CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Hail to the King

BENJAMIN SNEAKED OUT of the basement the way the conniving raccoon had earlier—through the window that his dad had covered in flimsy plastic wrap. Unlike the many times before when he’d considered sneaking through the window, he no longer had to worry about breaking the glass. With the collar around his wrist, he walked down the driveway. It was a beautiful evening, perfect for crowning the new king, he thought. His mood was completely different, though.

The full harvest moon hung over the hole in the cave’s ceiling. The tree row across the road was lit up beautifully and the strong light shone on the fox den. Benjamin hopped into it for perhaps the last time. His emotions ran wild, but he tried to control his tears. The farther he trekked, the more the tunnel’s walls glowed vibrant blue. He remembered how beautiful the cave was the last time the full moon was directly above, with all of the lightning bugs scattered on the tunnel walls. That was when we had Paco’s funeral. Benjamin didn’t hear any loud talking, which he thought was strange. The closer he got to the last corner, the more he tried not to break down and cry. It had been a hard day for him. Malcolm had betrayed him and broken into his house, Jessica left him to go hang out with her boyfriend at the Harvest Home Festival and then never came home, and now, after saving the kingdom nearly a month ago, he was about to relinquish his crown to the rightful heir. He would go back to being just Ben.

“Where is he?” Roscoe asked Clementine as they stood next to the throne.

“Relax. He said he’d be here tonight. He’ll be here.”

There was much anxiety in the air as Mac stood at the foot of the throne. His bodyguard, Zeus, smiled the whole time, watching the many faces admire his little friend.

Benjamin was at the final turn and stopped. He shuddered as he clutched the collar on his wrist. Knowing what he had to do, he took a deep breath and walked forward into the opening of the hall.

“MALCOLM, GET ME OUT OF HERE!!” Jonah screamed.

“I-I can’t. It’s locked!” The bushes and trees across the spring quaked. The monster was very near. Malcolm panicked. “Juh… Jonah, listen to me!”

“Malcolm, I want out of here this instant!” The barrel rolled back and forth.

“Jonah!” Malcolm whispered loudly, tears in his eyes. “I’ll… I’ll be right here! I’ll be right here with you, Jonah!”

“MALCOLM, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

The raccoon ran through the shallow water, away from the barrel. “I’ll be right here, Jonah! I’ll be right here!” he whispered to himself, fleeing the horrible scene about to take place. His heart had never beaten so rapidly. He dove into the bushes and crouched down to hide.

“MALCOLM! WHERE ARE YOU?!”

The raccoon heard his friend’s muffled screams. The Trojan Pig was upside down, rocking gently. Out of the weeds and tall grass behind the tree, the head of a monstrous, black python emerged. Its foot-long tongue flickered out of its mouth and its massive body slithered into the still spring. The water rippled from side to side, distorting the reflected harvest moon.

“Oh…my…gosh!!!” Malcolm’s mouth hung open in horror.

The monster’s head jerked. It spotted the Trojan Pig through its ghastly, milky-white eyes.

“MALCOLM! GET ME OUTTA HERE!” The barrel wobbled back and forth.

“Oh, no! Please, no…please, no!” Malcolm whispered hopelessly.

The giant python mercilessly glided toward the Trojan Pig.

“MALCOLM, YOU TOLD ME EVERYTHING WOULD BE OKAY!!!”

The snake retracted her neck, zeroing in on her kill. Hisssssssssssssssss. WUH-CHOMP!!! Jonah felt a huge jolt as he was propelled to the other end of the barrel. He screamed for dear life. The barrel stuck halfway out of the monster’s mouth. Malcolm fainted from the horrifying sight.

Jonah was pitched around violently as the snake repeatedly jerked its head back to draw in and swallow the barrel. The pug’s head kept hitting the sides—and then he hit something else. “Ouch!” A little red light came on, but he was too frightened to notice. The giant snake finally gulped down the whole barrel and swam through the water, away from the unconscious raccoon, and disappeared into the bushes.

“THERE HE IS!” Squeak spotted Benjamin first. He stood at the front of the tunnel, bathed in blue light. The animals cheered and he felt overwhelmed. He saw his friends Clementine and Roscoe beside his throne, smiling at him, while the sound of applause filled his ears. It was the best feeling in the world and it was about to end.

He took a deep breath and walked forward. The crowd parted, creating a pathway to the pool and the throne behind it. Looking down at Mac, he thought about Pugsly. His little dog was the reason why not only Benjamin was there, but also Mac. He missed him so much at that moment. Then he thought about Jessica. He remembered the many times he’d watched her pick up the soon-to-be king and hold him in her arms while she laughed. He knew how much Jessica loved Mac—as much as he loved Pugsly. He stopped at the pool and turned to look over the enormous crowd.

“HAIL, KING BENJAMIN!” the animals shouted to honor him. He gulped and his red cheeks flooded with tears.

The old badger came to stand beside him. “We have been blessed with a king—a king unlike any we’ve ever had before!” Numerous faces nodded with tear-filled eyes. “Tonight, on the full moon, we will be changing crowns.” Benjamin looked at all the animals he had ruled. “Because of King Pugsly, we were given King Benjamin. And because of both of them, it is my honor to say we are given King Mac!”

Mac sat up straight and puffed out his chest. Zeus smiled at the little dog’s attempt to appear noble. The crowd cheered thunderously and Benjamin walked around the pool to the throne. A teary eyed pot-bellied pig and fainting goat still smiled at him. He knelt and hugged them for what felt like the last time. Then he turned to Mac.

The cheering grew louder as he again knelt, this time in front of Pugsly’s son. “I believe this belongs to you.” Tears fell from his eyes as his left hand grabbed the black leather band around his right wrist and started to pull it down. It slipped off and he held it up for everyone to see. “Ooohs” and “aaaahs” came from the crowd as they gazed at the silver-blue tag that sparkled majestically in the light.

Benjamin again faced Mac. He leaned down to whisper in the rightful heir’s ear. He wanted to say that Jessica was missing. Instead he said, “She’s proud of you!”

Mac looked at the boy in wonder. For one short moment he remembered the human girl he loved more than any other creature in his life. He was stunned as Benjamin lifted the collar over his little head and rested it on his neck.

“Hail, King Mac!” Benjamin shouted as calmly as he could, but his voice cracked when he tried to hold in his sobs.

The animals shouted “HAIL, KING MAC!” but all Benjamin could hear were the loud sounds of barking, clucking, baahing, and so on—the sounds of animals that didn’t talk. It was finally over. The kingdom had its rightful heir.