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Hutch's Big Bad Boogie Man In The Woods

By

Jerrye

   The drive seemed to take forever.  Starsky tried several times to speak to Hutch, but the only responses were grunts.  The scenery was breathtaking, and they both were enjoying it.  Actually, it was pretty nice being in his best friend's company, even if he was still pissed.  This trip to, God forbid, `the Woods' had been planned for awhile.  They were both worn out, but Hutch seemed to be unusually tense.  The accident with Hutch's car was really just that, an accident, but Hutch really got mad.  He seemed to get mad a lot lately. A romp in the woods would help him relax.  Maybe even talk about what had been bothering him for some time.

   Well, it was Starsky's turn to tense.  They were there, the cabin just as they left it last year. There was the rowboat, Hutch had really got him with that.  A really creepy thought creeped into Starsky's head.  Naa, Hutch had to be through playing those getting even games. Yeah Starsky had to do that a couple of times himself, but he was sure they were even by now.  Surely Hutch knew the car seat thing was just, mainly an accident.

   "Are you going to help, or daydream all afternoon? Thought you were hungry," Hutch called pulling his head out of the trunk.

   "Kay, you go in first though."

   "Come on Starsky, we've been through this enough. It's just a little dust."

   "Yeah, dust that flew through my hair and try to bite my ears."

   "Goofy, they were little chimney sweeps and they don't bite.  We scared them to death."

   "Let's just get unpacked, it's getting dark."

   Starsky was still nervous, and Hutch gave the eye roll to the sky look.

   "Hey, let's have a nice big fire and roast marshmallows," Starsky tried to show a little excitement he really didn't feel.

   And, that's when the little light bulb appeared above Hutch's, his best friend, his protector, the other half of his soul, head.  He just said, "Great, like a campout," Off of the horror in Starsky's eyes he added, "Except of course we sleep inside."

   Starsky relaxed considerably.  "Did you bring any marshmallows?"

   "No, we'll go in the morning.  I'm tired tonight anyway."

   Hutch did look tired.  He looked, burned out.  This just had to be a good vacation. No jokes, or remarks, just relaxing, dullsville, especially if he couldn't get him to talk more.  Oh well, Hutch had always done what had to be done for Starsky.  Enduring silence and `the Woods' was not much of a pay back. Thank God they didn't keep score.  Well, there still was the getting even thing. Surely, Hutch had gotten over that.  Surely?

   Grilled cheese never tasted so good.  They both were starved.  Very little conversation took place, although Starsky sure tried.  Hutch was already nodding off on his cot. The bathroom light was on, of course, or Starsky would have stayed in there all night. Still, the night noises, Hutch's silence the last couple of days, `the Woods', made it hard for Starsky to relax.  His foot kept itching.  Darn itchy socks, but at least the minute creatures couldn't get to him, well his feet.  

   Starsky watched Hutch sleep, taking comfort there.  Just like he had known last year, Hutch was in his element in the woods. No matter how tired, or mad, Hutch was there and all was right with the world.  He slept so quietly though.

   A loud screech and Starsky had the pillow over his head. He couldn't keep it there though.  He had to try to see what was making the scurrying noise. Something was moving between his and Hutch's cot.  It was getting closer, and closer, and...

   "Hutchhhhh!"

   Hutch, of course, sit up too quickly as he reached for where his gun would have been if he hadn't have been lying on his stomach sound asleep in a t-shirt. The momentum tumbled him on his back in the floor.  Of course Starsky had visions of living, teethy things nipping at his partner.  So, he jumped up and started beating at the 'things' on Hutch with his pillow.

   "Stop it!  What's going on?"

   He finally jerked the pillow Starsky had a death grip on away from him, but Starsky followed the pillow, landing on a large lump under it, discovering the lump was still Hutch when it yelled, "You imbecile."

   So much for the nice, restful, get on the good side of your partner vacation.

   Well, the scurrying stopped, guess they scared all the creatures of the night away.  Both partners finally ended up in their respective cots, with pillows, and eventually fell asleep.

