It's an unusually warm October night, the bedroom window is up, all sounds echo in the upstairs bedroom of the farm house. The normal sounds coming from the creek and woods are Mother Nature at her finest. The hooty-hoot-hooting, coming from Mr. Owl doesn't bother seven year old Daniel in the least, quite frankly he's use to it and enjoys it, music to his ears. Sometimes, Mr. Owl sits in a tree a mite to close, waking him, he smiles and returns to sleep, as snug as a bug in a rug.
Daniel is woke up by sounds, he's not heard before! His eyes open to eery lights! He jumps out of bed to the window he goes, in a flash! Beyond the creek, through the woods, he sees gigantic eyes, unlike anything he has ever looked upon! The eyes penetrate through the wood land, looking directly at him! All leaves are gone by this time, so the trees on both sides of the creek bed adds to the mysterious sight, causing the light to distort in a devilish way! Now add the imagination and fright! Jeepers creepers! Ghostly chills, run down his back! Momentarily mesmerized, with fear! Now that whatever, has his undivided attention, it turns and moves slowly along the outskirts of the forest, it's bright eyes, light up the tree line! It's throwing off fire, he spots smoke rising across the full moon! Man oh man! It's a fire breathing, Dragon, just like in the movies! Holy Smokes! A fire breathing Dragon is in the woods! It's running away, why doesn't it fly? Dragons fly! Don't they? Unable to take his eyes off the Dragon, it turns and comes back his way! Ah oh! I should wake my big brother, he'll know what to do! Thinking quickly, Clayton his brother is a heavy sleeper and wakes up slowly, there is no time for him to take his sweet time! Daniel takes the bottle of water by his nightstand and pulls the whole thing on Clayton's face! Big brother rises from the dead as quickly as a springing cat, towards Daniel! Daniel was ready and makes a bee line to the window! Clayton was looking for a fight, when looking out the window stops his momentum! As quickly as he sprang out of bed, he stops! "That's why I had to wake you up so fast" says Daniel. Still in shock, Clayton stares, as Daniel announces "DRAGON"! Clayton has come to life, telling Daniel, "put your boots on, let's go have a closer look". Daniel doesn't hesitate, he is over the fright, curiosity has taken over, besides he'll be with his big brother. Mom and Dad would skin Clayton alive, if anything happened! He has to see that Dragon up close! Boots and jackets are on faster than a fireman puts on their fire britches, sliding down the pole! There out the back door, headed towards the creek. Clayton says, "follow me Danny, we'll come up from behind, across the creekbed, as he grabs his little brother's hand". The Dragon's still moving slowly, like a caged animal in the field on the other side of the road! Across the rocky creek bottom the two lads go. Stopping amongst the trees on this side of the road the Dragon's a quarter mile away, with it's eyes looking away from them. Suddenly, as if it senses their presence, it turns towards them! Clayton pulls Danny down and motions sheesh! They are looking at the monster as it comes to them! Slowly, in no hurry at all, the growling Dragon with smoke rising and evil eyes are coming to devour the boys! Daniel wants to run but Clayton holds onto him with brotherly strong arms! Clayton lets out a laugh, that reverbrates throughout the rocky bottom creek bed! Daniel was more scared than ever, has the Dragon drove his brother mad! Then Clayton said, "look real close Danny, them eyes are lights, the smoke is coming from the exhaust, it's a combine, picking corn at night, we've never seen that before and it scared us to death, thinking it's a Dragon! We can tell our Grandchildren about this some day and make it a Halloeeen story"! Clayton gives out a big howl, mimmicking a wolf! Together the two brothers walk back across the creek, howling scaring the critters of the night! They faced their fear head on and laughed together! It don't get no better than that!
Every Halloween around the campfire, about this time of year this story is re-told. The story has taken on new twists and scarier turns, through the years. It's a family tradition. Whenever the kids are at the old homestead, they wish to re-enact the night of this true, but finely tuned adventure of two brothers having fun... THANK YOU, GOODNIGHT, I HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS HALLOWEEN STORY, STRAIGHT FROM THE IMAGINATION OF AN OLD FAT MAN, WHO LOVES TO TELL A GOOD YARN, ALMOST AS MUCH AS HE LOVES A BOWL OF CHILI ON THE FIRST FROSTY ASS NIGHT OF FALL!!!
Wow this is one I am going to tell my grandchildren next time I take them camping. Last year we took them up to the mountains to camp and they wanted to tell scary stories so I had to make some up. I did a good enough job, but I wish I would have know this one at the time. My grandson would have loved it.
ReplyDeleteSee, this is what I like about you. You take something ordinary, like the combine and turn it into a dragon. That is the mark of a true storyteller.
Have a beautiful weekend, what is left of it that is !!