The Other Side

These woods are dark. I think they are spooky at school time too, not just sleep time.  Mommy told us not to walk through here ever, but we are late for class and Daniel said we have to hurry. He says we can outrun all the scary bad stuff. Since he's nine and I'm only four, I know he's right.  He says dahtension is WORSE than the bogeyman and that's made up anyway. I dunno. I'm glad Daniel is holding my hand. He's got a good grip so I know I'm safe.  He's walking fast so I know we'll make it to the other side.

I'm running so hard.  My chest hurts and when I breathe it's all stickly.  I can't keep up.  I didn't mean to trip. There was a root sticking out.  I guess it was my fault.  I woke him up.

The bogeyman.

I never heard him comin. I guess 'cause I was breathin too loud.  He grabbed me and swung me around like I do my dollies when we play ring around the rosies, but it wasn't in a fun way. I was dizzy; sick dizzy.  I heard Daniel screamin for me to run then he was coming at me. Daniel was angry.  Why was he angry at me? I fell down on accident.  I didn't mean to wake him. Oh Daniel I'm so sorry. So sorry. Please don't be mad Danial. Say you won't.

The bogeyman was REALLY mad.  He shoved my brother down and kicked him.  Then he tossed me down and jumped him.

"Hey! You stop!" I was yellin and I was hittin him hard but it just sounded like those little side by side drums we play in Mrs. Fanelli's music class. The bogeyman picked up a stick and held it over Daniels throat until there was little bubbles and chokey sounds from his mouth.  Daniel turned purple and his eyes got big.  He looked at me with bug eyes. So big.

"Run" is what he told me. Run. 

I knew he wasn't kidding.  I took off.  I ran so hard. Faster than gym class. Better than recess.  My head was screaming but I didn't make a noise. I just kept going but I didn't know where.  I was lost but my legs were still working and they were hot inside.  I knew that meant I had energy. 

The bogeyman threw a rock and it hit me.  It thunked way down deep in my shoulder and head.  I was cloudy then.  He came up on me and swooped me up.  I was kicking and biting.  I was pretending I was a wild animal. I just knew that would scare him.  But he tucked me under his arm like a schoolbook and walked back into the woods. Deep in there.  He was dragging Daniel by his foot.  Daniel's feet are ticklish but he wasn't laughing.  Not anymore.

That's when the tears came.  I knew I was in trouble and I wouldn't be laughing anymore either.  I told him I wanted to go home. To go to school. I told him I was late and that I'd get attention for bein late.  He hit my mouth.  It felt like lava was running along my teeth and in my mouth.  It was awful; tasted like ...hot pennies. He did it every time I tried to tell him.  I stopped talking. He ripped my shirt and yanked at my clothes.

I stopped thinking.

I thought God put a limit on the pain we could feel.  When it gets too much we go to Heaven.  That's what I thought.  But I was wrong because the pain went on and on; way past Heaven; much deeper. I stopped feeling and closed my eyes. It was easier that way.

Daniel sat next to me and waited for me to wake up.  He was a funny color and there were a lot of marks on him.  He wiped my face and tried to put my shirt back on.  It was all torn up.

"Mommy's gonna be mad." I jammed my fist in my eye like a baby and cried for a while. 

He rubbed my shoulder and shook his head no.  He took my hand again.  It was cold but I felt safe.  We were at least together and the bogeyman must have gone home to sleep.  I knew now to walk quietly.  We wandered around and watched things, listened to things.  I kept trying to go to school.  I didn't want to miss gym and it was pizza day. I love pizza day, but Daniel said no again.  So we walked some more.  He sighed a lot and I cried.  We sat down near a couple of leaf piles and Daniel told me we had to stay here.  I cried. Howled like those monkeys at the zoo.  I ran around and tried to get home but I wouldn't go too far. I didn't want to wake the bogeyman again. I just wanted to go home or school or somewhere.  I didn't want to stay here anymore. 

Daniel said we had to. For a while anyway.  Daniel is smart. He's nine.  I'm only four. So he knows what he talks about.  So we sat and waited. 

A long long time.

The woods are thick and you can't tell when it is in the day so when we saw the other kids coming in to the woods I figured we still might be okay to get to school.  Pizza day, you know.  They were running and whooping.  I jumped up and ran after them.  I wanted them to be quiet.  The bogeyman...

But they just kept at it.  I tried to shush them. I asked and pretty-pleased until my throat got sore.  I have a sticky scratch all along there from the bogeyman.  It hurts and feels all bumpy-yuck.

I heard him before they did.  I saw him come from behind the trees near the little river.  He was being sneaky at first.  I shouted for Daniel to help me.  I ran for those kids.  I wanted to show them the way out.  I wanted to go that way too. We should all run and run and never look back.  We could all be safe again. I just knew it.  I shouted for Daniel again.  He was right behind the bogeyman. He was watching and moving slowly. I almost laughed at Daniel bein sneaky too.

The bogeyman began to chase the kids.  They were sure screamin now.  I saw him throw a rock; just like at me.  The kid fell down on a pile of leaves. The ones where Daniel and I sit.  They are comfy.  He was rolling around and moaning and then as the bogeyman grabbed him he got fired up again.  The bogeyman sat on top of him and was choking him like Daniel.  I was mad.  I began to hit him and scream.  The boy was wiggling hard in the leaves and that's when I saw it. Me. My face. My hair.  My throat with a huge cut and my clothes all dirty and torn. I'm only four but I get it.  I'm not alive anymore.

I felt Daniel at my side.  He looked down and then he gritted his teeth. Ohhhh boy. That means some real big trouble is on the way.  He picked up a rock and clonked him.  The air around us was cold and wavy.  There was a popping sound and the bogeyman got knocked over. 

"RUN!" we screamed in our ghost voices.  That's what we are you know; ghosts.

The bogeyman rolled over.  His head was bleeding and I was glad.  Daniel hit him again.  He became more solid to us.  We began to give paybacks.  He screamed somethin fierce; like a little girl. He begged us to let him go. He promised to never do it again. He said sorry.  He got up and limped a little but I jumped up on his back.  All that pain I felt? I got to give it back.  Every drop.

 The boy scrambled and took off.  His friends helped him. They were all yelling and grabbing at each other.  I wish I could have gone with them. I'd like to run. Home to my Mommy to hug and kiss her.  Tell her Daniel and I are okay but we miss her. We got the bogyman and now everyone will be okay.

He was lying there very broken and quiet.  Daniel and I sat and waited.  He'd wake up eventually.  I saw a little light and heard some happy songs at the edge of the woods.  It was warm over there.  Daniel and I went to look and see.  There was a kind voice that was asking for us.  It told us to come over.  I wasn't afraid.  I took Daniel's hand. 

The bogeyman began to wake.  For a moment I was scared.  I wanted to run again but the voice told me it was all right.  There was a real pushy cold wind behind us and the ground began to shake.  The bogeyman was moaning and crying again and I smelled more pennies and something else.  Something bad; worse than dirty gutter leaves in spring.  I felt it behind me making those baby hairs stand up. I knew not to look. Some things are just too scary to see for the real thing.

I'm going to the nice voice. I don't hurt anymore.  My throat is getting better and Daniel is smiling.  I hear Gramma's voice...I can go now and be happy; run and play.  I hope there's pizza day in Heaven.


This one was another tangent.  I wanted to write form a diffferent point of view and see how I did in "conversation" I may have bit off more than I could chew, choosing a child's voice as the narrative, but it was an experiment.  I think it's pretty good.

You?

I'm glad you stopped and sat with me a while.  I've been blue so the company has done us both some good, I hope.