A Halting Tale

Fred and his little brother Roger were eager for the joys of Halloween. Today would be their third and final trip into the woods to secure shrooms, nuts, and special leaves. Then off to trade them at the gift shop for the oh-so-coveted Halloween costumes. Indeed a glorious day awaited. (uh-huh)

Roger's scream echoed through the woods, "Fred, oh my, Fred, come see this shroom!!" Fred rolled his eyes as he often did, at his little brother's exaggerated excitement.

Fred jumped back horrified, staring at a THREE foot shroom. Goodness! Roger had a good reason to scream this time. "That's the ugliest shroom I've ever seen, " said Fred.

"Who's an ugly shroom?" replied the shroom. This time Fred screamed. Roger who turned to run tripped on a large tree root, halting his departure. He lay upon the ground arms flailing wildly unable to speak.

"Well, you are! " yelled Fred. Sure he was a bit frightened, but what the heck it was after all just a member of the mushroom family.

Zip-bang-zowie! and the shroom became a lovely little girl. Fred fell back and felt a tinge of overwhelming love for this 'beautimous' creature. Roger who still lay on the ground thought, uh-oh, this is going to be complicated.

"There are so many more treasures to be found in these woods, my woods," said the lovely little shroom, er, girl. "Follow me through that yonder golden light, and I'll show you." Her eyes did that 'batting' thing and Fred was fast upon her heels.

Roger lay on the pile of leaves watching as the girl shroom and brother Fred disappeared into the golden light, "I ain't going; you can't make me!" But the older boy and lovely shroom had already gone beyond Roger's hearing.

The morning of Halloween came, and still Fred was missing. Many searched the woods daily, to no avail. It was then that Roger realized he had a lot of coins from their "trade-ins," and could upgrade(!) his choice of costume. For the first time he hoped they'd find Fred AFTER Halloween. (uh-huh)

The shop was jammed-packed. Many had waited for the last shipment of new stuff before making a final choice. Roger walked up to a wall that displayed a sign: "Magic Manipulating Potions"... "limit three items for all the stuff you collected in the woods... or equivalent coinage, Roger." (Did the wall know his name? No, the manager is also named 'Roger'. Nice try.)

But Roger, our Roger, thought: This might actually be better than a costume. Just think, a magic potion to make the candy store clerk give you all the candy?!! A magic potion to make the bank teller give you all her one dollar bills! And third, a magic potion to make Roger a hero, finding his brother and bringing him home! A huge parade would of course be given in his honor! All the town's kids would give him their Halloween treats... Roger's imagination was endless. "YES SIR, I want to buy the three magic potions!!!"

"Are you sure?" asked the store manager, Roger. He saw the devilish little smile on the small boy's face. Oh yes, he was sure, alright.

Roger was so happy and went home to make a plan. How was it that he heard Fred calling his name? The voice got louder and louder! What in the world, wasn't Fred lost? Had he been found already? No parade for Roger - what?? It was then that Roger awoke from a very sound dream... a halting dream. No magic potions were on his small desk. He'd merely been asleep. Now it was morning and Fred stood over him, calling him awake.

"Come on little brother. Today I need your help on my science project. I can't let that silly Nelly win the prize. She has won for the last two years. So get up. Help me decide what to do for my science project this year."

Roger's deflation of excitement had taxed him so quickly upon awakening. Here was Fred alive, and he Roger hating it. What? Science project? Oh yes... yes... science project. "I know just the thing Fred! Let's go to the woods and collect shrooms. You can analyze them and tell all about their life cycles and such stuff, right?!" Across Roger's face came a devilish smile. Yes... the science project... so there might still be a chance to make a large Halloween haul after all. And still be the brother-finding hero... YES! he ROGER would see it all come true!!! "Muhu-ha-ha-ha!"

"What did you say Roger?" asked Fred.