Untittled

Mark had made this trip probably a thousand times but for some reason tonight it seemed to take much longer than it should. Both he and the store were as close to the middle of nowhere as anyone could possibly get. There was nothing else for fifteen miles in any direction. He often wondered why this place stayed open 24/7. As he stood in the parking lot he thought that the lights of the store were beautiful. He had made it, now all he had to do was get home before his mother found him gone. She would skin him alive if she knew he was out at this time of night. But then again she would not be very happy if she knew that he was walking to the store for sweets on top of everything else.
“I’m almost sixteen I think I know what I do and don’t need.” he told himself softly just above a whisper. The wind took his words and ran away with them.
Again he was reminded just how alone he truly was out here. It was well after midnight and the skies were clouding over fast, threatening to rain on him. The trees along the darkened road danced in the wind and seemed to be sang “Ooo hoo woo woo hoo woo hoo,” like a child with a secret.
Why was he so scared tonight? What was so different about tonight? All the other nights that he had done this he had not been scared. Then he remembered the movie that he had watched earlier and it all started to make sense. “That was just a dumb movie. There’s no such thing as monsters in the real world, now pull yourself together and move on before it rains,” he told himself, standing straighter as he walked into the store.
Ten minutes later he was on his way back to his house with his bounty of candy and soda.
Somehow with bounty in hand the darkness didn’t seem so dangerous, whatever had scared him so badly was now long gone. “I am a man; nothing bothers me.”
In the distance he saw it - the one thing that truly did strike fear into his heart. Headlights.
He knew it was no monster, no demon, no manner of evil beast but what it could have been was far worse, far more dangerous it could be …..Mom!
Ducking into the thick undergrowth along the side of the road all other fears long forgotten now he hid awaiting the arrival of what could be his own doom.
As the car got closer he knew it was not his mother simply because of the music. She would never have the radio up that loud. For the first time since he’d seen the headlights he took a breath and edged closer to the road and peered out anxiously to see who it was driving down the road at this time of night…

John going home after a party that he knew he was not supposed to be at. If he hadn’t at least shown up he would have become a social outsider and would never live it down. So here he was speeding down a dark road in a part of the county that he very rarely came. Tim, his best friend, had reminded him of the afore mentioned facts of society, was half in the car and half hanging out the window with a bottle of beer, the last one the case.
“Ha, ah, Tim I think you should get rid of that thing now before we get back on the main road. What do you say?” Tim turned to look at John. “Yeah. You’re probably right.”
With that he tossed the bottle out into the bushes.
“Hey John, there’s a store up here somewhere, what you say we stop and get something else to drink?”
“I think you have had way too much to drink as it is.”
“No, I mean a soda and maybe some breathe mints or something.” Tim burped.
“Yeah, all right, but I’m going in. You’re in no shape to be out in public.” John answered.
“Yeah yeah yeah. whatever.”

The speeding car shot passed Mark. Then he heard something whistling, and turned to see what it was. Something hit him square in the face. Stars exploded in his head then darkness descended upon him now and he was out cold.
The world spun unnaturally. When he tried to open his eyes all he could see was a red blur. He could see people moving around him and he could hear them talking but, he could not understand what they were saying. Finally he gave up and just closed his eyes again.
When he awoke again the world was moving unnaturally and things were a little clearer visually. However, what he saw made no sense to him.
“Where am I?” he asks as he tried to sit up.
“He’s awake! He’s awake! He’s awake!” A tiny little man yelled as he ran out of the room. The room began to settled down around him and he thought to himself, “This isn’t home and I’ve never seen any hospital like this so where am I?”
Soon the door opened again and five little people entered the room. He looked down at them in confusion. “Where am I and wha…. I mean who are you people?” He stuttered.
One of the little people, who seemed to be in charge, slowly stepped forward and spoke to him.
“You were found in the woods. Some of our people brought you here. You were badly hurt so we did what we could.” The little mans voice was the most warm comforting sound Mark had ever heard in all his life.
