The Horror in Smithville - Part Two

Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe and Part Two of ‘The Horror in Smithville’. This morning I awoke, rather several times during the night… too, to what sounded like wet cement in my lungs… again. This is getting tiresome, and worrisome, in quick order. Having lost a great deal of sleep, last night, I elected to ‘sleep-in’ some today. However, not so much as to miss presenting you, My Dear Readers, with ‘The Horror in Smithville – Part Two’!

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We are getting to know Timmy and Archer, and the Marref family, in these first few pages. Currently, we are building to the much-anticipated ‘Marref Family Chicken Dinner’. To be followed, shortly thereafter, with an evening of a little homework, a little television, then off to bed… and an extended night of talking and planning under the cover of darkness… and their respective beds.

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In spite of my growing illness, and the ever thickening gunk that now lives in my lungs. I am very proud to present ‘Part Two’ of my very first venture into the genre of horror, here at The Other Shoe.

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Enjoy!

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[caption id="attachment_2489" align="aligncenter" width="500"] The Horror in Smithville - Part Two[/caption]

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Now Timmy’s Mom weren’t no fool, nor was she born yesterday. Margaret knew Timmy had just been on the phone, for the past half hour, with his best Archer. Margie also knew, and she loved her son Timmy for this, that he was mighty accustom to hug her at any given time. However, Timmy creeping up on her to put his arm around her waist and hug her while she’s frying chicken? That was a sure fire sign that Timmy wanted something, and he wanted it something mighty strong. This made Margie smile ear to ear. She could hardly wait to hear the yarn her son was about to spin.

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Just in the nick of time though Margie bit her upper lip to make herself stop smiling,  right as Timmy looked up into her face with those doleful hazel eyes.

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            “Mama… “

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Timmy was all of twelve now, he didn’t call here Mama, much anymore. It was Mom, or Mother. Least ways it was that ways most of the time if’n he knew his father was in earshot. Margie nearly broke up laughing and took to the floor with laughter. Again, she bit her upper lip, this time hard. She had to keep a straight face, then looked her son Timmy right in the eyes. If they were going to play this, it was going to be one to remember.

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            “Awww, Timmy… what’s got you so long in the face?”

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Timmy had his mother right where he wanted her; the big eye look always got results.

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            “Well, Mama, I just got off the phone with Archer… you know… my bestest friend in the whole wide world?”

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OK… Margie was about to bite right through her lower lip, with that one. Timmy and Archer had been pretty much inseparable since shortly after birth. Becky, Archer’s Mom, was at the county hospital delivering Archer the same week she was there giving birth to Timmy. They had even shared the room in the hospital, right after delivery. While in that room Becky had confided in Margie. Confided in her about how tight things were… since the move from West Virginia. Becky had broken down into tears, while explaining how it was to live on only one income. Becky had been hired, at the Middle School, right after they moved to town. However, the school didn’t want her to work while she was showing, and not for three months after she gave birth.

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Archer’s father had landed the job as school janitor the same week Becky landed the job as science teacher. The check of the school janitor wasn’t nothing to write home about, and Becky feared she just wouldn’t have enough to property feed her newborn son, Archer. Margie assured Becky, right there in that maternity ward room. Come hell or high water, her newborn son Archer would not do without if Margie had anything to do with it. Since that day Margie had kept her word to Becky, and out of that word had grown a wonderful friendship between the two of them, and their boys. Honest, Margie had come to love Archer just as much as her own son. They were a lot alike, except for size… Timmy had hit his growth spurt before Archer, though Timmy never made mention of their difference in stature.

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Margie knew what Timmy was about to ask… dinner and, likely, a sleepover. It was a school night… but the carnival had just arrived in town that afternoon… and, well... boys will be boys. Margie needed to get her focus back on the chicken and biscuits before something burnt; she figured she would head her son Timmy off at the pass.

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            “So, let me see if I can read your mind, Timmy. You would like… to have Archer over for dinner tonight… and… hang on… there is something else I am sensing… You would like to have Archer over for a sleepover… tonight? Did I get anything right?

