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A Man Made of Mud |
| Written by Nathan | |
| Tuesday, 26 February 2008 | |
We used to ride our bikes by the lake almost every day. It was the one just outside of our little neighborhood on the way to the general store. Looking back, I realize now that it wasn't really all that big. One could make a complete trip around the bank in a matter of minutes. The mind of a child has a way of making things seem larger than they really are. We would ride by it on our way to buy some candy with whatever change we was able to pool together. The three of us would search for loose change everywhere and sometimes our parents would pitch in a little just to get us out of their hair.
The little lake was always overgrown with cattails and lake weeds. The water was only ever visible just after a storm when the lake had swelled; even then, it was hard to see anything. The growth around the lake was too thick to try and get close enough for a look. We just supposed that it was one of them lakes that barely had any water but just enough for the cattails and weeds to grow until a storm came and filled it for a couple days. We never thought nothin of it till late August when we had made a trip to the store with $2.63 between the three of us. We rode our bikes by the little old lake like we always did. We'd all stand up on our bikes and look to the lake for a glimpse of the water or even a gator.
Once again disappointed by seeing nothin I vowed to just ignore the old lake and not look at it no more. We got close to the general store and our hearts sank when we saw who was standing outside. It was Barry. He was three years older than us and was big for even a twelve year old. He had a head full of bright red bushy hair and we swore that it wouldn't be long before he'd be growin a full beard to match even our pops'.
"Dang. Barrys there. He aint gonna let us in without beatin on one of us," Tommy my cousin said disappointed.
"Les' just turn ‘round and just go home," Leopold the smallest and youngest of us said nearly cryin. He was always the one who took Barry's beatings seeing as how he was never fast enough to run away and he cried the most when he got punched on. He was a little thing with some kinda breathing problem.
I had had enough of Barry always controlling what we did by beatin on us so I told them so. "I'm tired of Barry always controlling what we do by beatin on us. We're all nine years old and I'm almost ten. At some point we're gonna have ta start acting like men or people gonna be treatin us like we're kids for the rest of our lives. I don't know ‘bout ya'll two but I'm gonna start acting like an adult."
"Then you can be the adult and let Barry beat on you whiles Leo and me go buy the candy."
"Aint gonna be no beatins today," was the last thing I said as we got within earshot of Barry.
As soon as he saw us, a big smile grew on that ugly mouth of his and he got up from leanin against the front of the store. As we pulled up, we hopped off our bikes and walked them the couple of feet towards where Barry was standin in front of the entrance. Before I lost my courage, I walked right on up to Barry with my chest all puffed out and confronted him.
"Look here, Barry. We aint in the mood for your horseplay today. You just let us go on in and buy our candy and we'll be on our way."
He looked at me for a minute, and while I waited a punch to the face the strangest thing happened. That big old grin on his face disappeared and he looked kinda sad. Almost hurt.
"You go on in and do what you gotta do. Though I guess I'm kinda surprised that you could buy candy at a time like this, what with all that's goin on," he said to me with the disappointed face of his as he stepped to the side to let me move on by him.
I started to go on past him, but somethin about his face made me stop. I looked at him and stared for a few minutes into his disappointed eyes before askin, "What? Whats goin on?"
"Ya'll wouldn't be interested, go on and buy your candy," he said as he started to move off.
I honestly don't know what came over me. It was just plain old dumb but I did it, I grabbed Barry by the arm and stopped him. Realizin what I had done I yanked my hand back like I'd just touched a hot skillet and got ready to receive the worst poundin of my life. But you know what, he just looked me in the eyes and sighed.
"Look, I shouldn't really be tellin ya'll this. How do I know you aint just gonna run off and tell everyone else and ‘fore too long it aint much of a secret no more."
Leopold, Tommy and Me all at nearly the time zaxt time hollered, "We wont tell nobody! We swear!"
Barry just looked at us for a few minutes and we was sure that he was gonna go bout his way and not tell us nothin. Before too long he finally said, "Fine. But I gotta know that you kids is serious ‘bout this."
