The Fossegrimen Folly Read online

  "Hold on!" he exclaimed.

  A square, wooden platform, about eight feet on a side, emerged from under the pine needles littering the forest floor. The boys stretched out their arms to balance and steady themselves. Each of the four smaller ropes was attached to one corner of the platform. As Tad pulled on the thick main rope, the platform began to tremble under the boys’ feet. Quickly they found themselves hauled into the air. Each pull on the main rope by Tad powered them all several feet higher into the air.

  He smiled at their amazement, and began to explain. "We have a series of pulleys high up in the tree that make it easier for me to actually be able to pull all this weight." There must also have been pulleys at the bottom of the tree that held the main rope, Shy thought, because he did not see an end dangling loose. Rather, the excess was sucked back into the tree as Tad pulled.

  As they rose higher and higher, Shy felt a sense of excitement and jubilation build inside him. This was not what he had expected.

  The higher they rose, sunlight shafts piercing the canopy became more common, and the air was less humid. Shy actually began to feel a slight breeze through the trees.

  Finally, they came to a stop, and Tad tied off the rope to a branch that looked to have been broken off in a storm. The Elevator had stopped next to a large platform built around the huge trunk of the Sentinel, and supported by its massive branches. It had railings all around, one of which Tad lifted upward with a squeak and said, "OK, everyone grab all your stuff and climb onto the platform."

  When they were all safely unloaded, he too climbed off onto the platform. He lowered the gate, and untied the rope. He began to lower the Elevator. Orange, dried pine needles covered the wooden base of the Elevator, Shy noticed. Hand over hand the rope sent the square downward, eventually coming to rest back on the ground. The four ropes, Shy noticed, had once again become hidden within the thick branches of the four smaller trees. The pine needles blended into the forest floor, rendering the platform nearly invisible unless one was right on top of it.

  Now, Tad led them away from their perch. He spoke softly as he clambered about the rope bridges that led away from the Sentinel. Sunlight shafts pierced the needle foliage as the young counselor told them how he remembered the day, eight years ago, that he had been dropped off at this camp. He too, was chosen to stay in the Forest cabins.

  After descending slightly, and passing two other trees, they came to their first building. It was built just off to the side of their current platform, in the branches of a nearby tree. The cabin was two stories tall! To enter the cabin, one would have tightrope walk from platform to cabin. The feat was made immeasurably easier by the higher ropes on each side that acted as handholds.

  "The Forest cabin group has four cabins that sleep two each, with a larger building located in the center of those four. The center building is where we will hang out together, talk, and tell stories.

  "This here first cabin is called the Jay. Ralph, you and Henry will be in the Jay." Shy saw two boys, both smaller than himself, step up to Tad. The first had dark wavy hair, which seemed a bit too long, and thick glasses that had thick black frames. The second boy was even smaller than the first, and also had glasses. He looked hesitant and scared. Shy saw him fearfully eyeing the crossing to the entrance of the cabin. Tad leaned in close to Ralph, the second boy, and whispered something. When Ralph responded with a nod, Tad concluded with, "Onward," and stepped out onto another rope and plank bridge.

  Up, and up they went. The ropes crossed back and forth between two pines. It was like escalators at the Mall of America, Shy thought. It just was not automated, Shy added to himself as he puffed onward. His bag was getting heavy. He looked up and saw that the next cabin was close. These walkways seemed to take them even higher than they were when they arrived at the Sentinel. Shy continued to stare upward at the next cabin and accidently bumped into the boy in front of him, who had stopped. The tall red headed boy with freckles turned back to glare at Shy with a frown on his face as Tad spoke.

  "This is the Eagle cabin," Tad began. "Daniel and Sampson, you’re here."

  "My friends call me Sam," the tall boy turned away from Shy and addressed Tad in a raspy voice.

  "OK… Sam. You enter by climbing this rope. Up you go… leave your bag here. Daniel, when Sam reaches the top, tie the bags on the end of the rope, and he can pull them up."

  Shy watched the red head, Sam, climb up into the high cabin. Tall and lean, with dark hair, Daniel was kneeling by the bags attempting to tie them on. The knots were not holding well, and the first bag dropped.

