party on Main Street."
"Party? For what?"
"Oh, you know. It's just one of those town celebrations that happen every year.” Jarvis took a drink of his beer.
"Does sound fun. It'd be a great way to get to know the town. I'll ask Diane when she comes home."
Jarvis gently changed the subject. “I know this is none of my business, but have you considered fencing in the woods?"
"I guess I never thought about it. Do you think I should?"
"I only mention it because sometimes animals wander out of the woods looking for food. I just don't want anything to happen to you or your family. And there's an old swimming hole back there, too. You don't want to go swimming in there. It's too dangerous. Too many kids have drowned."
"Fence in the whole woods? Wow, that'd be quite a job. Must be twenty acres out there."
"Twenty-five. But I'm sure the boys at the hardware store would give you a fair price on the materials. Probably sell it to you at cost. I'd be willing to help you set it."
"Well, after what you've told me, it's definitely something to think about."
Jim finished his beer, got up, and tossed the empty in the recycle bin. He opened the refrigerator. “Can I get you another?"
"No thanks, buddy, I need to be going,” Jarvis sucked down the last dregs of his beer and deposited the empty with the others. “I'll see you tonight, then?"
"Yeah, you probably will,” Jim replied and walked Jarvis to the door.
Fresh beer in hand, Jim watched Jarvis drive away. He looked at the sprawling woods behind his house.
There's an old swimming hole back there.
It's dangerous.
Maybe Jarvis was right. Maybe he should consider fencing off the woods. It would probably be better for everyone.
* * * *
Another beer piqued his curiosity. The fourth gave him courage.
Jim walked down the path that wound its way through the trees, being careful not to stumble over the roots that stuck up through the ground. He followed the serpentine trail until he came to the swimming hole, then he burst out laughing.
This scummy water-filled crater was what Jarvis warned him about! Jim needn't worry about anyone swimming in that! It smelled so bad even the flies avoided it. But the cave that was less than a hundred feet away was another story.
Jim trudged up the small hill that led to the cave. The entrance was well hidden by an overgrowth of bramble and weeds, but he had heard too many horror stories about children who had gone into a cave to play, got disoriented, and never came out. He didn't want such a fate for his son or daughter.
Regardless of whether he fenced in the woods, he'd seal up the cave's entrance—and any others he might find—to prevent his children from wandering inside.
Jim was about to head back home when a glint of light shimmered in the corner of his eyes. He spun around and looked into the mouth of the cave, certain the flash came from inside.
"Hello?” He walked toward the entrance. “Is somebody in there?"
He parted the brush and stared into the dark cavity. A bright green light flashed again.
Not wanting to, but unable not to, Jim stepped into the cave and the light flashed like a disco strobe.
Come into the light, an unknown voice whispered in his head. There is so much to see in the light. So much to feel.
Jim took another step forward. Tears streamed down his cheeks. His head felt like it was going to explode. He wanted to turn back, yet he continued to move forward.
That's right. Come closer. Touch me. Feel me.
The wall of light stopped flashing and now pulsed in time to Jim's terrified heartbeat. He reached out and touched the wall. It felt like Jell-O.
Welcome.
Then he walked into it.
He felt worms in his head, and their tiny teeth nibbled at his brain as they bored through it. The light was like ice against his flesh and its brightness scorched his eyes. Images of pestilence flashed before him. Wails of the suffering echoed in his ears. He smelled death as it rolled off him in a thick, putrid
"Party? For what?"
"Oh, you know. It's just one of those town celebrations that happen every year.” Jarvis took a drink of his beer.
"Does sound fun. It'd be a great way to get to know the town. I'll ask Diane when she comes home."
Jarvis gently changed the subject. “I know this is none of my business, but have you considered fencing in the woods?"
"I guess I never thought about it. Do you think I should?"
"I only mention it because sometimes animals wander out of the woods looking for food. I just don't want anything to happen to you or your family. And there's an old swimming hole back there, too. You don't want to go swimming in there. It's too dangerous. Too many kids have drowned."
"Fence in the whole woods? Wow, that'd be quite a job. Must be twenty acres out there."
"Twenty-five. But I'm sure the boys at the hardware store would give you a fair price on the materials. Probably sell it to you at cost. I'd be willing to help you set it."
"Well, after what you've told me, it's definitely something to think about."
Jim finished his beer, got up, and tossed the empty in the recycle bin. He opened the refrigerator. “Can I get you another?"
"No thanks, buddy, I need to be going,” Jarvis sucked down the last dregs of his beer and deposited the empty with the others. “I'll see you tonight, then?"
"Yeah, you probably will,” Jim replied and walked Jarvis to the door.
Fresh beer in hand, Jim watched Jarvis drive away. He looked at the sprawling woods behind his house.
There's an old swimming hole back there.
It's dangerous.
Maybe Jarvis was right. Maybe he should consider fencing off the woods. It would probably be better for everyone.
* * * *
Another beer piqued his curiosity. The fourth gave him courage.
Jim walked down the path that wound its way through the trees, being careful not to stumble over the roots that stuck up through the ground. He followed the serpentine trail until he came to the swimming hole, then he burst out laughing.
This scummy water-filled crater was what Jarvis warned him about! Jim needn't worry about anyone swimming in that! It smelled so bad even the flies avoided it. But the cave that was less than a hundred feet away was another story.
Jim trudged up the small hill that led to the cave. The entrance was well hidden by an overgrowth of bramble and weeds, but he had heard too many horror stories about children who had gone into a cave to play, got disoriented, and never came out. He didn't want such a fate for his son or daughter.
Regardless of whether he fenced in the woods, he'd seal up the cave's entrance—and any others he might find—to prevent his children from wandering inside.
Jim was about to head back home when a glint of light shimmered in the corner of his eyes. He spun around and looked into the mouth of the cave, certain the flash came from inside.
"Hello?” He walked toward the entrance. “Is somebody in there?"
He parted the brush and stared into the dark cavity. A bright green light flashed again.
Not wanting to, but unable not to, Jim stepped into the cave and the light flashed like a disco strobe.
Come into the light, an unknown voice whispered in his head. There is so much to see in the light. So much to feel.
Jim took another step forward. Tears streamed down his cheeks. His head felt like it was going to explode. He wanted to turn back, yet he continued to move forward.
That's right. Come closer. Touch me. Feel me.
The wall of light stopped flashing and now pulsed in time to Jim's terrified heartbeat. He reached out and touched the wall. It felt like Jell-O.
Welcome.
Then he walked into it.
He felt worms in his head, and their tiny teeth nibbled at his brain as they bored through it. The light was like ice against his flesh and its brightness scorched his eyes. Images of pestilence flashed before him. Wails of the suffering echoed in his ears. He smelled death as it rolled off him in a thick, putrid
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