Here There Be Monsters (OLD VERSION)

Chapter 1: Rain Drops and Flower Petals

Fall 1991

The life of a worm is a very simple one. Burrow under the ground and search for food, maybe even reproduce if they feel like it. Although according to Mrs. Williams, worms were "hermaphroditic", which was just a big fancy word meaning worms have both male and female reproductive organs. In the reproductive process, they face each other in opposite directions and exchange sperm, which will be fertilized at a later time. Eli was pretty sure that directly in front of the puddle his face was sitting in was another puddle in which two worms were doing this very thing. It was hard to tell through the tears in his eyes, and the pulsing pain coming from his abdomen where Noah had just kicked him.

They had been hiding in a bush, the same one he walked past on his way home every day. Sometimes they'd hide in that other bush across the street, or the one a block down the road in front of Mrs. Lakes house, that is if she didn't chase them away first. But most afternoons she would be napping on her porch with a copy of The Catcher in the Rye resting in her hands. He'd never seen her read any other book, and he figured it must be pretty good if she liked it that much. Reading wasn't really his thing.

"Did you think just because it was your eleventh birthday I'd let you walk home without paying the toll? The normal rate's a dollar, but now that you're a year older than us the rate's been generously lowered to two." Noah finished and then spat on Eli, chuckling to himself. He instinctively recoiled at the feeling of saliva making contact with his face.

"Wouldn't that be raising, not lowering? I think you got it mixed u-" Noah punched Josh on the shoulder.

"That's the joke you dumb fucking fox. Anyways if our friend here doesn't pay the toll, we'll continue to beat the ever-living shit out of him. I think that's a deal we can all be happy with."

He grinned at Eli with an outstretched hand, "So pay up wolfy, before I make sure the blood never washes out of that oh so perfect fur of yours."

Eli rolled over onto his back and stared past the grinning raccoon and into the clouds, a raindrop landing in his eye and making him blink in irritation. Somehow he always ended up in situations like this. "You never fucking think before doing" or "How the fuck are you smart and dumb at the same time" were a few of his father's favorite things to say to him whenever he came home bruised and cut, snorting blood to the back of his throat only to throw it up later.

The three dollars worth of loose change suddenly felt much heavier in his pocket, but there was no way in hell that money wasn't going to be used to rent the newest horror movie, "Massacre Mania" from Blockbuster. Afterall, he had promised he'd bring it to the next sleepover. He'd had to mow the lawn every week for the past month just to get his dad to give him that much. Although speaking of his dad, in the distance the sound of squealing tires made everyone around him pause.

"Oh for fuck sake don't tell me that's Mr. B." At that moment the vein in Noah's head almost looked visible through his forehead fur as he let out a frustrated yell. Eli's hand clenched around the wet dirt almost before he knew what he was doing, and in a moment it had found itself in Noah's eyes, a shriek of surprise exploding from Noah as his arms raised to his face. In the next moment Eli scrambled to his feet and stepped into the gutter as the truck hurtled down the road. Josh made a grab for him as he stepped away but a swift kick to the gut left him reeling back, holding his stomach as he looked like he was about to be sick.

The truck screeched to a stop beside him and without hesitation he threw open the door and leaped inside, the truck pulling away before he had even closed the door. The rear view mirror showed the shocked faces of Noah and Josh as they stood up, Noah's eyes looking red and irritated even far away. A small triumph, but short-lived as he turned to face his dad, who pulled off a scarily angry face better than Noah ever could. His calm voice was a stark contrast to his face though.