| Horror and Thriller Non-Fiction posted May 21, 2020 |
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True story
It came from beneath the Barley
by Brad Bennett
There is a kingdom far up in the Pacific Northwest where a brave knight once defeated a tyrant king. Over in a nearby barn's hayloft, a fearless sea captain held off hordes of pirates. In an apple orchard, a lone cowboy single-handedly faced down a gang of desperados. There was drama lurking behind every tree-lined fencerow, meadow of ryegrass, and stack of hay bales in that valley.
That's how it was anyway for a twelve-year-old kid living on an Oregon farm in that 1958 hot summer. I knew all those adventures––fought them all. When the bad guys were all dispatched, I would hang up my trusty weapon––now morphed back into a stick, and head into the house for dinner. My grandmother would have sizzling pork chops ready and hot biscuits on the table. My defeated enemies suspended in limbo until I summoned them again to fight another day.
I was spending the summer with my grandmother, Lois, on her 72-acre spread. Here, I had my exploits and comic books for inspiration. The term 'comic book' seems a misnomer; these were the Classics Illustrated Books, they depicted Robinson Crusoe, Treasure Island, and King Arthur. They were my introduction to the classics, and I had this farm as my stage to act them out.
I didn’t watch much TV back in those days, not with the entire outdoors to play in. However, I did have one other distraction––the local theater in the small town of Independence only three miles away. Here a kid would fuel his imaginings, sitting in complete wonder, gazing up at that glistening screen. Lois would often need something for her milking chores, and I would ride into town with her. There, I’d wander over to the theater and use my allowance money to watch a Roy Rogers oat burner, a Flash Gordon serial, then walk back home. But one day something special happened, the theater announced an exciting feature attraction––coming soon!
“IT Came From Beneath The Sea!” the dramatic voice boomed out. “A beast unleashed from the Primordial depths is out to destroy the world. Audiences will run from the theater screaming in terror!”
Wow! Well, that sealed the deal. No way in hell would I miss that. But, there would be one minor problem, the picture would run late. I'd have to walk home after dark. Now, being a kid with an overcharged imagination would make that a bit scary, but I still figured I’d handle it.
When the picture's opening day arrived, I rode in with Lois and headed straight for the Movie. Once inside, I stocked up on Sugar Babies, a supersize Grape Nehi, and plenty of popcorn. I found a seat right down front and waited in feverish anticipation as the opening credits crawled by.
It began creepy enough, with lots of ominous clues about a creature lurking under the ocean. Disturbing music began swelling up, telling us it was slithering its way up the river towards New York City. Next, the Staten Island ferry appeared, loaded with passengers as it crossed over the harbor. The music started getting louder; the tempo increasing, frightened voices began building up behind me.
"Look out for the beast!" Some kid yelled as if the passengers could hear us.
Then it happened. A long snake-like neck emerged from the river. The camera panned up to the monster’s slimy head––its mouth opened, revealing slashing teeth. It emitted a terrifying roar that shook the theater.
Then came a girl’s shrill scream. “Oh my God! Not all those people!”
The beast’s head came down, and to our horror, bit a considerable chunk off the ferry as if eating a sandwich. It rose back up––dozens of people stuck in its maw, dismembered bodies falling back into the water. The screaming became deafening. I sat frozen in fear, my knuckles grasping the armrest in terror!
At last, it was over. The lights came on, and we all filed out the front. I was so jumpy; I’d forgotten my half-eaten Sugar Babies. As everybody drifted away, I found myself standing in the dark outside the closing theater. The fear in my gut started building up. I now faced a long walk home on a dark country road after just watching a monster devour people alive.
I stood in fear, what to do? Finally, I realized I had no other option. I set my resolve, took a deep breath, and started down the highway into the ominous void leading away from town. The sky was black now, with only a glimpse of light. Wisps of clouds drifted past a shimmering moon; I pressed on. Every sound in the night made me stop and freeze.
What was that?
I kept on, the moon's glow providing just enough light to find the roadway. The shadows that lurked in the passing bushes sent my heart beating faster. A noise––horse whinny, that’s okay; it told me I’m near Collins's farm––they had horses.
On into the night, I trod, daring to look only forward, away from the threatening shadows. Soon I could make out the outline of trees marking the turnoff to Grandma's farm. Then a stiff breeze arose—rattling sounds came from the darkness. Panic grabbed me, I quickened my pace and passed by the trees. The moon came into view, then…
“Oh, my God!” There framed in the silvery light––long, snake-like neck, fierce, dark head––Just like the BEAST!
For what seemed an eternity, I stood transfixed on that highway, the monster's profile in the moonlight. The wind came up stronger; the creature dropped its jaw––out came a loud, piercing screech!