"We are. We as serious as a heart attack!"
"I wanna believe ya, really I do but anyone can say that they're serious and not mean it. I gotta know that you mean it. Folks who mean somethin usually prove it with some sorta exchange, they prove they serious and the person with the information trusts them. But ya'll don't have nothin to give to prove you're serious."
"We got lots, Barry. What do the adults usually exchange? You tell us and we'll prove to you we're serious about this."
"Well, you see that's just the thing, Jed," that was the first time he ever used my real name and not somethin crude or mean, "adults usually exchange monies but ya'll is gonna go buy your candy so I know you aint gonna give me that." He started to walk away again and feelin confident from the last time, I grabbed his arm to stop him again.
Barry just looked at me so I reached into my pocket, pulled out our $2.63 and held it out to him.
"Here. Take it. We're serious, we wanna know whats goin on."
Barry reached his big hand out and took the money from me all nice like and stuffed it into his dirty overalls.
"Ok, gather round, Im only tellin ya'll this once," we all bunched around Barry as his face got all intent and serious before he continued. "You know that lake that ya'll rode by to get here?" We all nodded. "Well, folks say that theres a thing that lives in it. All made of mud and sticks, and rocks and God knows what else. They say he kinda looks like a person but with all that mud and stuff on him he looks a little like a frog of some kind too. He only comes out when its rainin otherwise his mud dries out and he crumbles to pieces. Anyone near that lake when he comes out aint never heard from again. One kid who saw his friend taken by it, fore he went crazy and hung himself, said that his friend got sucked into the thing's body. He could hear him screamin and cryin and the mud bubbled and gurgled till the screamin finally stopped. The kid ran away as fast as his legs could carry him and if it wasn't for him running away, the thing woulda got him too."
We was all terrified and the look on Barry's face only made it worse. He looked at each one of us for several seconds before he went on. "And there's one more thing," he said in almost a whisper.
I never saw it comin. Barry's hand swung up and out and clocked me right square in the nose. My eyes watered from tears and from bein hit in the face and I saw a bright flash before I hit the ground. When my eyes finally cleared I saw Barry standin over me all angry faced and mean. "Don't ever grab my arm ‘gain or I'm gonna beat you harder'n your pa ever will." He kicked me in the ribs before he finally stomped off, laughin.
By the time my eyes had cleared and I was good and ready to ride on home empty handed, Barry was long gone.
"I think he broke your nose, Jed," my cousin stated while starin at my bulbous nose and waterin eyes.
"You wanna just walk the bikes home?" Leopold offered.
"Nah, I can ride. ‘Cides, its gonna be gettin dark soon and my ma gets real mad if I aint home before sunset."
So we all hopped on our bikes, me a little wobbly and started to ride on home. We was pretty sure Barry was spoofin us the whole time, but when we got close to the lake our chatterin stopped and we rode real quietly. The lake looked pretty much the same as it always did, but we still kept our distance, not a one of us got closer than a stones throw away as we passed on by.
"Ya'll think Barry was tellin the truth about the lake monster?"
"Nah, he was just tryin to sucker us into giving him all our money."
"That don't mean he was lyin though."
We all squinted our eyes and tried to see something in the lake as we started to pass it. Not a one of us saw something, not at first. Leopold and Tommy was both ahead of me on account of I wasn't feelin so well so I was the only one that saw the bubble of mud grow like a risin loaf of bread. It grew till it was barely over the grass and high enough to see just the top, then it popped; splatterin mud and gunk all over. I pedaled fast as my wobbly legs could, all the way home.
We avoided the lake as much as we could. Specially after I told them what I saw the day Barry spoofed us. We would take the long way up to the general store. It added bout 10 minutes to our ride but it was worth not havin to see the lake monster.
