THE SECRET GARDEN OF MARTHA GRIM.
By Richard A.Lopez @

page 16


Tommy Hawkins rode his bike slowly down his side of the street, careful to stay just so far from the "Jungle House" , as he called Martha Grim's property. He was, after all, a big boy, least that's what his dad says. He shouldn't be afraid of riding past that house, but it just gave him the creeps. All the plants and trees, they didn't look right. And that big bush, with the scraggly vines and thorns, that one scared him the most.
Sometimes, when the wind blew just right, it seemed to be reaching out for you. Like it wanted to snatch you right off the walk! No, Tommy didn't like that one at all.
When the wind blew just right. Like it was blowing now! What was that? Walking over towards the corner of the Jungle house? Tommy saw the small figure walk out of from around the corner of the gate. I was Sarge, Mrs. McDeal's cat. "OH NO!" Tommy thought, "If Sarge gets too close to the gate, that big bush is gonna get him!"

Sure enough, Sarge the cat, came around the corner, moving without a care. Suddenly, like a fisherman with a line and reel, a vine came through the gate's wrought iron rails. On the end was the body of a mouse, lifeless and still.
The cat stopped, startled, jumped back, hissing! Wary, it looked at the offering, not knowing what to make of what had been placed before it. The foolish creature was just lying there, tangled in the vine. Didn't it know it was dead meat? It had to know...Sarge sniffed the air, his senses picking up everything. It was already dead. Maybe it had gotten tangled in the vines, and impaled itself on the long and very sharp-looking thorns. Either way, far be it from this cat to pass up a free meal of mouse. Sarge crept forward, slowly, ready to jump back and run at the first sign of
a trap.
Gingerly, the cat reaches out a paw, to tap the body of the mouse...no movement. He claws at it, trying to pull it free from the tangle of thin vines, but it's snagged on the thorns. This was going to take claws and teeth, he thought. Moving closer, Sarge the cat pulled and tugged at the dead mouse, intent on freeing the meal, he was not noticing the vines that were snaking out and slowing encircling him, ever so lightly rising on either side of his body. Like the thorny arms of an octopus waiting to grab and drag him to his doom.
Then it happened! Quicker than Tommy could blink, he knew it, but it seemed like it was happening in slow motion. The vines reared up, and in one lightening quick motion, the whipped out and wrapped themselves around Sarge, readily snaking around his legs and torso, tightening almost instantly! Sarge let out a yowl of pain that was cut off as quickly as it began, as another vine whipped out and wrapped around his throat, thorns biting deep. Even from where he stood, Tommy could see the blood, on Sarge's yellow coat start to mat his fur.
The cat tried in vain to struggle free, but it just succeeded in getting tangled more and more, the thorns biting deeper and deeper. Then, with twist, Tommy heard a loud "Snap!" as Sarge was bent in a way he had only seen his "Captain Stretch-O" bend, and then he wasn't moving. The vine's dragged Sarge's lifeless body back beyond the ominous black wrought iron gate, and into the tangle of vines and leaves therein.
Tommy was unaware of the hot tears that were running down his cheek as he watched in horror, another vine snake out to claim the forgotten body of the mouse, while yet another with a big red bloom, wiped up the residual blood trail left behind by Sarge's body. This was more than his young mind could handle. he was only ten years old. This only happened in the movies his Dad wouldn't let him watch, but he did anyway, when Mom and Willie were locked in their room.
He had to tell somebody! But who? Mom and that guy wouldn't believe him, they would just lock him in his room, like they always do.
His Dad! He would believe him! He had to, he was his Dad, after all. But how would he get to him. He was all the way in town, and Tommy wasn't going to see him until next weekend. That would be too late, he thought. He needed to get into town, but how?
Then he saw Rudy's truck coming out of the Jungle House!
Rudy! Rudy could help him! Rudy wasn't afraid of anything, and if he could go into the jungle house and come out alive, well that was proof positive.
Rudy smiled and waved to him, he almost missed his chance. Dropping his bike, Tommy ran across the street, towards Rudy Infano's truck, stopping him, frantically asking for a ride to town.
Rudy, wasn't sure what to do. The boy was in such a state. He had surely been crying, but why. Then he looked down the street, and saw Cole's truck. Tommy caught this too, and quickly picked up on it.
"Willie hit me!" he blurted out, using the thought of what had just happened to poor Sarge to work up more tears.
Just the thought of Cole laying a hand on the kid, set Rudy's blood to boil. How could that woman be so stupid to let that bastard in her home, touch her kid! John's kid! John! He'd take the kid to John. If this didn't help him out, he didn't know what would.
Rudy new he was probably going to catch it for this, but he opened up the door and let Tommy in. telling him to buckle his seat belt. They were going to go see his dad.
Alright!, Tommy thought, now he would be getting somewhere.
And the two of them drove off to town, not noticing that the vines were receding back out of the street, back beyond the black gates.