I took off down the highway in a dead run!
Up ahead, I glimpsed the farm road turnoff; I rushed into it-–gravel crunching under my shoes told me I’m on the roadway. Soon, the neighbors' distant farm's lights came into view, a mile to go. I ran on in terror until I couldn’t run anymore. I stopped to catch my breath, my chest heaving, my heart pounding, tiptoeing forward, praying the monster wouldn't see me in the dark. I plodded on, trying to keep going in the right direction. The glow of the neighbors' yard lights helping me to find my way.
Grandma's farmhouse loomed in sight. Home at last! Inside, Lois was listening to Fibber Magee and Molly on her radio as usual; I don't believe she even noticed me come in. My gut had been in so much turmoil I wasn't hungry, I barely touched the food she left for me. I went out on the back porch and stood, my legs aching. I must have just set a record for a kid covering a two-mile distance. Below loomed the darkened fields surrounding the farm. What was this thing I saw? Was it real? I hurried back inside. Every sound that came from the dark that night shook me awake. I slept little.
The following day I knew I had to go back, see what was in that field? However, this time, I would see it safely from Grandma's 1948 Plymouth. After lunch, Lois got ready for her town trip, and I scrambled into the car. When we approached the junction where the creature lurked, my fear welled up again. We rounded the corner and reached the site. I stared into the passing field, and there it was.
Standing tall near a grain silo was a barley-feeding auger. A long steel pipe mounted to a grain hauler, at its top, a hinged downspout. The wind must have caused the jaw to drop, causing the screeching noise.
My beast had been exposed.
Many years later I returned to the valley to visit the farm. As I drove by the gilded meadows of barley, I couldn’t help but reminisce about all the exploits I had playing in this beautiful countryside as a child. Of course, the first thing I wanted to do was see if my creature had survived after all these years. I drove the old highway to the site, parked along the road, and got out. I walked the same direction down the road as before and approached my beast's location.
And there, much to my surprise, off in the pasture, I could see the old grain pipe was still there. Battered and beaten, but still standing tall.
Even today, I still think about that farm and the farmer who lived there. I often wondered––should I have gone in and told him what happened that night? He would never know he possessed the Beast That Came From Beneath The Barley.
Horror Writing Contest contest entry
There is a kingdom far up in the Pacific Northwest where a brave knight once defeated a tyrant king. Over in a nearby barn's hayloft, a fearless sea captain held off hordes of pirates. In an apple orchard, a lone cowboy single-handedly faced down a gang of desperados. There was drama lurking behind every tree-lined fencerow, meadow of ryegrass, and stack of hay bales in that valley.
That's how it was anyway for a twelve-year-old kid living on an Oregon farm in that 1958 hot summer. I knew all those adventures––fought them all. When the bad guys were all dispatched, I would hang up my trusty weapon––now morphed back into a stick, and head into the house for dinner. My grandmother would have sizzling pork chops ready and hot biscuits on the table. My defeated enemies suspended in limbo until I summoned them again to fight another day.
I was spending the summer with my grandmother, Lois, on her 72-acre spread. Here, I had my exploits and comic books for inspiration. The term 'comic book' seems a misnomer; these were the Classics Illustrated Books, they depicted Robinson Crusoe, Treasure Island, and King Arthur. They were my introduction to the classics, and I had this farm as my stage to act them out.
I didn’t watch much TV back in those days, not with the entire outdoors to play in. However, I did have one other distraction––the local theater in the small town of Independence only three miles away. Here a kid would fuel his imaginings, sitting in complete wonder, gazing up at that glistening screen. Lois would often need something for her milking chores, and I would ride into town with her. There, I’d wander over to the theater and use my allowance money to watch a Roy Rogers oat burner, a Flash Gordon serial, then walk back home. But one day something special happened, the theater announced an exciting feature attraction––coming soon!
“IT Came From Beneath The Sea!” the dramatic voice boomed out. “A beast unleashed from the Primordial depths is out to destroy the world. Audiences will run from the theater screaming in terror!”
Wow! Well, that sealed the deal. No way in hell would I miss that. But, there would be one minor problem, the picture would run late. I'd have to walk home after dark. Now, being a kid with an overcharged imagination would make that a bit scary, but I still figured I’d handle it.
When the picture's opening day arrived, I rode in with Lois and headed straight for the Movie. Once inside, I stocked up on Sugar Babies, a supersize Grape Nehi, and plenty of popcorn. I found a seat right down front and waited in feverish anticipation as the opening credits crawled by.
It began creepy enough, with lots of ominous clues about a creature lurking under the ocean. Disturbing music began swelling up, telling us it was slithering its way up the river towards New York City. Next, the Staten Island ferry appeared, loaded with passengers as it crossed over the harbor. The music started getting louder; the tempo increasing, frightened voices began building up behind me.
