Hush Don't Die Read online

  Now the museum only had one exhibit at present. Just the one which no one came to see, so Cal was real surprised when the kids showed up one day and asked if they could see the taxidermy exhibit.

  Cal didn’t know what to make of them. “Oh that old thing. Why no one much wants to see it anymore.”

  That tactic wasn’t going to work because these were city kids and they were firm, especially the one called Brad who Cal just knew was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

  “Really sir, we would like to see it. Is that possible?”

  Sure it was possible. Anything was possible. It might even be likely some money could be made off these kids.

  “Sure you can see it but the charge is thirty dollars.”

  Young silver spoon paid the money right away. And Cal pocketed it. “Thank you kindly. It’s been put in the basement, as it’s kind of falling apart. Used to be in a circus originally, ‘bout sixty years ago.”

  The kids are nodding and poking each other. They’ve achieved what they wanted to. They’re dying to see the damned thing they heard about.

  The cellar steps are rickety and the girls giggle even though they’re all kind of tense by this time.

  “Mind your step now…”

  So they mind it and they get down there and the lights get snapped on. “Well there it is. Delbert’s Taxidermy”

  One of the girls almost faints.

  “Maybe your little friend there best lie down.”

  “I’m alright.”

  Cal shrugs and begins to explain about each of the animals, about the strange looking dog and the weird cats. He even tells them about the peculiar possum as well as the effed up old owl.

  “Who did the taxidermy it really wasn’t too good was it?”

  “Well it was a long time ago and things deteriorate.”

  Joe College: “yes sir of course but this was a notorious show. I was reading this book--!”

  “What book?”

  Brad whips the book out. It’s got a lot of insulting stuff about the show and about Delbert Gray the taxidermist.

  “Don’t believe everything you read, young man.”

  Yeah but they do, these snobby kids.

  “You know he’s still alive if you wanted to see him. He was real young when he did that. Quit shortly after.”

  “I can understand why!”

  Cal has decided he actively dislikes these kids and suggests that they go on out to Del’s farm. “I can give you directions.”

  So he does.

  ***

  It’s getting dark by the time they got there.

  Brad and the other boy look pleased. “Look girls, there’s someone on the porch. See?”

  All four look to see two people, only they’re in silhouette because there’s no light on. The only light is coming from behind them.

  Suddenly the two figures stand up. “Yes we’ve been expecting you.”

  Brad does the talking. “Mr. Gray? We wanted to meet you.”

  “Yup I’m Gray and this here’s my wife, Flora.”

  It’s the woman who puts the light on. Actually it’s not a light at all; it’s a lantern that she lights.

  The kids don’t scream until she smiles.

  “Sorry if I scared you. I was born this way. Used to be in the circus when it had a freak show.”

  But if she looks bad, Delbert looks a lot worse. It’s his eyes. “Yeah I know. I’ve lived with this face for a long time. Used to be in the freak show too. That’s how we met. But I was already doing my taxidermy, See them animals all come from around here. Same as us. It’s just this land here, we’re kind of removed from most folk. We always were. Someone said the land was cursed once... I don’t know rightly, might be true. But you see them animals in the exhibit. That’s how they really looked. They were all ours, lived here with us, ate what we ate, and drank what we drank. I know we all look different but I don’t know what it is, they done tests. Labs from Washington sent people here. They come and took stuff away—but they never said what they found out.”

  Brad and the other three kids are itching to leave. Only some young boys and girls come stomping in. Weird looking all of them. They've got funny eyes and oversized mouths with sharp teeth and too dammed many of them.

  “These here are my grandchildren. Lookie kids, we got us some visitors but maybe if you’re lucky they might stay.”

  “That’s nice of you but we have to go…”

  All four kids are rushing toward the door. Then in the best tradition of every horror film they’ve ever seen, they’re stopped.

  “No, don’t rush off. You’re real important to us. See I was always of the mind that fresh blood was needed. You know fresh blood to mingle with our own. We think that because we done got our animals right over time. Let me call Duke for you. Oh Duke--!”

  Nicest dog comes running in. “See now Duke’s mom mated with a dog from outside and well, Duke looks pretty normal, puppies come out right also. So if it worked for them, we’re sure it’ll work for us. Now there’s no reason to scream, no one can hear you way out here!”

  But they scream anyway.

  top