The Goat Doctor's Secret
by Corey Johnson

HMS Writing Project

Mac Johnson

The Goat Doctor's Secret

by 

Mac Johnson

10/30/2008

Chapter 1: My Introduction

"Have I got a Story for You"

Before I tell you my Halloween story and what happened, I should tell you about me. I'm fifteen, I've always been kind of a coward. Maybe not really a coward, but I get scared easily. I have a nine year old brother that I hate. In fact, I think that is why parents make little brothers, just to torment us. His name is Jack and mine is Tim. I always thought Halloween was scary, dumb and a joke UNTIL today. Here is my story of what happened today that changed my opinion and everything.

Chapter 2: Me and Jack

"Little brothers are like wet socks"

Jimmy said, Do it! No! I shot back. Then Jimmy began to berate me. Chicken! BAWK BAWK! I tried to explain my reasoning for not doing it. "My mom will explode if she sees me doing this! I said. "Your mom will never find out. We are out in the middle of nowhere" Jimmy reasoned back. "Just do it." he said. "Oh well....fine, for 20 bucks" I said. I figured if I was going to do something stupid that might get me grounded at least I could make some money doing it."Fifteen" jimmy said with a straight poker face. "twenty-five" I shot back. "Take it or leave it" I added to raise the stakes and hopefully get me out of doing it. JImmy thought for a second and then quickly spoke "Deal, All you have to do is jump over the fence and grab the sheriffs pistol, dude just go, I don't wanna miss christmas."

 I crossed the field in no time. My heart was pounding. I jolted into the police station. He's asleep YES! I thought to myself. I was just about to reach for the pistol when, dunk! I feel a sharp stinging pain.My eyes quickly examine my body to figure out where the pain came from. Glittering violet blood oozes out of my waist. I marvel at the sight, I'm in shock. Just then I see a figure behind me with claws. I try to make out the figure behind me but I feel very cold. A weird noise is screaming in my head. it is getting louder and louder. then I realize.

 My alarm is going off, what's going on? I jolt up in bed to find a bag of ice on my side and my alarm blaring in my ears. JACK!! I scream out angrily. Jack obviously thinks it's funny to put ice on me and set my alarm when its... 1:00AM IN THE MORNING ON A SATURDAY!!!!! My head was throbbing acrimoniously when i shut off my alarm. ugh..oh my God. I can't believe I fell for his dumb trick. Man that was a weird dream I thought to myself. Jack treats every holiday like a mix of April fools day and whatever holiday it is. Just then I see claws hanging out of my closet, just like in my dream. What!? I think to myself that is weird. I rub my eyes for a better look. I swear those are a pair of claws. Maybe a pair of my pants is just hanging in there funny. My mind plays tricks on me all the time. I get up to go examine them and my feet barely touch the floor when the claws pounce out of the closet towards me. AAAHHH! I scream in terror. Now I see it it is Jack wearing the claws. He must've seen the whole thing. He set me up I think. Not again, Jack! I say. Then I get a bit angry since I know he already knows he can always scare me. GET OUT OF HERE I scream. Jack says, Ha, two times in a row. You get scared so easily. Speaking of scaring people, why do you have claws I ask Jack? No dip sherlock, I'm wolverine, don't you happen to know it's HALLOWEEN. I try to shrug it off like I remembered that at One AM and say, Oh yeah, the time of year where people wear dumb costumes and tried to scare each other. Jack looked offended. Great, I think, I've insulted his dumb little holiday he loves. Jack searches for a reply, "It's not dumb, I'm telling mom" he wines.

Chapter 3: No Regular Saturday

"Saturday, the best day of the week, until today"

