Giggle Book Four
Page 5
*****
Giggle Book Four
Oops!
It was summer in the little town of Shady Grove when the children were outside playing games and having fun. Shady Grove was a small country community isolated from everything else. As a child growing up there, it was like living in a whole other world. Everybody knew each other and they were all friends; it was a happy little town. Toward the end of summer, right before school was scheduled to start, was when it happened. Stories are still told to this day about what happened that one summer night.
It was late in the day when Skip, Raymond and David got the biggest idea they’d ever had. They decided to take Jonathan (Oops) Bradley snipe hunting. They thought it would be fun to play a trick on him.
Oops was a skinny little boy who stood tall for a twelve-year old. He got his nickname, Oops, when he was little. It is said that every time he dropped something he’d say oops so everyone started calling him Oops.
That day, the three boys got their story together to convince Oops to go snipe hunting with them. The plan was for them to take him through the woods behind the old Brewington Farm at midnight and leave him in the open field in the middle of the woods holding a bag to catch the snipe with.
“I can just hear him now,” laughed Skip. “I bet he’ll be crying five minutes after we leave.”
“Wait until he hears the creepy night sounds in the darkness,” stated David.
“Yeah, I wonder what he’ll say then?” asked Raymond. “Oops!”
“Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha,” they all laughed.
“What’s going on, guys?” Oops asked when he walked up.
“Oh, nothing much,” Raymond replied.
“Well, there is something,” said Skip.
“What?” Oops questioned.
“Well, the guys and I were thinking about hanging out late tonight. Like really late,” said Raymond.
“We thought you might like to hang out with us,” interrupted David.
“Sure!” replied Oops. “Wait a minute, how late?”
“Oh, maybe 10, 11, 12 o’clock,” replied Skip.
“More like midnight,” spoke up Raymond.
“It’s supposed to be a full moon tonight,” stated David. “You’re not scared are you, Oops?”
“Oops is a scaredy cat,” they all chanted.
“I am not,” cried Oops. “I’m not a scaredy cat. So, if I come, what are we going to be doing?”
“We are going snipe hunting,” answered Raymond.
“What is snipe hunting?”
“I’ll tell you later,” said Skip. “That’s if you decide to show up.”
“I’ll be there,” replied Oops. “Where do you all want to meet?”
“Do you know where the old Brewington Farm on Hog Back Hollow and Winding Ridge is?” asked Skip.
“Yep,” said Oops.
“Be there tonight at midnight,” instructed Skip. “We’ll meet you at the barn and explain everything then.”
“And don’t be late,” cried out Raymond.
“Oops is a scaredy cat,” mocked David as the boys walked off laughing.
Midnight, thought Oops. I don’t know about that. I don’t know, he mumbled to himself. But, I’ll be okay because they will be with me. Plus, I can’t let them know I am scared. They’ll never let me live it down if they find out how scared I am. Snipe hunting—what in the world is a snipe!” he thought. Oh well, even if I am scared, it sounds like fun anyway.
The day soon passed and night finally fell. Skip, Raymond and David were excited about the trick they were going to play on Oops.
“I think he’s scared,” said David. “Did you see the look on his face when we said midnight?”
“Yeah, did you hear his weak trembling voice when he said he wasn’t a scaredy cat,” laughed Raymond.
“Well, there’s one thing about it,” said Skip. “We’ll see tonight if he’s a scaredy cat or not.”
“That’s if he shows up,” cried David.
As the evening passed, Oops thought about going snipe hunting at midnight. I wish I had never said I would go, he thought to himself as he looked out the window at the dark night. But, I have to go now. I told them I would and if I don’t they will tell all my friends and they’ll laugh at me. As midnight quickly approached, Oops slipped out his bedroom window and headed for the old Brewington Barn. It sure is creepy out here, he thought to himself as he hurried down the road. As he walked on, he thought he heard something. He turned and looked over his shoulder as his little feet picked up the pace. He walked faster and faster. He looked to his right and then to his left before he looked back over his shoulder. His walking eventually turned in to a trot.
“Aiyee!” he screamed when he thought he saw something out of the corner of his eye.
“Who’s there?” he asked as his little heart raced.
“Oops, over here,” called out Skip.
Oops was relieved when he turned around and saw Skip, Raymond and David over by the barn.
“Come on,” motioned Skip. “You’re going to scare the snipes away.”
Oops hurried over to Skip, David and Raymond. He was so happy to see them.
“Glad you could make it,” Skip said.
“Yeah, we didn’t think you’d come,” said Raymond.
“Well, I’m here,” replied Oops. “Tell me what I need to do. I’m ready to go.”
“Oh, you are,” said David. “We’ll see about that.”
“Okay this is what we are going to do. We are going through the woods behind the barn to the big open field in the middle of the woods,” explained Skip. Oops, you will stand out there in the open field holding open this grass sack. Raymond, David and I will go back into the woods and run the snipes out to you in the open, moonlit field. When you see the snipes coming toward you, you’ll use the grass sack to catch them.”
“But…but…but,” Oops interrupted.
“Oh, I know what you’re going to ask. They won’t hurt you,” said Raymond.
“Oh, no,” David snickered, “they won’t. I have never heard of them hurting anyone.”
“But…but…but, what do they look like?” asked Oops. “So I’ll know what to catch.”
