Shivers: A Ghastly Shade of Green

Chapter 8

Snake-eye pulled the hatchet from his belt and ran his thumb over the blade.

"I take good care of this ol' hatchet of mine. Never know when I'll need of her," he said softly, his left eye glaring at me.

"I h-h-hope you, uh, won't need her around h-here," I answered. I felt frozen with fright.

"Around here? At this ol' cabin of yours? Nah, sonny!" Snake-eye said with a deep laugh. "Ain't no one around here I'm aiming to cut up for bait."

He slid the hatchet back into his belt, so the handle hung along his hip.

"You worry too much, boy! A kid your age should be out having fun, chasing frogs and climbing trees and catching fish. You wouldn't feel so nervous. It's too nice a day to sit in the shade reading. Get out in the sunshine, sonny!"

"I don't want to do anything except go home! I don't see how you can stand to live here anyway. I hate it," I said.

"Like I told you, I got tired of people's ways. I love it out here in the open air. I used to live in a crowded ol' apartment building in Fort Lauderdale. Too many people. I can't give my best unless I've got room to move," he said.

"There's plenty of room out here, all right. But what did you do in Fort Lauderdale?" I asked. "You must have had some kind of job if you paid for an apartment."

"I was a fishing boat captain," Snake-eye replied. "I took rich people out in the ocean to catch fish. But one day, I just had enough. And I quit. I don't miss the rich people out in the ocean to catch fish. But one day, I just had enough. and I quit. I don't miss the rich people one bit, I can tell you. But I miss the rich people one bit, I can tell you. But I miss the sea sometimes. I started fishing in the Atlantic Ocean when I was your age – and I went out after fish almost every day for 40 years."

He was talking quietly now, smiling at his memories. But I still didn't trust this old man of the sea.

He could be crazy, I thought. Or some kind of wild kid-killer.

He could be anything.

And I was supposed to protect Timmy all day long while Mom was gone.

I glanced inside the cabin and saw that my little brother was still busy with his coloring book. Maybe Snake-eye didn't even know Timmy was there.

I decided I had to try to get rid of the old man.

"It's nice of you to stop like this, Mr. Snake-eye," I said. "But I..."

"Just Snake-eye, sonny. No 'mister,' " he interrupted. "No one's called me 'mister' since I came out to the 'Glades. I want to keep it like that."

"Sorry. But listen, uh, Snake-eye. I have some chores to do before Mom comes back. She won't be gone long," I lied. "I think you'd better go now. But thanks for coming to visit us."

"So your mom will be home soon, eh? Hmmm. Maybe she will and maybe she won't," Snake-eye said. "But I just come over to be friendly, sonny. Seems like you're trying to get rid of me. And I was just getting comfortable here."

Uh-oh, I thought. Snake-eye won't leave.

"No, I'm not trying to get rid of you, Snake-eye. Not at all," I lied again. "But I really do have some chores. And besides, I'm feeling kind of, uh, sick from the heat. I have a headache and everything, you know? I should probably go inside and lie down."

"Well, maybe I can give you something to make you feel better," Snake-eye persisted. "I carry a little bag of herbs from the 'Glades that's good for all kind of ailments. I'll stay and make sure you're all right."

"No! Thanks. That's nice of you. But I'll just go lie down inside for a while," I said. "You can go. I don't want to keep you from fishing or whatever you need to do. I'll be fine."

"Now, sonny, you ain't being real neighborly to an ol' fella that don't get to talk to other folks much," Snake-eye said, grinning at me. "I ain't sure I'm really wanting to move along just yet."

"Please, Snake-eye! We can talk again another time. I promise! We'll be here all week," I pleaded.

I waited for his answer, praying he'd leave us alone.

"Well all right, sonny," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "I don't want to stay where I ain't wanted. You such are a funny kid. You should stop worrying so much. Just be careful out here in the 'Glades, boy! It can be a dangerous place. If you need help, my cabin's right over there, not too far away. You just come and get me, you hear?"

"Yes, sir. Thanks, Snake-eye," I said, moving toward the front door. I was positive I wouldn't want his help, ever. "Have a nice day!"

Snake-eye let out one of his rough, loud belly-laughs. He shook his head and slowly walked away.

I heard footsteps leaving our cabin.

Whew, I thought. What a creepy guy!

I was glad he was gone.

Then I noticed something else seemed to be gone, too. I couldn't see Tannin!

"Here, boy! Tannin!" I called from the porch. "Come on, Tannin! Taaaanin!"

He was nowhere in sight.

I took Timmy by the hand and walked around the cabin, inside and out.

I whistled for our little beagle. I hooted for him. Both Timmy and I called out his name.

"Taaaana," Timmy said, which was the best he could do.

"Taaaanin!" I shouted.

There was still no sign of the dog.

This wasn't like Tannin at all. He never strayed far from the family. Even when he did, he always barked and ran home when we called.

I was getting frantic.

Mom was not around to help. And I knew something must have happened to our pretty golden beagle.

Tannin had simply disappeared – vanished without a trace into the vast, forbidding Everglades!