It was ‘bout a week went by before we was able to ride up to the general store again, but we finally got the chance. We pooled together some more change, this time it was only .83. That money Barry stole from us a month ago was the most we had ever scrounged together. I was still bitter from that. We all met at my place and rode on up to the store. We was about half way there when the storm rolled on in. It wasn't nothing huge, it was just a steady rain like we got every now ‘n then. By the time we made it to within sight of the store, we was soaked and smelling like a bunch of wet dogs.
We got close to the entrance and there was Barry; leanin on the wall with a big old smile on his face as he saw us roll up. We was about to turn ‘round and just leave but he called out to us.
"Hey kiddies. Ya'll wanna earn your money back?" he yelled as he pulled something out of his pocket and waved it around.
"Les' just go, Jed. It aint worth it."
"Leo, this is our opportunity to earn the money he stole from us, if'n I don't like what he's gotta offer then we'll jus' leave and be on our way," I stated all adult like.
"He's just gonna beat on you again."
"That may be so, but we may be able to get our monies back and the risk is worth it to me. Bruises and beatins fade with time but this is our pride on the line and I n'tend to get it back."
Tommy and Leopold sighed but they ventually decided to support me, after all, if I did get the money back there'd be more candy for them too. So we all turned ‘round and went over the Barry.
"What you want us to do Barry?"
"Aint nothin much. I just need ya'll to retrieve somethin for me."
"Retrieve what and from where we gotta get it from?"
"Well, that's the thing. I pushed one of them kids from other side of town's bikes in that little lake ya'll pass by. Turns out that little boy is a cry baby so he told his momma on me and she told my momma. My momma is sore with me and swears that if'n I don't get that bike outta the lake by end of the day, then I'm gonna pay for it with my hide."
Barry watched our eyes get all big out of fear before he continued, If ya'll come with me and go in the lake to get the bike, I'll get ya'll your money back." He pulled the money out of his pocket again and waved it at us, proving that he did have at least some of it.
"We aint goin in no lake Barry. No ‘mount of money is worth gettin taken by the lake man. So you can just go and get the bike and get all muddy yourself."
"Listen you little idiot. I made that story up just to scare ya'll and from looks of it, it worked like a charm. But this aint the time for stories. Go get that bike and not only will I give you the money back, I wont break your ugly nose ‘gain."
Barry took a step towards me and grabbed me, squeezin my arm till it hurt a little. He threw me on the ground to make his point, skinnin my elbow.
"Fine, if the story aint real then we'll get that stupid bike."
We all got on our bikes, well, Leo and Tommy got on theirs while Barry got on mine so I had to run hard as I could to keep up. We ‘rived at the lake and it was still rainin. I have to admit, even knowin that Barry made the story up, I just couldn't make what I saw that day go outta my head. I figured it was jus' my mind playin tricks but I couldn't get over it.
We all stood near the edge of the lake and squinted, lookin for the bike.
"I pushed it right over there. Prolly sunk in the mud a little so's you cant see it too well but if you look real hard you can jus' see a little bit of red stickin out, that's her."
I took a deep breath and tried to push the thought of the lake man and the bubble outta my head. It was now or never so I cided I'd just go for it fast as I could and get it over with. I walked closer to the lake and was swallowed by cattails and weeds. Further I moved in, my feet started sinkin in the mud and makin sucking sounds every step I took.
I made it to where I could easily see the red bike under the little bit of water when I heard the sloppin sounds. I looked down at my feet to make sure they wasn't sinkin and makin that noise; it wasn't them. I looked ‘round and saw right where the bike was a big old bubble formin. It was jus' like the last one only more solid this time. I stood frozen for a couple seconds and watched the bubble form into what looked to me like big arms and a fat broad head. Sticks was stickin out where eyes would be and there was weeds for hair coverin the head. A hole for a mouth opened up and it was lined with little jagged rocks and a couple pieces of glass. It gurgled at me spittin mud in my face and scared me so much that I done froze in place.