"Look out for the beast!" Some kid yelled as if the passengers could hear us.
Then it happened. A long snake-like neck emerged from the river. The camera panned up to the monster’s slimy head––its mouth opened, revealing slashing teeth. It emitted a terrifying roar that shook the theater.
Then came a girl’s shrill scream. “Oh my God! Not all those people!”
The beast’s head came down, and to our horror, bit a considerable chunk off the ferry as if eating a sandwich. It rose back up––dozens of people stuck in its maw, dismembered bodies falling back into the water. The screaming became deafening. I sat frozen in fear, my knuckles grasping the armrest in terror!
At last, it was over. The lights came on, and we all filed out the front. I was so jumpy; I’d forgotten my half-eaten Sugar Babies. As everybody drifted away, I found myself standing in the dark outside the closing theater. The fear in my gut started building up. I now faced a long walk home on a dark country road after just watching a monster devour people alive.
I stood in fear, what to do? Finally, I realized I had no other option. I set my resolve, took a deep breath, and started down the highway into the ominous void leading away from town. The sky was black now, with only a glimpse of light. Wisps of clouds drifted past a shimmering moon; I pressed on. Every sound in the night made me stop and freeze.
What was that?
I kept on, the moon's glow providing just enough light to find the roadway. The shadows that lurked in the passing bushes sent my heart beating faster. A noise––horse whinny, that’s okay; it told me I’m near Collins's farm––they had horses.
On into the night, I trod, daring to look only forward, away from the threatening shadows. Soon I could make out the outline of trees marking the turnoff to Grandma's farm. Then a stiff breeze arose—rattling sounds came from the darkness. Panic grabbed me, I quickened my pace and passed by the trees. The moon came into view, then…
“Oh, my God!” There framed in the silvery light––long, snake-like neck, fierce, dark head––Just like the BEAST!
For what seemed an eternity, I stood transfixed on that highway, the monster's profile in the moonlight. The wind came up stronger; the creature dropped its jaw––out came a loud, piercing screech!
I took off down the highway in a dead run!
Up ahead, I glimpsed the farm road turnoff; I rushed into it-–gravel crunching under my shoes told me I’m on the roadway. Soon, the neighbors' distant farm's lights came into view, a mile to go. I ran on in terror until I couldn’t run anymore. I stopped to catch my breath, my chest heaving, my heart pounding, tiptoeing forward, praying the monster wouldn't see me in the dark. I plodded on, trying to keep going in the right direction. The glow of the neighbors' yard lights helping me to find my way.
Grandma's farmhouse loomed in sight. Home at last! Inside, Lois was listening to Fibber Magee and Molly on her radio as usual; I don't believe she even noticed me come in. My gut had been in so much turmoil I wasn't hungry, I barely touched the food she left for me. I went out on the back porch and stood, my legs aching. I must have just set a record for a kid covering a two-mile distance. Below loomed the darkened fields surrounding the farm. What was this thing I saw? Was it real? I hurried back inside. Every sound that came from the dark that night shook me awake. I slept little.
The following day I knew I had to go back, see what was in that field? However, this time, I would see it safely from Grandma's 1948 Plymouth. After lunch, Lois got ready for her town trip, and I scrambled into the car. When we approached the junction where the creature lurked, my fear welled up again. We rounded the corner and reached the site. I stared into the passing field, and there it was.
Standing tall near a grain silo was a barley-feeding auger. A long steel pipe mounted to a grain hauler, at its top, a hinged downspout. The wind must have caused the jaw to drop, causing the screeching noise.
My beast had been exposed.
Many years later I returned to the valley to visit the farm. As I drove by the gilded meadows of barley, I couldn’t help but reminisce about all the exploits I had playing in this beautiful countryside as a child. Of course, the first thing I wanted to do was see if my creature had survived after all these years. I drove the old highway to the site, parked along the road, and got out. I walked the same direction down the road as before and approached my beast's location.
And there, much to my surprise, off in the pasture, I could see the old grain pipe was still there. Battered and beaten, but still standing tall.
Even today, I still think about that farm and the farmer who lived there. I often wondered––should I have gone in and told him what happened that night? He would never know he possessed the Beast That Came From Beneath The Barley.
 Recognized |
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This contest was over a year ago, but it's still my favorite story.
There's nothing scarier for a kid than to be stranded in the dark with a fueled imagination. That's when we bring monsters to life. That's what I found out. All of us have been there at one time or another.
Hope you like it.
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. There's nothing scarier for a kid than to be stranded in the dark with a fueled imagination. That's when we bring monsters to life. That's what I found out. All of us have been there at one time or another.
Hope you like it.
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