On any other day, Doc’s back lawn was a picture-perfect place, every blade of grass cut to the exact same height, all of it an even shade of green.
But not today.
Today, Doc’s lawn was pockmarked with little holes everywhere.
Everywhere.
Ottis gaped at the mounds of earth surrounding him, some piled high, some scattered between blades of grass. When he reached out with his hearing, he found only one creature making that scratching sound.
“Hon?” he squeaked.
Marcie poked her furry head out of the nearest hole, covered in dirt.
“Oh gods,” Ottis whispered, his stomach twisting.
She barked at him and wriggled her furry little body. Then she dove back into her hole and kept on digging.
Ottis opened and closed his mouth. He stared at the holes. There were... maybe sixty of them.
How had he slept through Marcie digging them all? How was she still going?
... He had to patch them up. Was there enough time to fix the damage before Doc woke up?
The thought alone made him sag with exhaustion. “Oh, gods.”
“What’s wrong?” Doc slurred behind him.
Ottis squeaked. “Nothing! Go back to sleep!”
Doc turned onto his side, cracking his eyes open. “You sound panicked. Is there a threat?”
Then he inhaled deeply and sat up, blinking himself awake.
“Oh gods,” Ottis yelped, waving to try and cover Doc’s eyes. “Don’t look!”
“You know that means I need to look, right?”
“Your lawn is perfectly fine! There’s no monster digging it up!”
Lie,Ottis’ pulse said.And lie again.
Large fingers closed around Ottis’ wrist. Doc pulled his hand down gently, although he didn’t have to because the holes were also on the other side of the lawn.
Doc looked around, taking in the disaster. Ottis bit his lip.
Marcie kept on digging.
“I, um, I can’t pay for the damages,” Ottis mumbled. “But I can help put the dirt back?”
Doc snorted. Then his breaths came faster, like he was... laughing. “Marcie did this?”
“Would you believe me if I said it was a surprise mole monster attack?” Ottis whined.
He peeked at Doc. Doc didn’t sound angry at all. He was still relaxed, his eyes crinkling.
Maybe... Ottis might not get in trouble, after all.
“That must be a tiny mole monster, then,” Doc said, still huffing. He looked around in amazement. “How long did she take to do this?”
