| The wind was
howling. The trees swayed in the breeze. It was time for Hollow Willy
to, once again, make his statement to the world. With a twist, he
slithered out from under the fallen oak tree, spraying his venom to
mark his turf. Producing his hand-flute from one of his many front
pockets, he pressed it to his decayed lips and indulged himself in
a song. Thank God I'm a Country Boy was his selection for today, and
he played it on his flute for all the world to hear. It was just before
dark when young Nathan turned out his light and hopped into bed. Tomorrow
was a school day, and being a second grader, he had to be in bed before
8:00, so his parents could smoke and drink until the sun came up.
He had just fallen asleep when he |
 |
| heard a tap, tap, tapping
on his window. Young Nathan pulled back his curtains and saw the decaying
face od Hollow Willy, flute in mouth, all ready to play young Nathan
a melody. This time, his selection would be that "I Can Help"
song from the 70's. Willy blew out the first couple of verses: "If
you have a problem, I don't care what it is....I can help. I've got
two strong arms. I can help...It would sure do me good to do you good
let me help..." Up to this point, young Nathan's only problem
concerned getting up early enough on Saturday mornings to catch his
favorite shows, Dr. Shrinker, Big John, Little John, and the Bugaloos.
Now he had been slapped in the face with an abomination from hell.
What was he to do? Suddenly, young Nathan felt at ease. It was as
if an invisible lightbulb filament was combing his hair. Like a string
puppet, young Nathan began dancing about the room. Twirling, whirling,
swirling, spinning and a'grinning, the boy pranced about to Hollow
Willy's irresistibly hypnotic tune. His eyes began shifting violently
from side to side. Anyone who might have witnessed this display |
 |
would surely
think the boy was insane, his little arms slapping his sides like
two limp noodles. When the song was over, young Nathan fell to the
floor like a rag doll. He looked up to the window as Hollow Willy
gave him a toothless grin and a wink of his eye. "Whoop!",
screamed Hollow Willy as he disappeared into the midnight air. Hollow
Willy's invasion upon the earth had been successful. He had manipulated
the living in a grotesque display of power. And so, with a chuckle,
Hollow Willie gnawed down on his last bite of Slim Jim and scooted
back to the fallen oak tree. He sniffed the ground for his venom,
then, satisfied that this was from whence he came, slithered back
under the tree until the next night the wind would howl through his
evil, hollow soul. |
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