  Shy stepped up and without talking, he showed Daniel how to tie the rope so that it would hold, but would also untie easily. Shy had been in cub scouts before his parents got divorced. He used to sit and practice his knots when they would argue. It was one thing he was really good at.

  "Thanks!" Daniel said appreciatively.

  Shy shrugged as if it was no big deal, and stood up again as Tad again began to dole out instructions.

  "Good. Daniel, once the bags are up, then you climb up, and check it out. When you are ready, come find us." Tad then leaned in and whispered something in Daniel’s ear. Daniel nodded seriously in response.

  The group, now down to three boys and Tad, moved on. Their path crossed several platforms built into smaller trees, as they worked their way down from the dizzying heights of the Eagle. They passed over the edge of a meadow far below, and sunlight spilled in on Shy. He paused and took in the majestic view of a lake in the distance to his left. Tad saw Shy staring toward the lake.

  "That is where the Lake cabins are. Your friend, Claire, is there now, exploring her new digs, just like you are."

  Shy saw the other two boys looking back at him now, and he felt uncomfortable for holding up their progress. With a smile and a wink, Tad was off. Shy studied the two boys as he trailed behind them. He felt like they must know each other because they had been teasing, shoving, and tripping each other the whole way so far. The first was African American, tall and gangly. He had shaved, short hair and a smile always on his face. The boy directly in front of Shy was short and stout. He looked strong and had sandy blond hair, like Shy.

  Soon they came to a third cabin. Tad introduced it as the Cardinal. Finn and Sawyer were sent down a smooth polished pine pole through the roof of the Cardinal to where they would be bunking. Again, the two boys received whispered instructions from Tad, two nods, and they were off.

  Tad looked down at Shy, "Well I would bet you are curious about the last cabin… come on!"

  He was right, Shy was anxious. It always seemed to him like he was the last. He wondered whom he would share a cabin with.

  He took off with a dart and hurried past several trees and platforms. Soon Shy was breathing hard in an attempt to keep up with him. Shy’s bags, however seemed to catch on every branch and post, yanking him to a stop. He was just beginning to panic that Tad was going to leave him behind when the counselor finally came to a stop by a set of wooden stairs that rose precariously into the branches of another enormous tree.

  "Once upon a midnight dreary…" Tad intoned solemnly. "Meet the Raven." He bowed towards Shy and swung his arms upward toward the stairs. Shy advanced hesitantly, but Tad urged him on… shooing him up the stairs. The stairs creaked and groaned like the front door of a haunted house as Shy clambered upward. As the branches enveloped him, he could see a platform ahead, but no cabin. Tad climbed up behind him. Shy stepped onto the platform and looked around for the Raven cabin while he waited for Tad. The platform, like many he has seen thus far, was built around the trunk of the massive tree. Shy began to walk around the edge of the circular platform, peering into the slightly gloomy forest canopy. Then, he saw something. The top of the much smaller neighbor tree, on the opposite side of the platform from the stairs, seemed too wide. No sunlight penetrated this area of the forest, but Shy continued to peer at the smaller treetop as Tad walked up.

  "What do you see?" Tad asked.


  "The top of that tree seems, I don’t know…. wider, kinda"

  "Very good!" Tad was excited now. "Very observant! You found the Raven, which is the most camouflaged of the four cabins we have. "Now, can you figure out how to get into it?"

  Shy looked around. Normally he would have just shrugged his shoulders and said he could not figure it out. He liked Tad so far, though. He really didn't seem like a bully, and had not picked on him in any way. So, Shy looked around. There were no planks, walkway bridges, ropes, or poles in sight. He continued walking around the platform until he had come full circle back to the stairway. He still saw no sign of an entrance, and walked back toward Tad, who was watching him closely. Shy looked up; maybe there was a rope above that he could swing over on. That wouldn’t work though, because the Raven was lower than the height of the platform he stood on. He could just see what must be its roof when he stood by the railing of the platform. Maybe there was something under the platform, he thought. He circled the platform again, inspecting the floorboards more closely. He even leaned over the railing to try to see underneath. Still, he didn’t see anything.

