That unbelievable night ....

Once the other preteens and I gathered together, Uncle Goat did what he normally did; he took us deep into the island's forest. The forest was pitch-black, blacker than black We couldn't see five feet in front of us. No one lit a torch, and no one had thought to bring a flashlight. Somehow, Uncle Goat knew where he was taking us. I suspected he could get there with his eyes closed.

We wandered through the swampy woods, using gators as stepping-stones and snakes as ropes to cross small streams and ponds. Now the gators and snakes didn't bother us much. We ate them, but those darn black bears were scary Thank goodness Uncle Goat wasn't a coward. He sniffed the air like a hound dog to locate the black bears around us. Once he knew their whereabouts ...

"Now listen here, darn black bears " Uncle Goat shouted.

"If y'all know like I know, you would mosey on out of the way. Otherwise, one of you will end up being a rug resting beneath my feet tonight. So back the heck up. Do you hear me "

Slowly but surely, the black bears backed away. They didn't dare cross our path after Uncle Goat's taunting. But we heard their heavy breathing and saw their beady eyes in the blacker-than-black forest night.

We walked a long way, and it was getting mighty late. Thank goodness we finally reached the clearing in the dark and swampy woods. The full moon boldly emerged from its hiding place. That was our cue. We all gathered around to hear Uncle Goat tell one of his famous tales.

How he came up with those tales, we didn't care to know. We just gazed at Uncle Goat, drawn in closer, held captive with each word spoken. At last we grew tired, lay down on the dewy grass, and fell asleep.

I never knew how we got home after the late-night stories. Until this night. Instead of sleeping, I opened my eyes for what felt like the longest second ever. I always suspected Uncle Goat knew magic. Now I had evidence. What I saw was amazing. I swear. I mean, I double promise. I saw something incredible...something un-for-get-a-ble

Island Boy and the Unforgettables - pocket, Engelsk, 2020