   The next morning was uneventful, not exactly pleasant, but fairly relaxing, for Hutch more than Starsky. Somehow Starsky had a gut feeling, he couldn't identify, but it had to do with Hutch and his thought processes.

   Hutch was enjoying the lake and neighbors company long before Starsky was up.  Up at daylight was not Starsky's idea of a vacation.  'The Woods' were not Starsky's idea of a vacation.

   After soup for lunch, Hutch suggested they go into town for marshmallows and gas. Starsky jumped at that, anything to get away from `the Woods' awhile.  So junk, including, marshmallows were bought, and Hutch had the night planned.

   Shadows were growing long and the air was chilly when they began to gather wood for the fire.  Rain from storms a few days before had left most the wood very damp, and they had to go a little into `the Woods' for dry firewood.  Starsky had no idea where they were going.  Following closer than a shadow, his nose bumped into Hutch's back each time he stopped.  

   "Isn't this great Starsk?  Gathering wood, just like it's been done for ages untold."

   "Hutch, why is all that wood and stuff flattened out?  Looks nearly like footsteps, real big ones."

   It looked like campers had cleared piles of dry wood earlier.  Hutch said, "I'm sure it's something very, ah, well, it does resemble that a little, doesn't it."

   "Uh Huh."

   "I mean if there was ever anything to the stories, which is very unlikely, it would be gone by now.  After all, this is the Twentieth century."

   "What stories?  What would be gone?"  `The Woods' made this hard-nosed, street wise detective very, well let's face it, he will always be a virgin in the woods.  He would also always be gullible for monster tales, with his heart of a child.

   "You know that story of the boogie man that lives in the woods.  Dobey mentioned him one time."

   "Did not, I'd remember that."

   "I know he did.  Anyway, Warren told all about him this morning.  You should've got up.  Really a fascinating old guy. Helped clean our supper."   Hutch stopped to gather up some wood, giving himself a little more time to think up this `legend.'

   "Yeah, I really miss fish guts.  Ah, why did he call it a boogie man?"

   "Well, it's suppose to be big and bad, real mean.  Hairy thing that comes out at night, and takes small animals.  Starsky will you please help here?  All you're doing is bumping into my back." Starsky's nose hit Hutch's back each time he stopped to talk or pick out the wood.

   "Oh, well we don't have a small animal."

   "He also does things to people, if he finds them."

   "Things...finds...where would he find them, if he were real?"

   Hutch turned, his arms full of fairly dry wood, and looked evenly into those wide blue eyes. "He finds them when they wander into the woods."  

   Starsky was now very eager to move on.  The wind and quiet were really playing on his nerves.  Shadows made very lifelike images of boogie men.

   "You know Warren's grandparents lived here long before the Dobey cabin was built, His dad's people before them.  He said many strange things happen in `the Woods', but this hairy thing was the strangest."

   "What did it look like?"

   "Oh, about the same as today.  Didn't have electricity or indoor plumbing.   Warren's dad had a lot of siblings and..."

   "No, Hutch, it, what did it look like?"

   "I told you he was big, and mean, real mean.  No one that saw him close could tell about him, but from a distance, I was told, he is hairy and really big and ugly...Starsky you don't want to hear about a boogie man in the woods.   You know your imagination."

   Starsky knew Hutch was right, but, well, it was all a tale anyway.  Just a fun thing.  He was trying hard to convince himself of that.

   "Hutch..."

   "Come on buddy, let's get this wood.  I don't even want to be this far in `the Woods' after dark.  And if we're eating out tonight, got a fire to start."

   Starsky of course was picking them up and putting them down as fast as he could without running completely over Hutch.  Dropping about as much wood as he had picked, he dreamed about what really eating out was.  Hamburgers, fries, a shake, or maybe even a good juicy steak.  Roaring fires, smell of trout, and a stump for a chair was Hutch's.  Okay, this was Hutch's time, and Hutch really seemed to enjoy it.  He didn't know just how much fun Hutch was having at the moment.

   "Hutch does frying fish outside really make a difference?"

   "Sure it does.  Just wait, it'll be a night to remember," Starsky couldn't see the smile.

