On The Corner of Disaster and Dead End

There was no one on our block, for at least four miles on both sides. You see, living in Wyoming can be awfully lonely, and honestly, I don't know why my pa wanted us to move out here so badly. I had no business with these coyotes, and they better not have any issues with me.

As I crossed the bridge over to the marsh, I couldn't help but wonder what was over those snow-capped mountains. They looked mysterious and enticing, as if they were calling my name,

"Weston! Weston!" I kept walking towards there and kept my eyes on the ground; there were too many holes that were trying to trip me.

The sounds that were in my head became louder and louder until I knew I was not alone.

"Weston! Just a little bit further!" This was real. It might be God, and I might be in Heaven.

I looked up and was there, where Ol' Man Chessner died four years ago in a climbing accident. X marks the spot. An endless hole, black as coal, was right before my eyes. The kids I met when I went to Jackson Hole told me that he was nothing but a heartless crook who ate children for breakfast, but I'm ten and I know that they might be exaggerating just a bit.

"Just a bit closer." The voice said again. My eyes were up now, because I didn't want to miss the opportunity to figure out who this was. "Almost there, just one more step and..."

I fell straight into that black pit and had some air time. This was not the good air time though. I was falling for what seemed like days until, THUD! I hit solid permafrost, and I grunted. This was not the way I wanted to escape my loneliness.

"Who goes there?" A voice squeaked.

I looked up and there was a slim, stringy figure with one eye missing.

Ol' Man Chessner!

The coyotes howled louder with a crescendo like no other. He had died four years ago, so how could this be? I couldn't climb back out. Not if there were a ladder; it'd be too far to climb.

"Please don't eat me!" I screamed at him. Those rumors might have been accurate, and I was as scared as a rabbit would be if he were to see a bear.

The old man just chuckled and came closer in. This was it.