Once upon a time, there was a regular town in Autumn. Everything appeared to be normal, except the fence that was at the very edge of the town that no one talked about. The people heard things... sometimes they had seen things... but nobody talked about it. It was like an unsaid rule. Nobody ever spoke about the "other side of the fence". Ever.
One night at dinner time, Paul got curious and asked his father "Father, what is on the other side of the fence?" His father's face went from a smile to stone cold and stated. "We don't talk about the fence, son."
"But wh-" Paul tried to get out but was interrupted by his mother "We just don't talk about the fence Paul, end of story, now finish eating and do the dishes" Paul's mother ordered and finalized the end of the conversation.
But Paul was still curious. He didn't understand why he couldn't know what was on the other side of the fence or why he couldn't even know WHY no one can go over there. It just didn't make sense.
The next day Paul was with his buddies walking home from school when he caught a glimpse of the fence. Paul couldn't let it go, he was too curious. He looked around to make sure they were out of ear shot of any others then asked his friends- "do any of you know why we can't go beyond the fence?" He whispered staring intently at his chums.
His friend's heads all snapped quickly on him and they stopped mid-walk and hushed him.
"Shhhhh! Paul! We could get in trouble if anyone hears you!" Whispered Jack loudly.
"I know, I know" Paul said while waving Jack away. "But WHY?" He quietly emphasized.
"Like why is it such a big secret that people are sushed at the mere mention of it! Have any of you heard ANYTHING about it?"
The boys all looked at each other with daring. Would they dare engage in this conversation? Could they dare breathe a word about that blessed fence??
Tommy broke the silence- "I've heard things... people have seen things... I heard my father talking to my mother one night that he saw something in the air on the other side... years ago, but mother hushed him up real quick and forbade him from ever speaking of it again in case we heard him!"
"What did he see?" Begged Paul. "Did he say?"
"No " said Tommy forlorn
"When I asked my dad the next day he said I must have been dreaming because we don't ever talk about the fence. My father changed the subject so fast and wouldn't allow any other questions so I didn't find out anything else."
Jack and Billy said they hadn't heard anything or seen anything, just been told to never talk about it.
Curiosity took over the four boys and throughout the rest of the week the 4 boys plotted to take a sneak peak over the fence.
They firstly had to get over the hurdle of when and which part of the fence to look over so they didn't get caught.
Jack noted that there was a town hall meeting Friday evening and that would be the best time and that behind the Moyers house was the hardest for people to see them which would be the best place to take the peek and the boys agreed.
They thought they had the whole thing planned out till the day before when Billy pointed out that they didn't have a way to look over since the fence is so high.
The boys were stumped the whole day till Tommy came up with the brilliant idea that came to him in the middle of the night of standing on their bikes! First thing in the morning he whispered it to Paul on their way to school and they eventually got word to the other boys. When school was over the boys ran to Paul's house to guess in secret what was behind the fence.
"I bet it is military gun factory!" guessed Tommy.
"I bet it's an Indian camp!" Jack guessed wildly.
"I bet it's a prisoner of war camp!" Billy guessed.
Paul was silent for a long time. "What do you reckon it is, Paul?" Jack asked.
"I don't know," said Paul. "Maybe another town? Aliens?"
The boys conversed till they headed home for dinner promising to meet up behind the Moyer house.
All throughout dinner Paul had to suppress the urge to squirm. He felt hot under pressure that someone would find out his secret sin. But the more he thought about it, the more he wondered if it was truly wrong or if it was his parents that were in the wrong.
He got through dinner and watched as his parents walked down the street then like a shot he ran out the back and sneaked on his bike to behind the Moyer's house where he found Billy and Tommy already waiting.
"Where's Jack?" Paul asked a little worried.
"We haven't much time."
"He should be here any minute. He might have gotten caught up by his mom to do a few chores" Tommy explained.
The boys waited as patiently as they could, the suspense killing each one as the minutes and seconds passed.
"'Fore long we'll have to go home!" Complained Billy.
Tommy and Paul gave worried glances.
SHOULD they look over the fence? None of them had been this close to the fence. It had a strange sort of warmness to it, and strange light came through the cracks. The waiting so close to such a strange and forbidden thing made their curiosity grow like a well watered weed. It was making it nearly impossible to wait. When all of a sudden they heard what sounded like someone. The boys peeked behind the big bush they were behind and there was Jack!
"Thank goodness you're here now Jack! We haven't much time!"
Jack gave them a worried look
"I'm not so sure this is a good thing to do," he warned. "What will we do after we look? What if we die?"
"Surly someone would actually tell us we would die if we look and not dodge our questions!" Paul reasoned. He was resolved to figure it out and had enough of waiting.
"I'm looking. You can come if you want." He stated. He gave a resolute stare and the three boys were emboldened to do the same. They lined up their bikes, counted to 3 then mounted and looked over the fence-
"By golly!" Paul exclaimed.
Everything was in color...
