Stranger Things

Chapter 2-1

Chapter 2

I woke up surrounded by the night; above me, the canopy of a large tree, in front of me, a bejewelled sky, and beneath me, a carpet of soft, fresh-smelling grass. There was a breeze dancing through the leaves and setting some of the smaller branches bobbing. It was a mild summer night and I felt strangely at peace. My jaw didn’t hurt and when I pressed the palm of my hand against it, I felt no swelling. With the tip of my tongue I checked each and every tooth and could account for them all.

Only when I stood up and realised there was not an electric light in sight did I wonder how I had come to be wherever it is I was. Had Dennis and my mother thought me dead and dumped my body? It was possible. Astounding as it was to me, my mother loved Dennis deeply and would do anything to protect him, even, it seemed, aiding in the disposal of her own son’s dead body.

I suddenly felt enormously hurt. How could she assist Dennis in something as shady as dumping a dead body? Did she not love me enough to treat my body with at least a little respect? I felt my eyes water, but I clenched my jaws and forced those salty pearls back to where they’d come from.

If that’s the way she wanted it, then that’s the way she’d have it!

As it turned out I hadn’t died at all. In their panic they’d obviously made a mistake. But if my own mother cared no more for me than to leave my body to the crows—and on, what must have been by that time, my eighteenth birthday, then I’d forget all about her. I was an adult now. Legal. I could make my own way in the world and that’s just what I’d do.

I surveyed the way before me once again, but could see little on that dark, moonless night.

“Hello down there.”

It was a man’s voice and it had come from above me. I searched the boughs of the mighty oak.

“Who’s there?” I called back.

“Me,” said the man. “Over here. You’re looking in the wrong place.”

I squinted, scouring the pitch black of the canopy until I saw something that looked like a stain on the night; a pale smudge in the branches.

“There you are!” said the voice. “You’ve found me.”

“What are you doing up there?” I asked.

It was strange, but the longer I stared into the darkness, the easier it was for me to see what was there. I saw the pale smudge streak through the darkness and heard a light crunch as something landed in the leaf litter not more than two or three metres in front of me, a strangely luminescent figure.

“I’m Reginald Batt, of the Big River Batts. Pleased to meet you.”

He proffered his hand, which I took, somewhat tentatively. It was a firm handshake, not at all as I expected from one who was almost as thin and pale as I was. But then I already suspected he was a larger-than-life character and one quite obviously possessed of oodles of exuberance.

“I’m Morgan Berry.”

“Two Bs,” said Reginald. “Our family names. They both begin with B.”

“You’re right,” I replied, unable to think of a more interesting response.

“Do you live around here?” he asked, walking a little further past me.

I shrugged. “I’m not sure. Where is here?”

“Here is here,” he replied thrusting out his hands, palms up, before letting them drop by his sides. “I’ve never seen you in these parts before so I was wondering if you were a stranger here.”

I glanced about me, seeing nothing but the dark shapes of trees, and Reginald. “I’ve never really been anywhere. In my whole life I’ve only ever lived in two houses. I don’t recognise this place so I guess I must be a stranger.”

“Glad to hear it,” he said patting me on the shoulder. “Strangers make the most interesting friends.”

“Why?” I asked, feeling as if the answer was going to be obvious.

“Because you don’t know anything about them. Old friends are all well and good, but they can become a little boring and predictable, don’t you agree?”

“I wouldn’t know,” I replied. “I’ve never really had any friends.”

“There you are,” he said with a clap of his hands. “Already I’ve found out something about you and we’ve barely known each other for five minutes.”

I couldn’t help but agree.

“So tell me, friend, where are you headed? On such a wonderful night I could travel forever.”

I furrowed my brow. “I thought you lived here.”

“But I do. I do live here. I said I could travel forever. In fact, now that I have a travelling companion I might do exactly that.”

“Hang on. I never said anything about travelling. I don’t even know where I am.”

“Well, how about we settle here for the night and decide in the morning? The grass is soft and sweet, and I’ve no doubt it’ll make a wonderful place to sleep. I prefer to rest in the tree. I feel strangely comfortable there…not sure why.”

His voice trailed off. For a few seconds there was only the faraway sound of cicadas.

“At any rate, I’ll see you in the morning and we’ll make our plans then.”

I wasn’t certain I wanted to make any plans. In all honesty I was still more than a little confused as to where I was and how I had come to be there.

As I lay down in the grass, resting my head on my arm, I heard Reginald call ‘good night’ to me.

“Night,” I called back and closed my eyes.

Sleep was a long time coming, but when I finally nodded off my dreams were vivid and more than a little disturbing.