  He walked back over to Tad, who was openly grinning now. Shy shrugged and leaned against the big tree trunk. He looked down at a knot hole in the platform board, embarrassed at his failure. He said, "I don’t know, I can’t find the way in."

  He nervously pushed the toe of his shoe into the knothole, and started to steal a glance back up at Tad, when he heard a click, and a mechanical whirring noise. One end of a section of floorboards, right next to Shy, began to lower! He jumped back in fear that the platform was collapsing. The section consisted of only four boards, though, and only the end that was facing away from the center of the platform, towards the cabin, had lowered. When they stopped moving, Shy inched forward and looked down. The opening had formed the beginning of a slide that smoothly connected the platform to the Raven cabin.

  "You first, or me?" Tad asked. He made his way to the opening and looked at Shy for an answer. Shy was simply amazed and could not answer. "You snooze, you lose," Tad stated and jumped onto the slide. He zoomed out of sight so quickly that Shy’s fear of falling made him hop back in surprise.

  "Come ooonnnnnn!" Shy heard from the slide.

  He grabbed his bags, and hesitantly set them on the slide. When he gave them a slight push, they too zoomed out of site. Finally, Shy sat down on the boards. I hope I don’t get a sliver, he thought, as he remembered the one his grandpa had gotten from a picnic table bench. He inched forward until, suddenly, he was off! The slide dropped sharply as it wound around the tree trunk, hidden by branches. It then carried Shy out over space and swiftly deposited him into a room with pine floor and roof, and huge black mesh screens from knee to ceiling. A cool breeze wafted through the cabin. There were two tables, and two dressers that he noticed, but no beds. Tad stood grinning at him, and then reached into one dresser and pulled out some rolled fabric. He began to unroll it. Shy stared.

  As Tad stood up again and attached one end of fabric to a hook in the post, and began to walk to the other side of the room, Shy realized what it was. A hammock! He had seen these before on peoples’ front porches back home. He had always wanted to try sleeping in one. Excitedly, he went to the other dresser, and pulled out an identical roll. Smiling from ear to ear back at Tad, who was now swinging peacefully with his arms behind his head, he began to set up his bed!

  After his hammock was ready, Shy looked back at Tad. Tad went to one corner of the cabin and pulled open a trap door. He then stepped up, and with one last look at Shy, dropped through the trap door. Shy ran up and saw him bouncing on a trampoline-like cargo net, probably twenty feet below. From there he simply scrambled to an attached platform and waited for Shy. Shy straightened up and tried not to think about how crazy this all was. The way Tad had jumped down looked very similar to the way his swim instructor had taught him to jump into the pool last summer. He stepped back up to the trapdoor, and jumped. He held his arms to his sides, and dropped smoothly to the net. Bouncing up and down, he realized that the exit route was actually a lot of fun!

  ***

  As Shy followed Tad around the last few bridges to the larger, group cabin that Tad called the Hive, he could hear excited voices drifting lazily to him from ahead. As they approached, Shy could see a large gazebo shaped building in a huge oak tree that had grown up in the middle of the pine forest. Just like all the cabins, it was screened in on all sides to allow for the breeze to pass through, but not the bugs. There must be a fireplace of sorts, Shy thought, because he could see flames through the screens, and shadow silhouettes passing in front of the flames. The voices of the other boys had quieted. Shy felt like they were watching his and Tad’s approach. Soon Shy was standing on the precipice of a platform slightly higher than the Hive, with a six-foot gap between them. Tad turned and looked at him, "This is part of what I whispered to each of the other boys: be confident, believe in yourself." With those words, he backed up several steps, ran toward the edge, and leaped off the edge toward the Hive. He landed with knees bent to absorb the shock.

  Shy knew there was no way he could make that jump. It was too far. There must be another way in. The other boys had evidently made it…. Did they jump? They must have, and that is why they were all watching him. He scooted up to the edge and looked down. The sun was beginning to set, and in the descending gloom of the forest, he could not even make out the ground. All he saw was branches and darkness. He looked down at the Hive, at Tad, and at the six other silhouettes lined up along the screened in walls of the Hive. They were waiting for him.