“But where is here?” We was trying to understand and not be rude at the same time.
“You are in the forest.” The melodeons voice came from a woman standing behind the leader. She stepped towards Mark. “I am Gigi.” She said “This is Chi, and back there is Daisy , O’lock and Gaile. We thought you were going to die.” She informed him.
Mark noticed that O’lock was the little man who had ran out of the room when he woke up.
“Hello, I’m Mark. Thank you for your help.” All the little people looked at one another and burst into chatter before they turned back to look at him.
“I knew that….” Said O’lock.
“No, you did not. You said it had no name.” barked Daisy.
“Yeah, you said it was a wild beast and that we should be careful around it.” chimed in Gaile.
“Quiet all of you!” Yelled Chi.
Mark sat up gingerly in the makeshift bed, his head still pounding fiercely. and looked at them. They stopped their arguing and stared back at him.
“You should not get out of bed, you were hurt.”
Chi said his voice now back to the warm, caring tone it was before.
“I’ll be fine.” Mark answered, “Where is my mother?”
A look of confusion came over all their little faces.
“You were alone when we found you.” Chi informed him.
“Well of course I was alone when you found me, but doesn’t my mother know where I am now?” Mark demanded. The five gathered once again into a tight little group and whispered to one another for a while.
“Why no. she does not.” Chi said softly. It was Marks turn to confused “How long have I been here?”
Gigi came over and sat on the bed next to him.
“First you must get better.” She said ,” then we will help you find your Mother person. All right?”
Reluctantly he lay back onto the bed. Now that he could see clearly he looked around the room again. Everything in it was small, just the right size for these little people. The table and chairs looked like a child tea party set-something to set large dolls and stuffed animals around. There were short dressers along one wall; Over in the far corner he could see a kitchen area. This one room seemed to be their whole house. Everything was just the right size for them. Everything except the window about half way down the front wall. That window took up most of the wall and some of the very high ceiling. Mark wondered what such small people need with a window that massive? Then he thought, these little people had brought me into their home to see to me. Suddenly he felt like he was a burden on them.
Lowering his head, he looked down on the bed on which he was lying. It was made up five smaller beds pushed together so he would fit.
“I think that I should go. Thank you very much for helping me.”
All five of them ran up to his side. “Oh, please don’t go, you need more rest.”
Said Gaile. “We wouldn’t want you to get back out into the woods and pass out or something.” Said, O’lock. “No, no you can’t go yet, you must gain your strength first.”
“Yes, oh yes, just one more night and you will be fine.” Said Gaile
“But this is your home, besides if I stay over night where will any of you sleep?”
A little brass bell next to the kitchen rang, Gaile hurried over to the oversized window and rolled aside the shutters that covered it. Looking out expecting to see another small person on the other side of the newly opened window Mark was soon looking at a set of massive knees. Following the legs upwards he soon discovered the face of a giant who had squatting down so he could look in the window.
“Hello Sean.” Gaile said. “Good day to you Gaile.” The giant said smiling at her. “how is the kid?” Mark was starting to get scared.
“Oh Mark is awake.” Gaile said.
“Yes, I heard O’lock, but how is he?” Mark could hear the concern in the giant’s voice; he was nothing like what Mark had always thought a giant should be.
“He is good; would you like to meet him?” Asked Gaile.
“Yes, I would.” Sean said. ”after all it’s not every day that one of them is among us.” Gaile rushed back over to Mark.
“I would like to introduce you to Sean.” She said to Mark with a twinkle in her eye.
“Sean, Mark. Mark, Sean.” Not sure what he should do Mark attempted to stand up, but got dizzy and sat back down.
“No. Don’t get up, I know you are not well.” The look in the giants eyes reminded Mark of his mother whenever he had been ill as a child. “for now this will be fine. It’s a pleasure. Later when you feel better then we can talk. Until then get your rest. Ok?”
