Back Over The Garden Wall

Chapter 1 - Beatrice

Wirt

it had been a year since I went over the garden wall. i was 15 then, still a freshman. my half-brother greg, was only 7.
i didnt think i would ever go over again. i thought it was all a dream. greg hardly remembered, but it wasnt like i expected him to. he was very young when it happened and he could hardly remember what we had for dinner last night, much less a huge adventure like that.
however, that all changed when there was a knock on my door. i went to answer it for a girl with red hair, freckles, and blue ribbons in her hair. she wore a blue dress and her hair was in a bun.
"wirt?" she asked with hopefulness.
"do i know you?" i replied. who was this? her voice seemed familiar, but i could not put my finger on it.
she frowned, then gave me a huge hug. when she pulled away, she let off a small smile.
"you probably dont remember me..." she began. "i met you in the forest." she held up a pair of scissors with a bird on them. "do these ring a bell?"
oh man. oh man. i fell back. it wasnt a dream. it was real. i scooted back. i was going crazy. nah, it was real. i stood up and walked forward.
"beatrice?" i gasped.
she grinned and gave me an even bigger hug.
"wirt! you remember! good! we need your help!" she exclaimed.
"with what? i have school..."
"theres something going on in the forest. and we need you and greg..."
"beatrice, it was super great to see you, a human and all, but i cant help you. sorry." i was beginning to close the door, but she stopped it.
"if you change your mind, meet me at the graveyard at nine tonight." she mumbled and walked away with her head down.
i tucked my yellow sweater and white button down shirt into my brown slacks and tied the laces of my brown shoes.
i tried to comb down my messy hair, but it wouldnt stay tame. i shrugged it off and grabbed my backpack.
greg came bounding down the stairs in blue overalls and a red shirt. his hair was flat down over his eyes.
"who was that?" he asked.
"girl scout. wanted to sell us some cookies." i lied.
gregs eyes widened. "did you buy any?" he exclaimed.
"you wish," i grinned, ruffling his hair. we walked out the door and were walking down the driveway when greg stopped and picked something up. he ran to me and showed me. it was a bluebird feather.
"look! beatrice was here!" he yelled, delighted.
"greg, i thought you didnt remember any of that." i responded quietly.
"oh no, i do. jason funderburker told me all about it." jason funderburker was greg's frog. he hadnt changed the name.
maybe i wasnt crazy. but that meant i needed to go see beatrice...
"greg, do you remember what happened? i dont remember. i only remember the water and..."
"no. i forgot."
"what about jason funderburker?"
the frog croaked. "no he doesnt." i sighed. i was hoping he would know so i wouldnt think i was crazy. we continued walking to school. i fiddled with the buttons on my sweater.
i stayed in the hospital for a few weeks after we went over the wall. the doctors said i wasnt stable enough. i cried all the time. i was shivering - always. when greg visited, i always felt so bad. i was so selfish. he would fall asleep on my lap and i would say im sorry over and over and over. i told him when he was awake, too but you know kids, they forgive easily. when i got out, i had missed too much school so my mom homeschooled me. i wore my cape and hat all the time. they reminded me to be a good brother. i started school again on september 19. my mom wouldnt let me wear the cape or hat. it had only been a month since i started. sara agreed to go on a date with me on july 19 and we had been dating since. i fiddled with the buttons because they reminded me of those on my cape and they made me feel better.
"would you want to go back?" i asked as we turned the corner around the graveyard.
"maybe. if we could see all our friends." greg replied, laughing. "why?"
"wondering," i lied. maybe we should go see beatrice.

at school, i was in the line for lunch. someone read out the meal of the day: potatoes and molasses. the kids spat and groaned in discuss. i burst out laughing really hard. everyone froze and looked at me.
"sorry, just heard a funny joke," i lied. the kids stared at me for a moment before returning to their conversations. i got my lunch and sat at my regular table. by myself. i had first lunch with the freshmen since i had a period for counseling. i ate my potatoes and molasses, humming to myself as i did.

after school, greg and i walked back to our house. i did my homework and greg colored a picture of a tiger.
when i was done, i went from the kitchen and into my room. at the end of my bed was a trunk. i unlocked it to find my clothes from that night.
i changed into them. they fit just the same. i found greg's clothes, then realized they probably didnt fit him. i found identical clothes in his size now, since he proposed to be an elephant for halloween again.
i had him dress in them. "why?" he kept asking.
"youll see, greg." i kept answering.
i made us mac n cheese and we ate it. then i grabbed flashlights, batteries, water, and food, and stuffed it all into a bag.
"wirt!" greg whined. "where are we going?"
"youll see, greg." i groaned. we walked down to the graveyard. i looked at my watch. 8:36.
"the graveyard! wirt, this is boring!"
"come on, greg, dont you remember?"
"oh yeah!" he realized.
beatrice walked out of the shadows. "i didnt think you'd be coming."
"who are you?" greg asked.
"greg!" beatrice exclaimed, embracing greg in a tight hug. "its me beatrice!"
greg gasped and hugged her back.
"whats the trouble?" i asked.
"the forest is dying. we need to find something that will save it." beatrice explained. "ill give you the details on the way, but we have to keep moving. were being followed."
i agreed and we climbed the tree and jumped over the fence.
back over the garden wall.