Tim!!!! get up NOW, shouted my mother. I woke from a happy dream about Vanessa Wilmer, thats the girl I kinda like at school. She happens to also be my neighbor. She slammed the door behind her. "Oh gosh, a few seconds later", I blurted out, "do I have to? its the weekend." "Don't talk back and get up. You're in big trouble mister. You need to take out the trash now." mom said. "Ok, mom." I shouted. She was all the way down the hallway when she said "After what you did to Jack last night i don't even know if you're my son." Ugh, not Jack again! I'm sure he made up some story about what I did to him. He is always getting me in trouble. My mom was still yelling at me when I thought, I can't go out to take the trash out if Vanessa's there. I'll make a complete fool of myself. Well it's that, or Mom will be angry. I have to face one of them. I Hope she's not out there or she doesnt notice me, I think. I unwillingly walk toward the dumpster with the black sour fish smelling trash bag. Only one step away when, WOW, i lose my balance. it feels as if it its happening in slow motion. Next thing ya know i'm in the dumpster with fish,chicken, mold and who knows what. At least Vanessa's not waching, phew wwwwaaaiiittt tthheerree iiss aa sssppp sssppiidddeeerr on me. I tried to remain calm until i looked at it's thousand eyes looking back at me. "Ahhhhhh" i shrieked, like a girl. the sound was amplified by the dumpster. Next thing you know, clunk the dumpster fell over on me. Hey, wait, what's that noise i thought. OH, NO, anything but that, Vanessa was staring at me giggling! She saw the whole thing. I was burning up, about to explode with embarrasement. when my mom yelled out, "What's taking you so long?" I drag myself out of the dumpster and into the house.  My mom caught one whiff of me and said "phew-weee, what's that smell? Tim go take a shower!" normally this wouldn't be so bad but our shower only has freezing ice cold water since the water heater is broken! I took a shower and headed straight back to bed.

I remember when Vanessa Wilmer moved in it was last summer but it seems like yesterday.I usually don't have a great memory but there was something particular about this day that makes me remember. It all started last summer. It was a hot August day when i saw a big white moving van next door. The moving van had a big logo that read "Two Men and a Truck". I yelled down to my mom, "MOM, Looks like we have new neighbors." My bother already was down the stairs, out of our house and next door to introduce himself. Figures, I thought. Jack is never afraid to talk to anyone. it was my turn, i slowly walked up the driveway as my nervous fingers were folding up my shirt. The door was wide open and two big sweaty guys were moving a couch in. I nervously rang the door bell when she came to the doorway. She was 5foot5 brown hair blue eyes wearing blue jeans a pink high school musical shirt with purple flip flops I stammered "Hi," my heat burst with fireworks. Then i said, "well, my name is Tim and I live right next door. I see you already met my brother Jack!" "yeah, he's a riot! He told me all those things you did" Vanessa said. "WHAT THINGS?" I said. "Like how you didn't take a shower for a few weeks and that you are a scaredy cat." My head felt like it was going to explode, my throat also went dry. "Well I um... BYE!!" I sprinted into my house faster than you can say "hi" while holding your tongue. Right as i got in I said,  "MOM WHERES JACK?"  "oh in your bedroom" she said. I zipped to my bedroom just as I saw Jack ripping up all my comic books. "STOP IT!!" he glared at me with innocent looking eyes. "You think your getting away with this? No... not this time" I screamed while tackling him on the hazel colored bed in my bedroom. "AAAHHH" he screamed. He deafened my ears with a high pitched cry for help!! Mom came rushing in to help. She saw me on top of him while he was crying. "What did you do?" she boomed while cradling Jack like a baby. " ME do anything? He destroyed my comic books i bought them for $20 dollars each." I said. "Tim, those were old and retired anyway. my mom said. I rolled my eyes at her. The second my mom left, my brother who was balling in his grey overalls, starts to chuckle at me.

Chapter 4: The Dare

"I double dog dare you"

Today is a cold Saturday I thought as I stared out the window from the warm comfort of my bed when my phone rang. I pawed for it on the nightstand without looking or letting the covers slip off me. My fingers hit my alarm clock and bounced off a light before finding the phone. I answered, "Hello?" It was Jimmy he said, "get up now!" I whined, "Why?" "I'll explain it to you when you get here" Jimmy said. "Now?" I moaned. "Wait.. where are we going to meet?" I asked. "Oh yeah I almost forgot, meet me at the old abandoned Goat Doctors house" jimmy explained. As he said that, I felt my bones shiver throughout my body. Dude, that place is haunted, I shrieked, but before I said it, I heard the dialtone, ugh, he hung up, I thought. I guess i have no choice. 