I could almost see legs forming out of the water. I jus' stood there starin away while the legs formed and the mud thing took a couple of sloppin steps towards me reachin. This was when I first noticed the fingers wasn't much of fingers at all but more like frog feet, only made of mud. It kept reaching towards me as I stood there like a simple, starin at it. Finally I snapped outta it and realized that I was gonna get sucked in if I didn't get goin right that second. I tried to turn and run but my feet was stuck. I wiggled and squirmed to free them but my shoes just sunk deeper and the lake man was still comin at me. I got real scared then. I went into a panic and yanked real hard finally slippin my feet outta my shoes and I got to runnin away fast as I could. I slipped and fell all over the place coverin myself in mud before I finally made it to the end of the little lake.
"The hell is wrong with you? You was right there. Go on back and get the bike," Barry yelled at me as he knocked me down with a punch to the stomach and started kickin at me. I did the only thing I had left in me, I curled into a ball and cried whiles Barry kicked me over and over. I guess finally he got tired of beatin on me, cause eventually he stopped.
"I'll get it myself you little chickens. ‘Fraid of a little mud on your clothes. Ya'll are gonna get beatins every time I see you for this. Little yellow bellied sissies if you ask me."
Barry started walkin towards where the bike was. I like to say that even after the beatin he jus' gave me I still called out to warn him not to go in but no words came out. I was crying and sobbin too much to say anything right so Barry just kept on goin.
Tommy and Leopold helped pick me off the ground and we watched as Barry stomped towards the lake. He was getting pretty close to where I first seen the mud man and I was startin to get real worried. We was watchin when he stopped moving and started squealin like a pig whiles he wiggled ‘round and flailed his arms like he was almost tryin to fly outta that mud. We could see the mud ‘round his feet startin to rise and he kept on tryin to wiggle his way out, even more paniced and scared than before but couldn't barely move his feet. The mud kept on risin higher and higher. We couldn't much see the mud man through the weeds and cattails but we saw the mud as it rose to his waist. By that time Barry was yellin and cryin for us to help him but we couldn't do nothin, we was all just way too scared to move.
I spose Barry was right all long ‘bout us bein yellow. We stood there doin nothin as the mud covered his shoulders. By now Barry was more'n just screamin and crying, he was wailin like a wounded dog as the mud rose on up to his chin.
Finally the mud covered his face and the screamin was turned into just gurglin. That went on for a few seconds ‘fore that finally stopped too. Knowin it was too late for Barry and that we'd be next on the list if we stuck ‘round, we turned, got on our bikes and rode off fast as lightnin.
Couple days went by and I guess Barry's Momma finally got worried ‘nuff to call the Sheriff. I spose someone saw us leave the store with Barry cause he came knockin at out door wantin to speak to me ‘bout Barry. I wanted to tell him ‘bout the lake man, really I did but I knew good and well that adults just plain don't believe in that sorta stuff. If I told him what really happened he'd get all suspicious thinkin we was hidin somethin so I told him what he wanted to hear.
"We went on down to the lake to get a bike that Barry pushed into it. Barry told me to go get it or he'd beat me so I tried but started sinkin in the mud. I turned ‘round and Barry got so mad on account of me chickenin out that he started beatin me, he beat me real bad," I showed the Sheriff the bruises I had left on me before I went on. "He finally stopped and went to get it himself. I tried warnin him that he'd sink in the mud but he wouldn't listen to me. He just kept on going and I didn't wanna get beat on when he got back so we took off and that was the last I saw of Barry."
I guess the Sheriff thought my story was convincin cause he left and never came back. I guess they searched the lake lookin for Barry, thinkin he mighta drowned but they never did find his body. Some of the townspeople think Barry just up and ran off like his Pa or maybe he was kidnapped by one of them sickos that take kids.
Me, Tommy and Leo don't go near that lake no more. We always take the long ways ‘round to the store and don't even make the trip when its rainin. People can think what they wanna think but we know what really happened, and why they aint ever gonna find Barry, he was taken by the lake man.
Copyright 2008 Nathan |
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