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            “DANG!”

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Timmy thought to himself… was Mom listening in on the phone? Was he talking too loud? Why am I sitting here looking a gift horse in the mouth? OK… sheepish grin on; three, two… one! Finish with a BIG hug… and a deeply felt and authentic

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            “Thanks, Mom! You’re the best!”… That should work mighty fine.

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Timmy looked back up at his Mom, making his hazel eyes as sweet and doleful as humanly possible… Lower your voice back to about 6 or 7… speak!

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            “Awww, shucks Mom, how’d you guess? Yeah… Archer’s Mom is making Spam, again, tonight… and there is always leftover chicken… Thanks Mom!” Followed closely with a big ol’hug right around her waist.

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As Timmy bolted out of the kitchen, Margie whispered under her breath.

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            “You’re welcome, son. You know I’d do anything for you and Archer.”

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Timmy ran so fast to get to the phone in the front room, he was out of breath when Archer answered. Now Timmy had failed to see his father was in front room, sitting reading the newspaper in his favorite chair.

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            Ring Ring…. Ring Ring… Come ON Archer.. ANSWER, you know it’s me!

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            “Hello, Enrim residence.” Timmy always cracked up when he heard Archer speak, like, so formal.

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            “Archer, it’s me Timmy. I just talked to my Mom and she said OK!”

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Archer’s heart jumped up into his throat. He was so happy. Yes, he was looking forward to Timmy’s Mom’s chicken dinner with all the fix’ns, but it was more than that. More than the dinner, or the trip to the carnival. For the next two days, at least, he and Timmy would be inseparable. That is what Archer liked best; he would be spending the next two days with his… brother… Timmy.

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See, after Archer was born his Mom and Dad had decided not to have any more children. Money was just too tight… and they felt a responsibility… a responsibility to make sure they could properly provide for any children they brought into this world. They had even talked to him about it, a couple of years ago. It was all right with Archer, Timmy was just like a brother to him… and Archer tired hard to be like a brother to Timmy, too.

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Archer realized he hadn’t yet answered Timmy… and that and Timmy was going

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             “Archer, you there?” into the phone…

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            Archer answers, quickly.

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            “Yeah, yeah I’m here don’t wet yourself I heard ya’!” Archer giggled a little, just to let Timmy know he was fool’n.  

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            “So, should I head over now? I got all my clothes and stuff ready while you were talking to your Mom.”

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Timmy answered

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            “Yeah, if you are ready already head on over… wait, did you get Mr. Matitchire’s Math homework done, yet? I haven’t… maybe we can work on that together before dinner?”

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Archer had already finished Mr. Matitchire’s math homework, during class. Math came easy for Archer. It was as if he saw the numbers in his head. He knew that Timmy didn’t have it as easy with math, but Timmy was best at English. So, they helped each other out… just like brothers.

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            “Yeah, I already finished the math homework, I can help you with that… the spelling homework is what I haven’t finished.”

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            “Don’t worry Archer; we’ll get it all done tonight before TV.”

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Seeing as Timmy had not noticed his father, Martin, when he flew into the front room. He was unawares that his father was taking note of everything he said to Archer. As well, Margie came out of the kitchen, while he was on the phone, and whispered into Martin’s ear that the boys were having a sleepover. That, and, Archer was joining them for dinner. Martin whispered back, that was just fine.

 

Martin liked Archer, too. He was always very polite. Thanked Margie for the food, and ranted and raved about her cooking. Martin didn’t remember, often enough, to tell his wife how great her cooking was… he just got too involved with matters on the farm… and the growing disturbing news he read in the papers. It was good having Archer around the house because he was a brother to Timmy, he helped keep Margie smiling, and Martin enjoyed the larger family in his home.

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Shortly after Timmy told Archer that they would get all their homework done in time for some television, Timmy ran to his room to get ready. Now, Timmy generally kept his room in good order. He had never developed the habit of just tossing dirty clothes on the floor, when getting home from school or play. He always took his dirty clothes and placed them in the hamper Mom kept in the front bathroom. Every morning, upon rising, Timmy made his bed up and tucked in the sheets. See Timmy really liked cool crisp sheets to sleep on and cool fresh pillows.