I scampered out of bed with my PJ's on. I put on my blue sweater my aunt Nancy got me last christmas and my baggy jeans with lots of pockets in them and headed off on my new bike,the one i bought with my whole life savings. i flew through the damp grass of the fields next to the park. The water sprayed up and the bottom of my pant legs was wet and soggy. I met Jimmy outside the Goat Doctor's house. The house had long been abandoned. I never really thought about it until now, why is it called the goat doctor's house?  I wonder if he was really a doctor for goats. Anyhow I know nothing about goats and the house seems really creepy. All the kids talk about that house, they say that the Goat doctor guy that lived there was really old and almost never was seen in public. Some shad said he was really rich but others said he was crazy. Some say he killed his wife and kids. I had no idea and just thinking about it is freaking me out. I decide to focus on the ride. The air was cold on my cheeks and they started to feel like they were stinging when I pulled up my bike onto the weed strewn walk in front of the house. I got off the bike and saw that Jimmy was already there. I dug my hands in my pockets and said so why do you need me? I wanted to see how fast you could meet me here. "WHAT?" I screamed. "Just joking, calm down" he said. "So, really why do you want me to be here?" I asked him. "A bet! jimmy snapped back. "No way." not for you, dung for brain, your brother. "HUH?" I inquired. "I know you want revenge on your little brother Jack. "oh yeah" I responded as i nodded my head. "Well, that isn't entirely the whole story. I already bet your little brother. I only called you because i dared Jack into going into the house and he hasn't came out. "So, I want you to go in and look for him" as Jimmy talked he started pushing me into the house. "NO!" i said, "No Way!" Just then I saw Vanessa riding her scooter off in the distance. She must have seen us as she was heading over one pedal at a time she got closer and closer. My heart was already pounding and my mind was spinning to take in all this info. my Mom is going to kill me I thought. What are you guys arguing about? Jimmy leaped up and shouted, "Tim is such a chicken, he won't go into the Goat Doctor's house to look for his brother! Exactly the same moment as I heard what he was saying with a quick thrust, i dug my elbow into jimmy's ribs. "Oh my gosh, you won't go in to save your brother what a manly man you are! She lept on to her scooter and started to leave when I said I'll go in there if you come with me." Before I could realize what I just said she blurted out "Deal!" I could hardly wait the girl of my dreams going with me into a haunted house all alone to find my lost little brother. "Well, if you two love birds are going to go anytime soon it should be now! Jimmy said. Vanessa and I both simultaneously shot him an angry look. And with that, Vanessa started down the path in front of the house and turned back to me and said "Come on, you don't believe in ghosts do you?"

Chapter 5: Real Terror

"An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away?"

As we enter the house, the door abruptly slams behind us and we are in pitch black. Vanessa instantly grabs my arm. I think I'm more scared than she is, but I can't show it. As we take a few steps in the house we can hear the rotting floor boards squeak under the weight of our feet. There is a light shining in front of us near the floor. We squeak and creak our way towards the light as Vanessa grips my arm tightly. I can hear her breathing near my ear. her breath smells like sweet, minty breathmints. "What is that light" she whispers in my ear. I don't know why she's whispering but it tickles my ear. I think it's a flashlight, I whisper back. I reach down towards the floor and grasp the flashlight tightly in my hand as I raise it up like a sword pulled from a stone victoriously. I can see Vanessa's scary look turn to one of reassurance. I flip the flashlight around so I can hold the flashlight like I've seen the FBI agents hold it over their head on the TV shows. In my head I think I could imagine hearing music playing, like the theme from Halloween or Bach's Focata. This place surely is haunted I think just as Vanessa utters the same thing. 'yeah I whisper back." "Is that jack's flashlight? she asks. I think it might be, looks l kinda like the one from our laundry room I whisper. "Let's look around this floor and then look in the basement I suggest. Vanessa thinks for a moment and whispers "Okay, let's go".

I point the flashlight down a hallway illuminating what looks to be the entrance to the kitchen. We enter the kitchen and I try the light switch instinctively. a blue spark jumps out of the wall plate as we hear a zzzppp, sound. The lights for the room briefly illuminate. As we look into the far end of the kitchen I can't believe my eyes, there is a eerie dark figure standing near the doorway.Just as my eyes begin to focus the light burns out. My skin starts to shiver. Did you see that?" Vanessa whispers. "I...uh..I think... I did" I say. "No light" is all I can whisper. Just then, as the both of us stand shivering in the entrance to the kitchen there is the sound of a faint voice moaning "Myyyy Eyyyye". I feel a cold breeze come over us and Vanessa stiffens. Now she is digging into my arm but I am so scared I barely notice. I want to run away badly but I can't. 

