The Stranger Stick

I sang the song so many times I lost count. I was probably out by the willow for a total of thirty minutes before I decided I better go back home. I checked my watch. It was five forty-eight. Good. Enough time to get back to Auntie and Uncle's house and get a bit of rest before they woke up at seven. To bad I had to go back so soon. If I stayed longer, though, I could loose track of time.

Sticks crunched beneath my feet as I made my way back to the old cabin. Everything looked the same. The trees looked the same. The grass looked the same. Ugh.

I could feel boredom sinking in. Auntie would probably make me pull weeds ALL DAY starting at eight in the morning. She would sit in a chair under a tree alongside Uncle drinking lemonade and booze. Together they would watch as I sweat and dirt piled up under my finger nails, since I would not be allowed to wear gloves. Stupid Auntie. Stupid Uncle. I kicked at a small stone. Why did I have such a sucky life?

While walking, I noticed something strange. That's what made it so strange. There was never anything strange in the woods. Now, of course, I had to investigate. I searched for rocks nearby and found a really sharp rock. Yes. Immediately, I took the rock and hacked away at the dirt where the surface of the strange item was visible.

After a minute of digging, I noticed the item looked like it was made of leather. Strange. I dug for a couple more minutes. It looked like a stick. A very thick stick. With leather wrapped around it. This was so confusing. How could a strange item like this have gotten here? Why had I never noticed? After endless minutes of digging, I realized the item could only be one thing. It was a handle. A wooden handle with leather wrapped on part of it. Enough leather for a hand to get a good grin on this tool. Yes! A tool! It must be a tool! But how on earth is it so well preserved?

If anyone else had uncovered the item before me, they either would have thought nothing of it or known exactly what it was. I had no idea. But I knew it was special. Paranormal. Like me.