“Oh, you’ll know,” said Skip. “When they start coming, you’ll know. The main thing is to be ready at all times. You have to stay alert and be on your toes. But, whatever you do, don’t leave the middle of the field until we get back.”
“What are we going to do with them when we catch them?” asked Oops.
“Well, let’s catch them first. They are really smart and clever. Oops, you have a keen eye and that’s what it takes. They’re quick and they’ll get by you if you’re not careful so you’re going to have to be even quicker. You’ll probably have only one chance at each snipe. Remember, stay alert and be on your toes,” instructed Skip.
“Okay,” replied Oops. “I’m ready. I’ll be alert and on my toes at all times. Trust me, I won’t let you down.”
The boys made their way through the woods behind the barn to the open, moonlit field.
“Okay, we are here,” said Skip. “Oops, here’s your grass sack. Don’t forget to be alert and ready because we’re going to run the snipes this way.”
“Okay, Skip. I’ll be ready,” replied Oops. “I’ll do my best to catch as many as possible.”
Skip, Raymond and David disappeared in the darkness. They laughed and made fun of Oops amongst themselves.
“Are you still there, Oops?” yelled Skip.
“Yep, I’m still here,” cried Oops. “Y’all are coming back for me, aren’t you?”
“Sure!” yelled Raymond. “Don’t worry, we’ll be back.”
As their voices faded in the darkness of the night, Oops stood all alone in the middle of the open, moonlit field. Suddenly, out of the night sky, an eerie screeching sound sent a chill up Oops’ spine.
“Aiyee!” screamed Oops.
“Skip, Raymond, David, are you still out there?” he cried out.
All was silent in the field except for the chirping of crickets and a few ribbets and croaks of the frogs in a nearby pond.
“Skip, Raymond, David, are you out there?” cried Oops.
The air was still and there was no response. Oops stood all alone in the middle of the open, moonlit field holding the grass sack in his hands. His little legs shook as he nervously looked around. His lower lip quivered and tears formed in his eyes. But, he didn’t say a word. He just stood still and looked out across the sky. Suddenly, he heard the haunting eerie sound again. Errrrr went the sound as it moved across the field. Ku-thump, ku-thump, ku-thump raced Oops’ little heart. Quickly, he got inside the grass sack, covered his head and hoped whatever it was wouldn’t see him and would go away. Errrrr went the screeching cry again before a dark shadow hovered over Oops as he hid in the grass sack. The screeching cry echoed throughout the open, moonlit field and weaved its way through the dark woods.
“What was that?” asked Skip.
“I don’t know,” replied David. “But, I think we need to get out of here and make our way back home.”
“Hurry, this way,” said Raymond.
“No, we need to go that way,” cried David.
“I don’t know which way is which,” cried Skip. “I think we’re lost.”
Errrrr went the loud screeching cry again as it bounced its way through the trees.
“Come on guys. Let’s get out of here!” screamed Raymond.
As the dark shadow hovered over Oops, he sat still as a mouse. Tears filled his eyes and eventually ran down his cheeks and onto the tall grass.
“Please go away,” he whispered under his breath. “Please go away.”
Suddenly, the dark shadow swooped down toward Oops, grabbed the grass sack and picked it up. Oops was terrified as the dark shadow flew across the moonlit night sky with the grass sack in its grasp. Up high above the trees in the moonlit night sky, the dark shadow flew. I wonder if a snipe has me, thought Oops. The dark shadow flew across the field and circled above the woods.
“Look up there,” David yelled.
“What is it?” asked Raymond.
“I don’t know but we need to run a little faster!” exclaimed Skip.
As the shadow lurked high above the trees, Skip, Raymond and David searched frantically for a way out of the woods. Oops tried to yell for help but he was so afraid he could only whisper.
“Aiyee!” screamed the boys as the shadow shot down toward them and drove them further and deeper into the woods.
Errrrr went the sound again as the dark shadow shot high into the moonlit night sky and disappeared.
“What on earth was that?” cried Raymond.
“I don’t know,” replied David. “But what about Oops? Come on, guys. We need to go back and get him. We just can’t leave him out here by himself.”
The boys returned to the field. They yelled and yelled for Oops but he didn’t answer.
“Where could he be?” asked Skip.
“I don’t know,” replied David. “Maybe he got scared and went home.”
“Do you think that thing got him?” asked Raymond.
“I don’t know,” replied Skip. “But, he’s not here so there is nothing we can do about it. Let’s go home.”
It was late the next morning by the time the boys finally found their way home. They rushed over to Oops’ house to see if he was all right. When they got there, he was sitting on the porch.
“Thank goodness you are alright,” Skip said with relief.
“What are you talking about?” asked Oops.
“Uh…nothing,” replied Raymond, “nothing at all.”
“Are y’all just now getting home?” asked Oops.
The boys didn’t say a word. They just dropped their heads and started to walk away. But, Oops stopped them and told them what happened to him as he waited in the field for the snipes. The boys were amazed when he told them the shadow brought him home and then disappeared in the night. They didn’t know if they could believe him or not.
“Yep, it must have been one of those what-cha-ma-call-it things,” said Oops.
“A snipe,” replied Skip.
“Yeah, a snipe,” laughed Oops. “Or, it could have been a screech owl. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha,” he laughed and then said, “Oops!”