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The best way to keep your sheets cool and crisp was to keep your bed made with hospital corners. Covering the pillows with the comforter helped keep the pillow cases clean, and the pillows cool and fresh, when it came time to go to bed. Timmy went about picking up some trash around the room, closed his schoolbooks and organized his desk. Then he took the trash out to the cans outside. When he came back into the room, Timmy pulled the sleeping bag out of the closet. When Archer came for a sleepover Archer used Timmy’s sleeping bag to… well, sleep in. He lined up the sleeping bag parallel to his bed, head to head and feet to feet.

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Timmy was working to save enough money to get Archer a cot, for use when he spent the night. Archer and Timmy never could seem to get to sleep quickly, when Archer came over for a sleepover. Timmy was ‘ok’ with that, but when they sat up talking either Archer came up and sat at the end of Timmy’s bed, or Timmy ended up talking to a disembodied voice all night. Most of the time Archer just sat at the end of Timmy’s bed, but more times than not that lead to Timmy waking up in the morning with Archer curled up at the end of his bed like the family dog. Archer was his brother and deserved better than sleeping at the foot of his bed like the family dog. That was going to change this year. Timmy dragged the vacuum cleaner into his bedroom and gave the carpet a good vacuuming.

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About the time he was rolling up the power cord, Archer came bounding up the stairs to Timmy’s bedroom. Archer was smiling so big Timmy honestly though if he got any happier the top of his head would come loose from the bottom at the jaw line. That mental image made Timmy laugh just as Archer stepped into the bedroom.

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            “Geeze Timmy you didn’t have to vacuum and everything. I didn’t mean to put you out or anything… “

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Timmy rolled up the power cord and pushed the vacuum into his closet. He turned around to face Archer and said,

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            “Nothing is too good for my best friend in the whole world, Archer.”

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With that, Timmy honestly thought he saw the top of Archer’s head come loose from the bottom.

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            “Right before you came in my Mom said it was ten minutes till dinner. We should go and wash up for dinner. Did you bring your math homework assignment with you?”

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Washing up for dinner, Archer thought, meant that chicken dinner was only moments away, his stomach growled with anticipation. Without a word Archer held up his math class workbook to Timmy’s eye level. Timmy gave archer a ‘thumbs up’ and they both proceeded to the bathroom to wash up for dinner. It was going to be a night to remember, for Timmy and Archer. A night to remember… in more ways than one.

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Just as Timmy tossed the hand towel to Archer, to dry his hands, Margie’s voice wafted upstairs inviting the boys to come down and dig into the chicken dinner. Without a word Timmy and Archer engaged in a foot race to the kitchen. Timmy was slightly taller, and had the home filed advantage. However, Archer was going to give Timmy a run for his money tonight.

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As the boys burst into the kitchen, Martin looked up from his paper and addressed the boys.

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            “Both washed your hands and brushed your hair, right? Cleaned under those finger nails, too?”

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Timmy’s Dad, Martin, was a stickler for personal hygiene especially at dinnertime. Martin explained that showing up at a person’s dinner table for a meal, without cleaning up properly, was “disrespectful to your host”. The last thing Archer wanted was to be seen as disrespectful by either of Timmy’s parents. First by Timmy, and then Archer, they showed their hands then fingernails to Martin for his approval. A quick nod, and a wink to Archer, told the boys they had passed inspection and they took their seats for a delicious and long awaited chicken dinner.

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That, My Dear Readers, brings us to the end of Part Two of 'The Horror in Smithville' here at The Other Shoe. You will be able to read Part Three right here, next Thrusday. I hope that everyone enjoys the story, so far. Fear not, there is quite a bit of fright yet to come in this story. AS well, more than a scare of two, too!

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As always I am deeply honored that you come here and read my work.

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Thank YOU!

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