BHS Inkwell 2017-2018

“Just meet me at the plaza downtown. You’ll see. It’s crazy, I promise.”His voice has an edge of nervous excitement, the kind that always bubbles up when tensions are rising and puzzle pieces are falling together around the corners. “Fine,” I say, standing up. “I’ll ask my mom if I can borrow the car.” I notice what Rufus was talking about before I even reach the empty farmer’s market. It takes me an extra few minutes to get there because I keep swerving to avoid the frogs that hop around in the street. Finally, I decide to park the car a few blocks away and just walk the rest of the way to the plaza. Rufus is there, waiting for me. He gestures around wordlessly at the frogs. “So why did I have to come see this?” I ask. “Come on,” says Rufus. “You don’t find this “It’s a little weird,” I admit, stepping carefully I shake my head. “No way, Rufus. I know what you’re thinking.This has nothing to do with the Meadow. It’s probably… frog migration season or something.” “Come here,” says Rufus, walking to the middle of the plaza. I follow him there and look down at the ground.There are dozens of dead frogs arranged to form the letters “F-O-M”. “Fom? What’s that mean?” I ask. “Is it a misspelling of frog or something?” Rufus rolls his eyes, “F-O-M,” he says. “Friends of the Meadow.” I have to admit, it sounds slightly plausible. “No way,” I say, shaking my head. “There is no way Fenton is home to some sort of meadow cult. I refuse to believe it.” “You seriously think the Meadow is a normal place? How come every single plant there is dead?” “Maybe the soil is extra acidic or something,” I say. “What about the three-eyed coyotes that live there? Can you explain that?” “Genetic mutation,” I reply. “What about the levitating goat that Old Lady Edna found there last year?” “That’s just a rumor,” I protest. “And Old Lady Edna is senile.There is nothing strange going on in the Meadow, Rufus!” strange?” over a particularly large frog. “Doesn’t this seem unnatural? Maybe even paranormal?”

Rufus grins. “Want me to prove you wrong?” “No, not really.” “Meet me at the abandoned barn at “Fine,” I say, stepping backwards. My foot comes down on something squishy that makes a strangled croak and a watery crunch. I look down, lifting my foot up very slowly to reveal a mangled frog with twitching legs sticking out at odd angles. Blood is seeping out from underneath of it, staining the pavement. One of its eyes stares vacantly up at me. “Gross,” says Rufus, not sounding particularly grossed out. I wrap my arms around my torso, clutching my stomach. “Let’s get out of here.” After dinner, I try to take a nap before I have to leave to meet Rufus, but every time I doze off, I fall into a nightmare. I am attacked by frogs trying to avenge their stepped-upon brother.Then I am running in place, trying desperately to get away from a burning City Hall, but unable to move from the spot I’m in. Next I am face to face with an angry lady holding a knife in one hand and a dead rabbit in the other, screaming “Leave our Meadow alone!”Three- eyed coyotes and levitating goats prowl through my dreams, staring at me with dull, ravenous eyes. Finally, my alarm clock blinks 11:45. I unlock the front door and slip outside, flinching at even the tiniest noises I make. If my parents find out what I’m doing, I’m dead. I flick on my flashlight and make my way to the old barn. Rufus emerges from the darkness, holding a flashlight of his own. “Follow me,” he says quietly, beckoning me towards our running path. “Am I going to regret this?” I ask, already following him into the woods. He doesn’t reply.The path looks so different now, illuminated by our weak flashlights rather than the faded-rose morning sun. It’s eerily familiar. Once we get close to the Meadow, Rufus veers off of the path and turns his flashlight off. He glances back at me, motioning for me to do the same. I nod, reluctantly switching it off.The trees are thinner here, so the moon illuminates the ground beneath us enough for us to walk without tripping. We creep up to the edge of the Meadow and Rufus motions for me to crouch down with him. “They’ll be here soon,” he whispers. We wait and wait. And wait. And wait.The air grows even colder. My left leg begins to cramp. midnight.”

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