The Heeblas

Mother and father are divorcing and the family would never be the same.  Summer of 1998 is the last time I would ever see my friends and school.  Not that I loved school, but I will miss this school.  It’s the only one I knew since kindergarten.

The comfort of all my friends and routine of life would surely be missed.

Dad was moving to Chicago not only because of the split, but because of his new job.  This was one of the huge reasons for their departure.  My brother Joseph and I will be moving to Colorado living with mom.  No more beach, no more Jack’s Shack were we would all meet after the beach, and no more seeing my father on a daily basis.  We were lucky if we would see him twice a year.  I do not even want to think about Christmas.

Summer in Colorado seem to fly by faster than a witch on a broom.  We did manage to meet some nice friends, and we had a new hang out at the local pizza place in town.

My new friend Donna, my brother Joseph, and I walked home together from school every day, but this time, we decided to take a different route.  Donna said this way was quicker.  Before heading home, we decided to stop for some ice cream.

Half way home, I could not finish my ice cream, so a few feet up was a drainage ditch under the curb were I decided to ditch the rest of my ice cream.  Running ahead I bent down saying farewell to my treat listening for the splash of water.  This time no sound was heard.  Were those hundreds of the tiny glowing eyes staring back at me?   I thought I would piss my pants running to catch up with my brother and Donna. “Donna, you are going to think I’m crazy, but I swore I saw tiny glowing eyes”.

I was already contemplating losing my new friend.  She would think I was crazy, but what followed was, not what I expected.  “They’re called Heeblas; they live down there”. Donna said.  
 I walked the rest of the way home in a fog.  It felt like my body was going one way and my head was going the other .  What I wanted to say was, “what are you talking about”.  Being the new kid in town, I dare not say a word.

Donna insisted we walk home the same as yesterday.

I was so scared, but I didn’t want to admit my fear.  Passing the drainage ditch, Donna stopped and seemed to be talking into the ditch.  All of a sudden she was no longer there and hundreds of red glowing eyes with big claws trying to grab us to their world of darkness.  Joseph kicked one of them and we managed to get away.

The next day in class Donna was absent, and that concerned me. Getting ready to ask Donnas’ friend Joyce if she spoke to Donna today,  but the last I remember was my head feeling heavy. I was very tired!  Sleeping well that night didn't t exist!

The screaming sound of a hawk flying by startled me.  As I lifted my head back from my nap, my classmate’s eyes were glowing, and the last thing I heard was the sickening sound of claws opening and closing like a lobster as they all closed in on me!