Stay There

“Is he dead?” Jimmy couldn’t help but feel the bllod drain from his face as gaped down at the crumpled mess of a man. Surely he was dead. No one could lay down in the gutter at such an akward angle, head canted to one side and arms splayed out like he had just called a touchdown at the Super Bowl.

“No way, that would be—did he just—did he just move?” Jimmy’s brother, Andrew, was a lot taller than him. He had dad’s build, and used it to be the bully often, but Jimmy knew better than to take him seriously, especially tonight. Especially on Halloween. Still, something in his mind called his feet to shift onto the heels and edge away from the culvert.

“I don’t like this Andrew. We should—we should go get mom.”

“Don’t be a fruit. Let’s see if he’s awake. Find me something to throw.”

“No way. I’m getting mom.”

Andrew’s hand made a sound rap against the nape of his neck and set him off balance a bit, flashing the image of himself tumbling down into the massive storm drain and landing next to the contorted figure at the bottom. He flailed his arms against the thought of it more so than gravity itself, but the result was enough for him to lean back and fall on his bottom.

“Don’t even. Watch him and see if he moves. I’m getting’ a stick from Mr. Hutchin’s porch.”

Andrew was gone down the road and Jimmy realized there were far better places to be than alone near the edge of Ponderosa Village Housing, in the middle of the night on Halloween, staring at the raggedy man down there. Much better places to be. “Just stay there, man.”

Stay there.

Somewhere in the hollow night of the words got lost between him and the Raggedy Man. Surely if not, then he would have listened. No, they hadn’t reached him, because he didn’t listen. Instead he moved. It was subtle at first, a slight twitch of the hand, a loose jerk in his foot. Then, he drew his far-flung hands intot he space between his chest and the ground and planted them as if to push up. The sound of them scraping against the concrete drew his breath to a halt in his throat. It refused to move any further up or down.

Stay there. Stay there. Stay there.

Jimmy knew The raggedy Man wouldn’t listen, but he really wished he would. No one would come, and the Raggedy Man would get up, lumber out of the concrete culvert at the edge of the Ponderosa Village Housing, and there was nothing he could do about it.

“Hey, Jimmy! Mr. Hutchins’ got some good stuff this year you want some?” Andrew was calling him from the Huntchins’ yard. He shot a glance over his shoulder, wanting to scream for Andrew to run, but the air in his throat just wouldn’t move.

When he looked back to the Raggedy Man, it finally passed and he let out a soft sigh. He was alone. The Raggedy Man was gone and Jimmy wondered if it was a good thing that all he saw at the base of the storm drain was a red scarf.



545 Words