Mark shook his aching head and lay back down this time with out being prompted. Staring at the ceiling he thought to himself,” So that’s why the ceiling is so high, and he slipped back into a deep uneasy sleep. He kept hearing voices but when he opened his eyes he was all alone in the room and drifts in and out of sleep for a long time.
After the fifth or sixth time he woke up, he just lay there looking at the walls around him. It was dark now outside. There was a lot of activity outside his window but he could not out make out anything that passed but each vague shapes was accompanied by a distinctive voice, if you could call some of the noises voices. The cacophony crashed into one another; some singing, some laughing, some yelling, others just talking. Sounds like they’re having a party or something out there he thought.
Then mingled in with all the others he thought he hared someone crying and calling for someone, a lone voice that did not sound as happy as the others.
Why was that person crying when everyone else seemed so happy. What could make them so upset?
Slowly his eyes slid closed again.
“Mark? Wake up Mark, you need to eat something.” It was Gigi, she looked concerned. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah. I just didn’t sleep very well with all that noise last night.”
The little woman looked up at him, her eyes more concerned now. “Noise?”
“Yeah. Were you guys having a party or something?”
“No. It was quiet all night. What did you hear?” Her deep green eyes were fixed on his face.
“I don’t know.” Mark said confused.” there were a lot of voices and different sounds. They were all mixed up. And then there was the woman crying. Did she find what she was looking for?”
A moment of silence passed before Gigi spoke again. “Never mind that right now. You need to eat this so you can build up your strength.” She sat a bowl down and hurried out the door.
Mark sat up and ate the food she had brought, he wondered about what he had heard the night before but soon forgot about it. Lying back down on his makeshift bed looking out of the large window he could see more people of all sizes passing by. Some were so short that all he could see was the top of their heads while others were so tall all he could see was their feet through the window. He spent the day trying to imagine what the rest of the person looked like that belonged to those massive feet. Could it have been Sean, if so why didn’t he stop and speak the way he had before?
Maybe the little people had told Sean that Mark needed his rest and not to drop by for a while; or maybe Sean had gone off on some journey.
As the sun set in the distance Mark still lay on his bed his thoughts drifting.
The night was dark and cool just like the night he had gone to the store. Only now there was something different, something that he could not put his finger on. Soon the noise started again just like the night before. The shapes, the sounds, the singing, the yelling and there, just under everything else was the woman crying again. Who was she and what was it that she was looking for? Why didn’t someone help her find it?
“I would help you find what ever it is that you’re looking for.” He said beforesleep sneaked up on him again.
The next morning it was O’lock who woke him up. “Time to get up friend, you need to eat. Maybe we can try and get out of bed today, yeah?”
“Yeah. That would be great.” Mark agreed.
“Just let me know before you try so I can get Sean over in case you fall.” O’Lock continued.
Mark nodded his head and the two sat in silence for a while.
“Last night, there was a lot of noise out here. What was going on?” Mark asked finally. O’lock looked at him. ”Nothing. I didn’t hear a thing all night. Maybe it was just the sound of the forest that you heard. I’ve been told that if you didn’t grow up hearing the forest talking that it can be quiet disturbing until you get use to it.” “Yeah, maybe that’s it.” Mark answered as he finished his meal and set his spoon down.
“I think I’m ready to try getting up now.”
O’lock smiled at him and rushed over to the window.
Leaning out little O’lock yelled for Sean and soon they were joined by the giant.
“So you’re trying to get up are you?” Sean looked down at Mark.
“Yes. I think I can pull it off all right.” Mark said sitting up on the edge of his make shift bed, Mark steadied himself for a moment until the world slowly stopped spinning.
“Hey there little guy don’t get in to much of a hurry now.” Sean looked at him with the concern of a father.
Slowly Mark got to his feet and for a second he was standing, then the blackness washed back over him and he fell.
Sean scooped him up and laid him back in the bed.
