I re-entered Uncle Ray's house. Ray and Tarr were seated in Ray's "Recreation Room." (I'll post a picture of that in a future blog. The room is a story unto itself.) Uncle Ray handed me a small opaque glass filled with a dark, viscous liquid.
"Drink this," he said, holding the glass in front of him. I took it.
"What's in it?" I asked.
"Don't ask," Tarr said as he scrunched up his nose. "It doesn't taste bad, though. Actually quite good. I feel good. Just after one drink. I feel good. Do you remember how Jack Burton felt in "Big Trouble in Little China" after he took the elixer? Heh heh!"
I took the brew and quickly downed it. I opened my eyes. Hmm. It did indeed taste good. It had an earthy taste with a hint of sweetness. Very refreshing.
"So, what's it supposed to do, Uncle Ray?" I asked.
Uncle Ray grinned. It was very maniacal. I was impressed.
"Oh, it's a little potion's bin in mah fambly fer lottsa yers," he said between chuckles and snorts. "It ain't nothin' more'n a bitsy brew to help us through the comin' times. It ain't gonna harm ya none. Trust me!" He clucked like a chicken. This immediately ingratiated him to me. I did notice Tarr shrink back and curl his lip at that. We all know how Tarr feels about chickens.
We gathered our equipment. I was indeed starting to feel very good. A bit dizzy but I've been there before, so it was no big thing. Tarr had the camera. Click click. I had the binoculars. (I was going to see the Reffitt Swamp up close and personal. The way I felt I would probably be able to smell the creature.) Uncle Ray had his shotgun. Bang bang.
We exited Uncle Rays' abode. I was in the lead. I was rarin' to go, as Uncle Ray would say.
"Swamy, here we come!" I practically shouted. Or I think I did. Even though everything seemed to be bright and vibrant and alive, it was also blurry and lacking in detail. I vaguely remember thinking, "That brew of Ray's is messin' with my brain." About that time I forgot what I thinking about just as we emerged into the sunlight.
Standing there, almost blocking the path, was a lovely young woman, a stranger to Tarr and me. Uncle Ray introduced her to us as his "special friend Missy." He said she liked flowers a whole lot. He suggested Missy go out into the woods to find some pretty flowers. Missy, who seemed a few kernals shy of a whole ear of corn, trotted off -- yes, she trotted -- to change her clothes.
About this time things get even more fuzzy. I tried to speak but could only laugh. Tarr and Uncle Ray were also laughing so I figured everything must be okay if we're all laughing.
We traveled for quite some time. I remember small lakes, cattails, rushes, croaking frogs. And the Reffitt Swamp Monster. Tarr even managed to get a few pictures of him. None are very good. I suspect he took them with his bad eye. The potion we had so rashly imbibed no doubt made him think his bad eye was now even better than his good one since it stuck out farther.
I remember lots of trees. And glimpses of the monster. And dizziness....and...I can't remember any more. At some point in the woods everything became part of a strange dream. Perhaps more will be revealed -- some day...We did accomplish our goal. We found the Reffitt Swamp Monster. And we did get a few pictures of it, although they aren't of the highest quality. There was something, though, something disturbing, even for me, that happened. I wish I could remember what it was. I have asked Tarr about the whole affair. He refuses to say anything. He does laugh to himself a lot. I suspect he knows something, or remembers something, that I don't. Perhaps he'll share his thoughts with me on this subject some day.
This is a very tired Professor Fether signing off. Time to get some sleep.
Pleasant dreams, Fellow Inmates. Pleasant dreams. Mine certainly aren't these days...
