos are roaming and that to pigmented ones I think it's not pigmented but got pigmented due to the market inorganic strawberries I bet this armadillo was in the kitchen”

“Good Heavens I cannot even imagine the fact that an armadillo was having a bath in my food” Mrs Knowhim gasped.

Peter explained everything to them and told them that he was unmarried and Mrs Knowhim said:” Oh god Help me this boy is nursing an armadillo son don’t you know its a bad omen to pet armadillos?” “Enough is enough mom I think bad omen has begun by Shelly by the words you spoke about and they were so offensive “ Peter cried, Mrs Knowhim paused and felt sorry she apologized and embraced Shelly and her beauty soon The couple left after bidding Shelly and Peter farewell.

Later Peter touched the shells of Shelly she got furious and pulled Peter in her back soon Peter was in a fairyland with all the fairies around him and he was amazed by that but he was more curious to find out where was shelly it turned out she had been missing he asked all the fairies for help but all refused and said ”No”

Peter was lost in the fairyland and was so keen to find Shelly he went to the devious which was known as “villanland” as all the villain were there but it was also similar looking to Fairyland as it was a part of it but it was an abandoned chamber of the fairyland but Peter managed to escape from the devils and had changed his route to the great sea. The great sea was filled with mermaids and he asked them for help but everyone seemed to be not knowing what he said then he searched for shelly and he saw a mermaid that was dressed exactly like shelly we inquired ”Are you shelly?”

The mermaid with excitement replied ”Yes I am and I was sent from fairyland to your fate because our mistress wanted to check if you had left all the bad habits and had turned on the path of loyalty”

Peter remained silent and said” Again there’s no one in my life and it's just me and my broken heart shelly”

“It's not like that you’re a good man instead of being your pet I’ll be your wife”

And once again Peter was elated and he swam with joy and came back to the shore with shelly

Abruptly peter asked ” I forgot to ask you your name” 

“Its Shelliana Maricize Gomela Cecilia and everyone calls me Shelly”

He jumped with ecstasy again for the coincidence and the next day he reached to his parents' place and narrated the whole story

Her mother was happy for her son’s well being but also a bit ashamed for shooing away Shelly

Shelly and Peter tied a knot and peter also invited the sales assistance from the marquees pet shop and said ”My bad omen isn’t that bad ”

He laughed and everyone raised a glass for shell and peter 

-Tanvi Jeph

13 years old

India