Wakey, Wakey for Gage

My short story collection, WHERE THE SHADOWS ARE SHOWN, is available for purchase from your local bookstore, (paperback) Amazon (paperback, ebook, audiobook), or get a signed copy through JoshsWorstNightmare.com (email josh [at] joshsworstnightmare [dot] com).

“Get up, lil’ buddy,” big voice say.

Me wake from dream. Bad dream. ‘lello eyes, scary monster.

Me stand in snow. Was Jud house, but no more house, jus’ snow.

More snow from sky fall on face. It dark, but me no cold, Osh Kosh keep warm.

Big man stand in dark. Me not know man, but me not ‘fraid.

“Hey there, Gage,” big man say. He wear robe, hair messy. “How’d ya sleep?”

Me tired, yawn. Want Mommy, Daddy. Me cry.

“Why the waterworks?” Big man smile, pat me on head. “Uncle Jack’s here to help!”

Me stop cry. “Mommy? Daddy?”

“I’ll help ya find ‘em. Got a boy of my own. And we all know how a boy loves his Mommy and Daddy.”

Me look ‘cross street. See house! Dark, but Mommy, Daddy inside! Clap hands. Happy! Me go home!

Run through snow to road. Me fast.

Uncle Jack pick me up, way up high. Big truck go by, windy, windy, cold snow in face. Honk horn. Ouch, hurt ears! Me cry ‘gain.

“Give it a rest, eh?” Uncle Jack say. He no smile.

“Me want go home!” Me point house. Want kiss Mommy, Daddy. Hug Ellie. Pet Church, pretty kitty.

“I know ya do,” Uncle Jack say. “But Mommy and Daddy don’t live there anymore.”

Me sad. Cry hard.

“Hey, I got ya a present!” Uncle Jack put down. He smile.

Me stop cry. Me laugh. Jump up and down. Me love present!

Uncle Jack take pencil from pocket. It pretty red. “Here ya go. You can draw a picture for your Daddy when ya get home.”

Me love draw! Take pencil, put in Osh Kosh pocket. “We go now?” Hold Uncle Jack hand. It big, cold.

“Not this time,” Uncle Jack say. “But yer Aunt Annie can!”

Me see road. Big car there. Me and Uncle Jack walk to car. He open door.

Big lady inside, wear pretty dress.

“How they hangin’, Annie?” Uncle Jack say to big lady.

“Keep quiet, dirty bird,” big lady say. She mad. Then smile at me. “And this must be Gage!”

Uncle Jack pick me up, way up high, put in front seat like big boy. “Got a kiss for your Aunt Annie?” big lady say, give wet kiss on cheek. Yuck. Smell like dirt. Me wipe off.

“Say hi to Daddy for me, won’t ya?” Uncle Jack say, rub my hair, make messy like him.

Me laugh.

Uncle Jack close door. Aunt Annie drive ‘way, fast, fast! Me wave Uncle Jack, but he gone.

Huff, huff in ear. Turn ‘round. Big brown doggie! Me ‘fraid! Me cry!

“Never mind Cujo there,” Aunt Annie say. “Nothing but a big old softie.”

Doggie lick face. Wet mouth smell like potty, but me laugh. Dog lick ‘gain. Nice doggie! Floppy ear like bunny!

Me pet doggie. Make friend.

Aunt Annie drive fast, fast. Big trees in dark, snow come down.

Me sleepy. Close Eyes.

***

“Wakey, wakey!” Aunt Annie say.

Me open eyes. Look out car window. Big black gate, tall red house. Not know house. “Where we?”

“This is where Mommy and Daddy live,” Aunt Annie say.

Me ‘fraid. Not want go.

“Don’t worry,” Aunt Annie say, “Cujo’ll keep you company.”

Me pet Cujo head. He lick face with wet potty mouth. Me laugh. “Aunt Annie, come?”

Aunt Annie shake head, big smile. “Soon.”

Aunt Annie go outside, walk in snow, open car door. Pick me up, way up high. Aunt Annie big, strong, put me down in snow. More snow fall from sky. Me stick out tongue, try catch snow. Can’t.

Cujo jump out car. Nose in snow, Cujo sneeze. Silly doggie. Me laugh.

Cujo go gate, push with nose. It open, creeeeeeeak.