   Building the fire wasn't easy. Every step Hutch made had to be around his partner.  It was, after all, dark...

   Starsky finally leaned back on his arms crossed behind his head. Hutch relaxed on a stump. He had pointed out a very nice stump on the other side of the fire, but that was too far away from the safety of his partner for Starsky.

   The fish had been perfect.  Starsky told Hutch that over and over.  Hutch seemed not to tire of hearing it.

   "Isn't this nice?  People have been catching and cooking fish outdoors for ages untold."

   "Hutch, you're weird"

   Hutch smiled.  Long sticks with gooey marshmallows stuck on the end held over a roaring fire, roasting, was his idea of a perfect vacation.  That, and a healthy, but very imaginative partner, there with him.

   Tree branches were reaching in the shadows as a little wind began picking up.

   Starsky was glad that Hutch was so relaxed and smiling. Still, a little voice way in the back of his mind just kept whispering, `remember, remember,'  It was such a small, quiet voice, easy to ignore.

   "Starsky your marshmallow,"

   Starsky held his burning black marshmallow by the stick and blew out the flame.  "Perfect,"

   Hutch just stared at him and decided he was too relaxed to comment.

   Warmth thrown by the bright crackling fire made both friends drowsy, and only Starsky wasn't relaxed.

   Rising wind whistled through the trees.  Leaves danced on ground, and pine straw blew in their face.

   "Starsky, just look at that moon," Hutch stretched out on the ground looking up.  The moon was huge, surreal nearly.

   Starsky thought it was beautiful too, but also a little unnerving, "It sure is big."

   "Well, things are bigger in the woods."

   "Yeah, Hutch, like those vermin last night."

   "In the woods, stranger things then big rats lurk around."

   "Uh, Hutch, do you hear something?"

   "Just night noises. You heard before."

   "It would have been Warren's great uncle."

   Starky's mind was on much more pleasant things then `the Woods,' Things like the 405 at rush hour, Dobey yelling, and cleaning the bathroom.  So he asked profoundly, "Huh, who?"

   "Warren's great uncle.  He lived here when the old cabin stood."  Ka boon "Said it was a moon just like tonights, with a storm blowing in.  You know a lot like tonight, and last night.  That's why he said it came to him so clearly."

   "What?"  The question was asked, tentative, knowing better.

   Flames jumped high as the wind blew under them, across the fire, shadows, dark and menacing, reaching.

   A storm was blowing in.  Clouds were playing with the moon making the sky appear as something in a scary novel, or one of those movies Starsky liked so well.

   "Hmm.  Doesn't the wind in the trees sound soothing?"

   No, Starsky did not think it was at all soothing.  He said nothing.

   Hutch could feel the uneasiness in the restless movements Starsky began making.  He thought for a few minutes of being a little soothing himself.   Well, maybe later. Starsky had really ruined his car seats, and it wasn't the first time.  There was that time when Merle had made everything fur. This time it was worse because he had had to use it, as hideous as it was, to take Marilyn on a romantic dinner.

   ping, bang, ping

   Hutch looked at his partner, he seemed entranced by the moon. "It looks like it's falling to earth, doesn't it Starsk."

   "It is so big,"

   "Yeah, you know, it was under a moon like this when..."

   "When what Hutch?"

   "Never mind. thum thum It was a long time ago."

   "What was a long time ago?"

   "Hutch what was a long time ago?"

   "A storm was blowing.  His granddad and all the other kids were on the porch, here.

   Hutch looked around as another ka boom, louder than the others, put his partner a little closer to him.  

   "It really is nice,"  Hutch said head back, fine hair, so light it seemed to glow, blowing into his eyes,

   Starsky said nothing.  Big was the only word that coming to his mind.  Big moon, big bad boogie man in the woods.  He shivered.

   "His granddad never really got over it."  bump, kaboom "Blamed himself:

   "Over what, blamed himself for what?"

   "It was all so quick, and sad," Hutch seemed to remember his perfectly roasted marshmallow, ate and licked the sticky off his mouth.  "The moon was big and clouds were racing, just like tonight."

