Morgan Berry’s mother had always wanted a daughter and when she gives birth to a son, she simply dresses him as a girl and treats him as she would a daughter. When he’s picked on and teased at kindergarten, she homeschools him herself. Morgan is eight when his mother brings home a new beau, a no-nonsense man called Dennis O’Rourke. He compliments his new ‘daughter’ on how pretty she is and when his mother doesn’t correct the man, Morgan flees the room in embarrassment. Naturally, Dennis eventually discovers Morgan isn’t a girl. From that moment on, he barely acknowledges Morgan’s existence and is, in fact, openly hostile to his cross-dressing step-son. On the eve of Morgan’s eighteenth birthday, Dennis, now an alcoholic, bashes his stepson until Morgan loses consciousness. Morgan wakes up outside. He has no idea how he came to be under a tree on top of a small hill beneath a starry sky. He’s trying to work it out when he meets Reginald Batt, of the Big River Batts. Morgan and Reginald become inseparable and together they experience worlds of wonder and awe. Morgan is shown sights he could never have imagined and in the process he learns many things about the world, and about himself -- the most important of which is a revelation indeed.

Stranger Things

“Of course,” he said. “It’s only just occurred to you that I’m dead.”


My eyes bulged a second time. I felt bilious.


“Oh come now,” he said leaning down to offer me his hand. “Spirits are nothing to be frightened of. Have I done anything at all to warrant such a reaction?”


I hung my head, averting my eyes. He retracted his hand.


“But nothing. Let’s say no more about it. Here.” He thrust his hand out at me once again. “Duchess would very much like to meet you.”


I reluctantly took his hand and he pulled me to my feet. Once more I was reminded how surprisingly strong he was for someone who was so thin. And dead.


“Duchess, meet a new friend of ours—Morgan Berry.” He reached under her neck and patted her. She nuzzled his ear. “Yes, I know our family names both begin with B. Isn’t that a bizarre coincidence?”


Duchess nodded and for a moment I wondered if the beast had actually understood her owner.


Chapter 5