Swamp Slime Time

Swamp Slime Time

(c) Robert B. Reeder, 2012

The sun was down and the moon was high in the sky.  It shone through the pink curtains in Jenny’s bedroom window to the floor, highlighting her stuffed animal collection.  Jenny owned a pretty good collection of animals, and they included a couple bears, a frog, a rhino, a lion, a couple horses, three sheep, and a dolphin.  The dolphin was her favorite.  The moonlight made it look like it was swimming underwater as Jenny was drifting off to sleep.

Jenny lived with her parents and her brother James in the country outside of town.  They had a little farm with some real horses and sheep.  Down the road from them was the swamp.  Jenny was not allowed to go to the swamp, unless with Dad, to catch crayfish.  She knew that her brother went there without permission all the time.  He was one of those younger brothers who liked to act like he was the older one.  “I’m big enough.  I can take care of myself!” he would say.  But Jenny knew he was just a snot-nosed kid who always needed her help.

Later that night, when everyone was in bed, Jenny heard a tap at her window.  She jumped up quickly to see what it was.  She saw booger-face James through the window.  He looked worried.

“Hurry, let me in!” he whispered.

Jenny replied, “OK, what’s the big deal?  Let me help you up.”  James didn't want help getting up.  He just wanted the window open.

“I’m big enough.  I can take care of myself!” he whispered hoarsely.  He was panting, and it was clear he had been running.  “Ew…you stink!” she told him.

James explained that he had been down to the swamp looking for pirate treasure.  He thought there might be some alligators nearby, so he went to investigate.  He didn't find alligators, but there was a funny-looking stone, which he picked up.  Underneath the stone was a glowing green slime.  “I think I woke it up,” he said, “and now it is after me!”

Sure enough, when they looked out the window they saw a glowing green goo moving to the house, following James’ muddy footprints.  “You are in trouble” said Jenny, stating the obvious.

“I’m big enough.  I can take care of myself!” grumbled James.  “I need to find something to fight this thing.”  The green slime thing was getting bigger as it slowly eased to their lawn.  What’s more, there appeared to be a small army of banana slugs approaching with it.  They were glowing yellow, and each one was the size of a pickle.  Jenny swore she heard them chanting as they got closer.  The sheep and horses were starting to make noise.  The animals knew something was wrong.  It wouldn't be long before Dad was up.

Jenny came up with a plan.  “OK, you know that slugs are killed by salt, right?  Sneak into the kitchen and get all the salt you can find!  I’m going to try to distract it.”  So James went off to the kitchen and Jenny slipped out her bedroom window.  As she dropped to the lawn she thought she heard animal noises in her bedroom, but she moved on to the green goo.

“Hey you stupid slime!” she hissed at the green glow and its slug companions.  The slime stopped for a moment and seemed to rise up to consider what was happening.  Little girls were not allowed to confront swamp slime monsters.  The slime shook like it was laughing.  “Oh, this isn't good,” thought Jenny.  “Where is that little creep with the salt?!”

The slime settled down and became quicker in its approach now, and it spread out to trap Jenny.  The slugs looked angry.  Stupid and angry.  And gross.  They left stinking trails of yellow slime behind them as they circled in.

Then she saw James.  He had gathered every salt box and shaker the family had.  Some he held, and others were stuffed into his coveralls.  He raced to his sister as fast as he could, but he tripped and was soon surrounded by slime.  “Let me help you,” said Jenny, but James wanted to fight this himself.  “I’m big enough.  I can take care of myself!”  Unfortunately, he couldn't, and the slime was holding him down, preparing to get its revenge.

Just then, a quiet army approached from the house, led by Jenny’s friend, the dolphin.  The stuffed animals were the sworn enemies of the green glowing goo, and they were ready for battle.  The horses raced in to rescue James.  The sheep and bears circled around Jenny.  The dolphin, frog, lion, and rhino each liberated the salt from James and began to sprinkle it on the slime and the slugs.  It was an epic battle, and in the end the slime retreated, shrinking into a small puddle.  James took the funny-looking stone and slapped it on top of the slime.  “That should hold you,” he said.

Jenny and James looked around.  The moon was lower in the sky now, and as it lit up the lawn there was no evidence of the major victory that had been won.  Jenny climbed back into her room, where the stuffed animals were sleeping in a pile.  She could swear that the dolphin had a smile on his face.  She drifted back to sleep.  In his bedroom down the hallway, her brother was congratulating himself, “I’m big enough.  I can take care of myself!” and he was soon asleep as well.