*So, I found this contest for sci-fi or fantasy short stories or novelettes (under 17,000 words) and winners get scholarship money. Not much, but every little bit helps. So I thought up a slightly vague idea for a story (fantasy, I've never written science fiction and I'm not about to enter a competition on a first try). I hope you all like it...here goes nothin'.*

   "Dang, it's bright out here." The intense sunlight seemed to push down on Colan's eyelids, making it a struggle to keep them open. He fumbled around in his messenger bag, looking --feeling, rather-- for his sunglasses.
"Dude, they're on your head."
"Right, got it." Colan flipped the sunglasses down. "Ah, much better." His friend Ben rolled his eyes.
"Maybe if you kept some lights on in your cave...wait, sorry, bedroom, you wouldn't have this problem. It isn't really that bright, man."
"I get more sleep with the blinds down. Besides, I see pretty well in the dark. Better than a lot of people," Colan said. They turned onto the street that their school was on.
"Freak."
"Weirdo."
"Fine, Catman. Change of subject. You going to talk to her today?"
Colan hit him. "No comment."
"All you'll accomplish by staring at her is freak her out."
"I'll stare more discreetly, then."

   Later that day, in the hallways of the school, Ben grabbed Colan's arm. "There she is. Go. Speak. Converse like normal humans do."
Colan tried to shake him off. "Let me go. Seriously man, let me-"
"Hey, Kayla! Colan's got something to say to you!" Colan glared at him.
"You are so dead." He stopped glaring rather quickly though, for there she was, beaming that gorgeous smile at him. "Yes, Colan?"
He stuttered confusedly. "Oh, uh..y-you heard of that movie that's out?"
She was looking at him funny, oh crud, she thought he was an idiot!
"Oh, the uh, the action one? You know, with Tom Cruise..."
She smiled again. "Oh, that! Yeah! It looks cool."
"W-wanna go see it?"
"With you?"
He gulped. "Uh, yeah. I'll buy popcorn..."
Ben stepped in. "Great! Wonderful! He'll pick you up Friday night. Seeya Kayla!" He dragged Colan away. She smiled after them, waved, then turned to giggle over something with her friends.
"Dude, you did it!"
Colan resumed glaring at him. "I. Hate. You. Do you know how embarrassing that was? She thinks I'm an idiot! And I can't do a darn thing Friday night, my parents need me home to watch the house while they go out."
"Seriously? Wow. Why do they make you stay home? What are you, some kind of guard? What do they do when they leave, anyways?"
Colan shrugged. "I don't know, they're so vague about it. But I can't leave the house when they're gone. They might be paranoid, but rules are rules, man."
"OK, then, you can explain it to Kayla. Bye!" Ben turned into the guys' restroom, leaving poor Colan wondering what to do...

   He didn't get a chance to talk to Kayla before Friday. He cursed himself repeatedly, wishing he'd never spoken to her in the first place. The night came, and he couldn't leave his house. He didn't know why, but unlike most kids who would gladly break the rules for such a date, he couldn't. He just couldn't. Loyalty was the most important thing to him, and although he admitted his parents were weird, he couldn't bring himself to disobey when this seemed so important to them. So he stayed at home, and tried to call Kayla with the number he'd gotten from Ben. She didn't answer.

   He flopped onto the couch and started flipping through channels, a disconsolate look on his face. He sat there a while, watching some old rerun of The Andy Griffith Show. He'd watched at least three episodes (one of those TV marathons) when he heard a noise outside. Just a rustle in the bushes that fronted the house. Colan sighed, knowing Mom and Dad would want him to check it out. He grabbed a flashlight and went out the front door.
 He didn't expect to find anything. He halfheartedly swept the light across the yard a couple times, then shrugged and turned to go in. He'd left the door open and could hear the show playing inside.
"Well now, Opie....ya see...."

   Right behind him. Something rushed across the walk, in and out of the light from the doorway in a flash. Colan whirled around, now really paying attention. He walked slowly in the direction the person had run, flashlight moving back and forth along the hedge and the fence behind it. He saw a shadow...and stopped in wonderment. It was huge! An "it "now, definitely not a person. And it was coming towards him. He started to back away...

Then it jumped. Right at him. Colan's eyes went wider than they ever had when he saw the horns coming out of it's head, and it's bullish chest and arms.
A minotaur.
It landed in front of him, crouched, snarled. Was that a sword in its hand? Colan couldn't move. The minotaur took two steps toward him...raised the sword...and...

"Why, Aunt Bea!" came loudly from the open door, followed by studio laughter. The minotaur started and (thank heaven and everyone there!) jumped over (!!) Colan and ran off.

Colan rubbed his eyes. He hadn't seen the direction it had taken. He blinked.
"What....the heck?"