Me ‘fraid. Turn ‘round, but Aunt Annie gone, no car.

Cujo walk. Make big holes in snow with feet. Me go after, walk in holes, all way to steps.

Cujo go up one step. Me go up one step. Two. Me slip! Fall down on knees in snow! Owwww!

Me cry. But big boy, stop cry. Stand up. Go up step, up step, up step, to door.

Cujo bark. Bark loud.

Me bark, too! “Ruff, ruff!”

Snow fall down, but me no cold. Soon, hug Mommy, Daddy. Drink hot cho’lat. Me pet Cujo, so soft.

Door open. Lady in fluffy robe. Mommy? White hair. Not Mommy! Mommy friend?

“What in the world?” Nice lady say, mouth big O.

Short little doggie run outside. Black, white. Cute, cute! It bark at Cujo.

Cujo run ‘way in snow. Cute little doggie run after to play.

“Molly, no!” nice lady yell.

Me run by lady inside house. Soft rug, smell like flower.

Me see steps. Mommy, Daddy sleep up steps.

Me go up steps. One. Two. Big picture on wall. Uncle Jack face! Me smile.

Three steps. Four. ‘nother picture. Aunt Annie face! Yay!

Five. Too many steps. Tired. Crawl rest way.

Me get top! So high!

Go down hall. Open door. Desk, ‘puter. No Mommy, Daddy. Big pile paper.

Take paper off pile. Bedtime story? But me no read, only Mommy, Daddy. Other side paper, no story. Put paper in pocket with pencil.

Out door, walk down hall. ‘nother door, little way open. Push all way. It dark, Daddy in bed under blankie, sleeping! He snore loud. Me laugh.

Me go bed. It tall. Me climb way up high, like playground slide. Bed big, soft.

Me get paper out pocket. Pencil. Poke finger with pencil. Oww! But big boy, no cry.

Want wake Daddy, but Daddy snore and snore. Me wait. Draw picture for Daddy, first.

Draw Gage, and Mommy, and Daddy, and Ellie, and Church, and Uncle Jack, and Aunt Annie, and Cujo. Draw house, trees. Draw road.

Stop draw. Put down paper. Dizzy. ‘member bad dream.

***

Gage run to road. Big truck, loud, loud! Gage Fly!

Gage wake up. Daddy with big shovel. Daddy pick Gage up, way up high, dirt all over. Daddy carry Gage through big dark trees.

Daddy and Gage go house! Daddy give Gage bath, put Gage beddie-bye. But Gage no sleepy. Hot, head feel funny. Gage get out bed.

Gage go down steps, outside. Dark. Cross road—no truck—Jud house.

Gage hurt Jud. Gage not know why.

Daddy come! Gage hurt Daddy! Gage not know why!

Daddy get mad! Real mad!

Daddy give Gage med’cine. Gage sleepy. Go beddie-bye...

***

No more dream. Me crawl on bed, pull blankie from Daddy face. Sleeping. But not Daddy! Man have white hair! Man face funny, square like Lego man!

Not know man. But me no like.

Man make big truck come, make me beddie-bye in dirt.

Man make feel funny, make hurt Jud and Daddy.

Man make Church go ‘way, take Mommy, Daddy, Ellie ‘way.

Me get mad, feel hot. This man…bad! Me hate bad man!

Light come on.

“Steve!” Nice lady yell. “My God!”

Me climb bad man tummy, hold pencil tight.

Bad man open eyes, little eyes. “So, it’s you this time, Gage,” bad man say.

Me want be happy boy. Play with toys. Games with Ellie. Pet Church. Love Mommy, Daddy. But bad man take all ‘way. Me feel hot. Real hot, head funny.

Me take bad man ‘way!

Hold pencil tight. Hand back like for throw ball.

“I’m so sorry,” bad man say, little eyes wet.

Me put pencil in bad man eye, hard, hard. Pencil draw red on bad man face.

Nice lady scream.

Me put pencil in bad man eye again! Again! Again!

Me laugh. Hand red, wet with pencil.

Feel sleepy. Lay down on bed. Close eyes.

Pretty bright light. Me see Mommy, Daddy! Smile, smile, smile. Want hug me! Church there, too, meow-meow, pretty kitty!

Me no feel hot. No feel funny. Me happy! So happy.

Me run to light.

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