   "Hutch, maybe we should go in.  It's going to rain."

   Hutch seemed frozen in another time, "His granddad being the oldest, knew it was time to tell them about, the boogie man in `the Woods.'

   "Boogie Man..."

   "Mountain folk have called it that for years untold."  thud, switch, switch "Warren's granddad's brother, not much younger, just laughed."

   "Hutch, it's only a story.  Has it been seen in Warren's lifetime?"

   "Well, only when it was stormy, but a bright moon still shone...Oh, Starsky this is silly."

   "Hutch..."

   Hutch's hushed voice made Starsky strain nearer, although he had been moving closer with each noise.

   "Seems this pissed Warrens granddad off.  Must have had a short fuse, cause he, as Warren described it, cuffed him real good."

   "Hutch let's go in now."

   "They fought and fussed, till Warren's granddads..." switch switch

   "Brother," Starsky whispered.

   "Yeah, told him he could walk all over the woods from now to kingdom come and never find a boogie man.  `No, he'll find you' was all his granddad said."  

   Hutch leaned toward Starsky, who wasn't too far away.  "Well, that did it.   His brother put on his shoes, grabbed his slicker and yelled, `I'll show you, and as he ran into the woods laughing, over his shoulder, `If I'm not back by breakfast, chop my wood, eat my biscuits, and take care of my Case knife,' and he was gone.  Ate up by the shadows."

   Starsky wanted to go in so bad, but couldn't overcome the smooth hypnotic voice of his partner.

   "Well, they screamed and got ma and pa, but it was too dark to look.  The storm had finally chased the moon away."

   "Did he ever come back?"

   "Yeah, mostly."  Hutch said as he started clearing around him, it was about to rain.

   Starsky's eyes once more became indigo saucers.  He froze at the mesmerizing sound of Hutch's voice.  "Mostly?"

   "He, he came back a few days later.  His hair was completely white and he was scratched and bruised.  And he had a blank stare that never went away," ping, th thum "And he never spoke another word."

   The shadows reached nearly to the fire and undulated wildly.  Starsky's mouth opened and breath quickened.

   "It only comes out of the woods when the wind blows and clouds cover the moon."

   Hutch stared straight ahead at the shadow.  kaboom, bang

   A huge tree's branches swished very close to the fire.  Starsky's hand without thought, holding the sleeve of Hutch's jacket.

   "This was his home, his home for ages untold."

   "Hutch," so soft and scared, Hutch stopped.  He was going to explain the shadow of the tree.  He was, really, Hutch loves Starsky, and he's not a mean man, honest.

   But...kaboon, crash thud...and the sky bright with light

   Starsky jumped, stumbled a step backward, bumped into some of the branches making part of the shadows.  Turned to run as Hutch stood, "Starsk, it's..." The `okay' was drowned out by the loud boom of thunder and rushing of rain.

   Starsky, in panic, ran for the cabin, scaring Fred and Wilma, the, all but pet, raccoons.  Knocking over the can, they scampered between the terrified Starsky and the cabin steps.  He froze, hands over his eyes, standing in the pouring rain.  Opening his eyes as Hutch touched his shoulder, he saw a raccoon looking at him from the porch, out of the rain.  He could have sworn he saw him laugh.  

   "Hey partner, you better come in, or you're going to drown."  He followed Hutch in.  The raccoon had sense enough to get out of Starsky's way, even if it meant running into the rain.

   Inside and peeling off clothes, Starsky knew Hutch had got even, but...

   "Hey, I'll start a fire," Hutch said so nice and toasty, all dry now.

   "What are you doing?"  Starsky asked reaching for the marshmallows.

   Hutch holds out a marshmallow.  "Want one?"

   "I want the whole damn pack."

   He took the one offered. Hutch held the others just out of reach.  He kept the whole pack.

   Starsky lie on his cot, looked at the grinning face, well he couldn't see it, but knew the sound of the grin, and felt safe.  Now they could talk.  What's the worth of a friend?  Well, maybe he's worth even facing `the Woods'.

THE END