I go into the mysterious kitchen and point my flashlight at the table. It looks like there are old blood stains all over the table. The table is a long wooden table. A butcher's knife with a warn wooden handle is sticking straight up out of the table. I point the flashlight towards the other end of table and we see four flashlights sitting on the table, a sliver ring of keys and a stack of hundred dollars bills wrapped up with a orange thick rubber band. Vanessa says "I think someone is living here. This almost seems like a movie I watched about a maniac with a chainsaw." I say, "Vanessa grab one of those flashlights and let's get that cash." We'll split it fifty-fity if we ever make it out of here alive." Vanessa nods and moves quickly to the other end of the kitchen table she slides one chair aside and grabs a flashlight. The flashlight quickly lights up the room as vanessa slides the plastic switch with her thumb. I move next to her and grab the cash and stuff it into the pants pocket on my leg. Vanessa's light is pointed on the butcher knife as I grab it out of the table. I'm a bit nervous carrying a knife, especially one that the goat doctor might have used to murder his family. My mind was racing when I see a peculiar object on the table. Is that what I think it is, I think to myself. It looks like, an eyeball. Maybe it's a marble I reason in my head. Vanessa sees me looking at it and asks "What is that?" "Oh, uh, this?" I say. "It's an eyeball?" I say. I reach down slowly to touch it. My finger is getting nearer and nearer to poking it until it makes contact. The eye isn't soft and mushy at all. In fact it is hard as a rock and starts to roll around on the table. "It's a glass eye" I say. Like one, that someone without an eye wears. "Ewww" says Vanessa. "Actually, I think it's pretty cool. I guess the Goat Doctor only had one real green eye." I say as I scoop up the eye and put it in my pocket. "Double Ewww" says Vanessa, "You're gross."

"We need to split up so we can find Jack sooner rather than later." I say to Vanessa. Vanessa looks at me with a startled look and says "I don't think that is a good idea." "But we need to find Jack before something happens to him." I say. "What could happen to him?" Vanessa asks. "I don't know but the fact that we found his flashlight makes me think that he is in trouble" I pause to gauge if Vanessa is buying this, she seems to be pretty scared and I have no idea what I'm saying since I'm so scared too. Vanessa moves close to me, our flashlights illuminating the bottom of our faces. " I'm staring right into Vanessa's steel blue eyes when she says I'll go downstairs and you go upstairs. If something happens, scream for help and run outside, I'll try to meet you there.". I'm still mesmerized by her beautiful eyes as I say "Okay" she leans in and kisses me on the lips and before I can realize what just happened she says "good luck" and she runs out of the room.

Chapter 6: Captain Underpants or Super Grover

"I think I can..."

All of a sudden, I don't feel scared anymore. I'm not scared anymore cause I'm a man! I Hope Vanessa's okay but before I do anything I have to find Jack. I run down the stairs to the basement when i hear Myyyy Eyye! I look around and i see no one. There's an old wooden bookcase along the far wall. On the wall to my left I see the entrance to a mine-shaft. The entrance is made from rough lumber. There is a railroad track that runs down the shaft. I step inside the room and look down the shaft. There is a rail car sitting just inside the track. Hey, I think, this looks just like something from Scooby-doo. I can't see the end of the shaft as it curves to the right down the way and there is very little light down here with my flashlight. I hop in the car and I feel the cool metal against my skin. I fumble over the side to find the lever to release the brakes and start this ride. A moment or two of fumbling around and I hear a click and the car start to roll down the shaft. The wheels are rusty and squeal as the car slowly rolls down the track. The breeze blows my hair back as I brace my feet against the end of the rail car.

Sparks fly as the rusty metal wheels grind against the rails as I go around a sharp curve. I'm picking up speed now and I think I've traveled a few miles downwards in this shaft. Who'd have thought there was a mine-shaft under our town. The car starts to climb an incline that takes all the speed away as it comes to an abrupt stop when it hits a metal rail with a bumper. I'm jarred from the impact and i bolt out of the car to my feet. I'm in a gigantic cave that has a string of lights strung about and all the Stone walls are filled with veins of gold. There are large machines all over the place. It must be some kind of processing equipment I think. Just as I stare at all the gold I feel a cold hand on my shoulder. My hand reaches down to grab the butcher knife and I pull the knife out while turning around to see who's behind me. It's Jack! Jack screams at the sight of my Butcher knife. "I'm telling mom", is the first thing he says. I drop the knife and give Jack a hug as I chuckle. Jack, I say, "What are you doing down here?" jack says "Jimmy said he'd give me a quarter if I'd go into this house." "Jack, never trust Jimmy, he was trying to get you in trouble." i said. "Okay, now we need to find Vanessa." "Our neighbor and your girlfriend?" Jack asks. "She's not my girlfriend, but yeah - that is who we need to find. She came in here to help me look for you. Just then the cave reverberates with Vanessa's scream from far away. Help! Tim, run, they''ve got me." "I'm scared" says Jack. "Don't worry we'll get out of here in one piece." "i think her voice was coming from up there" as i point to an opening in the top of the cave and a long old metal ladder that leads to the opening. We climb up the ladder, and my legs are hurting bytthe time we reach the top. There is a metal manhole cover that I push up and slide out of the way. the smell of the outdoor air sweeps over us. We are in a back alleyway behind a bunch of old brick buildings. We spot Vanessa, she is tied up in a chair on the back deck of one of the buildings. A big delivery truck is running next to the deck, it's exhaust is black and stinky. The back delivery doors on the truck are open. Someone must be loading up something, i quickly think. I have a plan.