  He couldn’t make the jump. It was too far. Face it, Shy thought, I am scared. He began to walk away from the edge, thinking about just going back to his cabin. As he slowly walked away, he thought he heard a voice whisper, "you can." Shy spun at the sound. No one was there. He shrugged it off, and he again began to walk away.

  "You can." This time the whisper was accompanied by a push to his gut. Shy jumped backward and looked wildly about. He knew he had heard the voice this time. It wasn’t his imagination. Suddenly, there in the gloom, with the other boys and Tad watching, Shy was grabbed by the belt, spun around, and shoved toward the edge of the platform! Whatever it was just kept pushing. Shy tried to fight back, but it was too strong for him! He was going to go off the edge, no matter how hard he tried. He heard the voice again, this time a whispered scream, "YOU CAN…. JUMP!"

  With one step to go, Shy gave in, and jumped with all his might. He shut his eyes as he dropped, and branches of fragrant pine needles slapped his cheeks....

  Chapter Two

  "… no carving on the tables!"

  Shy picked himself up off the smooth pine floorboards of the Hive amid cheers and slaps on the back from the other six boys. Come to find out, as Ralph told it, all the boys had gone through the same thing, more or less. Some of them had cooperated quicker, but all of them had the same experience of being convinced by some invisible force. From what Shy could gather, they had been arguing, joking, and bragging about it since. Shy, however, was still a little shaken. Tad seemed to notice, and came up to Shy and put his hand on Shy’s shoulder, as he began to quiet the boys.

  "OK, OK…. We have a lot to talk about. I know you all have questions about what just happened. It is all part of the lesson that I am going to teach you this summer in our time together. That lesson is: believe in yourself, be confident." He paused and looked around as they stared at him. "Well… plenty of time for that later. We will meet back here before bed, and I will answer your questions. Right now, I’m hungry! How about we head to the lodge for dinner?" Taking in the chorus of answers, he smiled and said, "All right then, let’s fly!"

  He opened a wooden cabinet and dragged out seven metal bars, welded onto a pulley system. He took one and walked to the far side of the Hive, slid open a screened door, which exposed a cable attached to the roof of the outside of the Hive. He slid a step stool over, and hooked the pulleys onto the heavy metal cable.
The metal bar hung down.

  "OK, who is first to fly? Eagles, step forward." Sampson and Daniel moved up to the stool. Both boys were tall and strong, and Shy felt like they were probably older than he was.

  Daniel spoke up, "This is a zip line, isn’t it?"

  "Yup. It should take you about three minutes to the bottom. We land several hundred yards behind the Lodge. Just stay within the pines of the landing area, and wait for all of us. NO noise!"

  Daniel nodded to Tad, high-fived Sampson, and stepped up onto the step stool. After a moment’s hesitation, he grabbed the bar and pushed off into space. Sampson, not to be outdone, stepped quickly up, grasped the new bar Tad hooked up, and followed Daniel. You could hear both boys hooting with joy as they zipped down the hillside.

  "Quiet!" Tad yelled after them. "Raven cabin, you're next"

  "Me?!" Shy panicked.

  "Come on… believe in yourself, remember? You can do this. I promise there will be no pushes this time… no tricks. You can push off when you are ready."

  Shy looked around. The other four boys were staring back at him… waiting. He took a breath and stepped up onto the stool. Tad handed him the pulley bar, looked Shy in the eyes and winked. Shy grabbed the cool metal bar, and somehow felt like maybe he could do this. Tad stepped back. Another deep breath and Shy awkwardly leaped forward into space. Initially there was a bounce as the cable responded to his weight, then he smoothly began to roll forward. He began to gain speed quickly and found himself flying through the tree branches. The route the cable followed shifted slightly to the right and then to the left, dodging large trees. No sharp turns so far, Shy realized and he began to relax and enjoy the breeze zipping past. The line brought him over the tops of smaller trees, and around larger ones. The only unpleasantness was the occasional mosquito hitting his cheeks. He shut his mouth tight, but continued to smile.

  Within a minute or two, Shy could feel the path flattening out. Soon he could just barely make out the ground below. The zip line began to slow until it came to a stop in a small clearing thickly surrounded by pines. Shy’s feet hit the ground and he let go of the bar. Daniel and Sampson motioned him over.