The next time Mark opened his eyes again it had grown dark outside and he could hear the sounds crowed in on him, making it hard to think. Just as before he could heat the sound of the woman’s voice crying. Mark decided he would go and find her. If no one else would help her he would, if only to get her to shut up. Fighting the pounding in his head, and the roaring in his ears, he stood up unsteadily at the bedside. Soon the worst was over. Now to make it to that window.
After what seemed like forever, Mark made it to the window. Using all his strength he slid the heavy shutter aside. Suddenly all the noise disappeared. He was looking out onto a quiet little dirt road through the forest. “Where did everybody go?” His words woke Daisy who had been sleeping in a chair next to the window.
“You are awake! How do you feel?” She looked a little more ragged then the last time he’d seen her only a few days ago.
“I feel about as good as you look.”
Her little eyes narrowed as her head tilted to one side. “What do you mean by that?”
“I mean you look like you haven’t slept in days. Are you all right?”
She blushed a little now as she understood what he meant. “Oh, that. Well, we all knew what we were getting into when we brought you into our home, I guess.” Her words struck Mark hard. Until now he had not thought about how much he must be putting these little people out.
“I am sorry. Maybe I should just go so you guys can have your home back.”
“No, no, no. That’s not what I meant.” She said through a long yawn. “We are all very glade to help you. It’s just that we all thought you would be better by now.” She paused for a moment. “No that didn’t come out right. It’s just that we were starting to think that we could not help you get better. We have all been working night and day to come up with something else to help you. That’s why I’m so beat.”
Lights began to spring to life in windows as far as Mark could see.
”Great!” he said watching as the faces of all sizes, shapes, and colors started popping up in the windows.
“Now I’ve waked up the whole place. Your people are going to hate me before this is over with.”
Daisy looked at him and smiled. “You are so silly. You have brought nothing but happiness to us.”
Soon the little dirt road out side the window was filled with people, all of them smiling and introducing themselves to him. Even thought they had all been dragged from their beds in the middle of the night by the sound of little Daisy and him talking, they all wanted to get the chance to speak to him.
There were lots more little people than the five who had been keeping watch on him. There were also dragons, wizards, elfs, unicorns, fairies, giants, and many other wonderful creatures. And they all wanted to meet him.
Soon the sun had began its long trek into the sky over their heads. The people wishing him welcome and good health were still coming. Before he had spoken to the last one midday had come and gone again. Just as he thought he had seen the very last person, Sean showed up.
“Oh Sean, I’ve never had so many friends! It’s like they have known me all my life.” Sean leaned down to Mark with a big smile on his face.
“We have. We have always been here, and we will always be here for you for as long as you believe and want us to be.”
Mark stared up at Sean’s large face. “I don’t understand. What do you mean?”
“You should get some rest now.” Sean said avoiding Mark’s question.” When you wake up again everything will be clear to you.” With that Sean brushed the hair out of Mark’s face with his pinky finger, and tucked Mark back into the five little beds.
“Sleep well little one.” As the image of Sean’s big, warm face drifted away, the weird noise slowly drifted in. Only now it was somehow different. This time he could make out some of what was being said. He could hear the woman that had been crying under all the other noise more clearly, and she was…..
She was calling his name. This time as he opened his eyes he found himself looking up at the night sky instead of the ceiling in the little people’s house. All around him he could hear people calling his name.
Standing up, he staggered out of the bushes where he had hidden himself and called out, “I’m over here.” Then he fell back on the ground. Suddenly he found himself surrounded by people once again, only now they were all adults, and soon his mother was at his side crying while she held him.
A man in a police uniform picked him up gently and carried him to a waiting ambulance. He could hear the others talking. “No. I tell you we checked over there five times. He was not there before. It’s like he just popped up out of thin air or something.” And just before the door closed he caught glimpse of the line of trees beside the road. There almost completely obscured by the undergrowth were Gigi, O’Lock, Daisy, Chi and Gaile, waving to him. Faintly he heard them say,
“Don’t forget us. Take care.” Then the doors of the ambulance were closed and he and his mother were off to the hospital.