Chapter 7: Who Says Crime Doesn't Pay

"Revenge Tastes like Chicken too?"

I quickly motion to Vanessa so she sees us. I put my finger over my chapped lips to warn her not to make a noise. I don't want the bad guys to know we're here. I whisper to Jack "go sneak over there next to the van in the bushes and wait for me to give you a signal. Don't ask any questions now jack cause this is serious, we gotta save Vanessa.." Jack, wide-eyed  nods in agreement and crawls over next to the back of the Truck in the bushes to await my signal. When he gets there he puts his thumb and finger up and gives me the OK sign. Ok, now for my plan I think. I slowly and stealthily sneak over towards her. I run from trash can to dumpster to light post. There are a two men and one woman loading heavy objects into the Truck. I'm careful not to make any noise - I just hope Jack can be quiet long enough to not give us away. I sneak behind Vanessa and I'm hiding behind some big metal drums that seem to be filled with some sort of chemicals. I wait for my chance when all the criminals are inside the back of the truck. they are talking and lifting something heavy. I pull out the butcher knife and move it quickly towards Vanessa's hands which are tied behind her back. I slice through the rope releasing her hands. "Shhhhh" I say to her. "Get in the front of the Truck" I whisper to her. I run to the back of the truck and slam the doors shut and quickly padlock the back. as the lock closes I I scream to Jack "Get in the truck!!" Jack hops in Vanessa's side and I hop in the other side. The driver's side. Wait, I think, I don't know how to drive" Hmm-mm, I bet this can't be too different than my video games at home. I pull the lever down to 'D' I know that stands for drive. I stepped on the accelerator and started to drive i drove a couple of blocks. I can't believe you know how to drive Vanessa said. Uuummm.. yah, right as I say that I crash into a park sign at the park.

Chapter 8: Shake yer Booty

"Bravery and Stupidity, Separated at Birth"

The mayor was just about to cut the ribbon at the park when he saw the truck smash into the sign. I honk the horn a few times and cops come running over. Vanessa and Jack jump out of the truck and they run over to the cops. They start to tell the cops everything that had happened. The mayor and the crowd run over to see what all the commotion was about. Jack I get out of the truck. The cops opened the truck and arrested the criminals. The criminals were whisked to the back of police cars. The cops brief the mayor about what happened. The crowd and photographers start snapping photos of all the treasure. The crowd is calling me a hero for catching the Boomtown Gold bandits. The mayor walks over and explains to me "They'd been using the Old Goat Doctor's house to run their gold mining and counterfeiting operation. You're a hero kid! I was here to dedicate the Halloween festival here at the park but instead I need to give you a golden key to the city. We give that to the top citizens in our community. You must be a really brave kid." "Yeah, I guess I am." Jack chimes in, "He's the bravest person I know." Vanessa's walks over and kisses me on the cheek and the whole crowd laughs as I turn a bright shade of red. The crowd is clapping so loud I'm even more embarrassed but actually, I'm really proud of myself. My parents pull up and we all answer the questions from the cops and media till we are tired. The treasure is all confiscated, but I don't care. I'm glad that Jack is safe, Vanessa likes me and JImmy owes Jack a quarter. next I see Jimmy there on his bike. He explains he heard the cop sirens and none of us had come out of the house. He apologizes to me and Vanessa and Jack. He asks me, "Well, what was it like?" "it was scary and exciting." "no, not the adventure, the kiss." "yeah, that is what I meant" I replied. Vanessa and her parents wave goodbye as they walk to their car. I wave back to her and smile.

Chapter 9: I'll Keep an Eye Out for You

"The Eye's have it."

I'm laying in my bed in the exact place where the day had started. Jack is in his bed too. Halloween is over until next year. I'm no longer scared. Vanessa likes me. The Mayor is giving me the key to the city. My parents are angry at Jack for going in the old goat doctor's house and they are proud of me for saving him. Not too bad I think. I'm drifting to sleep. I awake at and look over at my alarm clock on the nightstand when I see the glass eye pulsing and glowing an eerie green. The grandfather clock strikes the 12th bong and I hear "Myyyyy eyyyye.

THE END

(for now...)