December 27: Neil's Mission

Chapter 1 of 3

Just off the old state highway right outside of the eastern borders of town is a dirt lot. On that lot there is an old and tired one-story building; Shipley's Family Hardware. The malnourished hinges of the heavy door creak loudly with every visitor that pushes through and steps on to the dusty wood floor. As they browse the aisles, every tool and item holds its breath.

The straw-bristle brooms lean in their cubbies and yearn for the store to close so they can sweep the floors. The lubricants long to put an end to the noise coming from the hinges. Each aisle houses a different member of the hardware family that craves to be put to good use. The snow shovels and weather stripping both become antsy every winter. The leaf blowers can't wait for autumn and the hoses wait patiently for summer. The flashlight is king after hours, and if you listen carefully, you just might be able to hear the hacksaws arguing with the box cutters over who reigns supreme.

Every day while waiting to be that one item needed for a home improvement project, the tools and various parts make the best of their time by visiting with each other. The Allen wrenches and screwdrivers discuss tightening methods while the electric heaters flirt with the thermostats. The spackle and putty knives are all business all the time. Just like the other items in Shipley's they know that every visitor's project is a team effort, but their every thought and conversation topic revolves around the future job at hand. Although the items have their fun, each knows where his or her place in the world is; every item, that is, except for Neil.

Ever since inventory day when he and the rest of the 190-pack of his 6D Aluminum Sinker Nail brothers and sisters were dropped and scattered by an inexperienced employee, Neil has been hungry for revenge. Most of his family was reunited in the miscellaneous bin with the various nuts, bolts, and screws that can be purchased individually, but it wasn't the relocation that bothered him. What irritated Neil more than anything was knowing that his family would never work on a project together. Some were lost forever under the shelves of tools and others were wedged between the dusty floorboards. Along with the "saved" family members, Neil sat in the crowded cardboard box on the counter at the front of the store and watched as one by one his brothers and sisters were being taken away from him on a daily basis to replace other lost nails.

In his mind, the only thing that could make up for his loss was causing pain to the humans that did this to him and his family. From the moment his first sister was taken out of the box and out of his life, he vowed to make his way to the state highway anyway possible and wait for an unsuspecting driver's tire to "pick him up."

It was tough though. Not only did he have to take that terrifying fall again, but he had to convince the brooms to sweep him toward the closed and locked door; otherwise his flat head made it impossible to do anything but roll in circles. On top of that, the door opened inward which meant he would have to rest outside of its swing if he wanted any unobstructed chance at escape. From this resting point, Mr. Shipley was sure to find him the next morning when he opened the store and would simply return him to the box. Neil had a lot to consider.