Ribbons by J R Evans Read Free Book Online Page B

Nothing happened. He gave it a whack, because that’s what you did to technology from the eighties that was being stubborn. The pins started to turn. They caught the teeth of the cassette tape and hesitated. Then with a warbling lurch, the story began. The woman’s voice started out distorted but had smoothed out by the end of the title page.
    “This is the story of The Woman in the Garden . Please read along with me and turn the page when you hear the owl say, Hoo hoo-hoo. ”
    Foster left the tape deck playing on the shelf. He took the book over to the beanbag chair a flopped down into it. The chair gave a hiss as it settled under his weight, and a couple of squeaks as he shifted around to get comfortable. Then he opened the book on his lap.
    “Once upon a time, in a forest that time had forgotten, there lived a beautiful woman who tended a garden. Hoo hoo-hoo. ”
    The illustrations were interesting. They looked pre-Disney. Realistic depictions of a fantastic world. No gigantic eyes, no gigantic breasts. Foster fumbled around in his pocket. The way the beanbag chair folded him up, it was impossible to get his hand all the way in. He arched his back so that he could straighten his legs and finally managed to grab what he’d been looking for. Then he relaxed and had to make himself comfortable all over again.
    “The woman planted her garden in a nice, quiet clearing by a stream and an old oak tree. Hoo hoo-hoo. ”
    He held the box cutter up in from of his face and slid the blade open with his thumb. It was new, gleaming and sharp. The blade had a wet looking sheen to it from the light coat of machine oil keeping it rust free.
    “In the oak tree perched Mr. Owl who helped her look over the garden to make sure none of the creatures of the forest defiled it. Hoo hoo-hoo. ”
    Foster’s eyes filled with tears. He stifled a sob as the blade slid across his wrist. It burned a bit, but he barely noticed the pain once he was done. He sniffed back his tears and held the book up in front of him. It turned out to be a pop-up book, and that made him smile.
    “One day a scaly old snake slithered into the garden, whispering lies and secrets. Hoo hoo-hoo. ”
    Beads of blood started to trace a line down his forearm to his elbow. From there, they dripped a steady rhythm onto the floor next to his music box.
    “The snake said a man was coming to help tend the garden and to give the woman a child. Hoo hoo-hoo. ”
    Foster thought he should be trying to think of something important. Trying to answer some last question he had, or maybe relive a good memory. Nothing came to him, though, and he was happy to let the storybook fill his mind with images.
    “Mr. Owl said, ‘This snake tells nothing but lies. This man doesn’t come for you. He’ll ruin the garden.’ Hoo hoo-hoo. ”
    Foster tried to pull the tab to make the owl’s wings flap, but his hands were starting to get very cold. His eyelids drooped, and he thought he heard a distant buzzing sound. He wanted to look and see what was making the sound, but his eyes weren’t cooperating.
    “The woman said, ‘Now, now, Mr. Owl. We mustn’t judge somebody we haven’t met yet. Besides, I’ve never met a man before. Tell me, Mr. Snake, what is this man’s name?” Hoo hoo-hoo. ”
    Foster couldn’t turn the page. He was missing the story.
    Turn the page when you hear the owl say, “Hoo hoo-hoo.”
    The buzzing sounded closer.
    Foster, turn the page.
    Buzz.
    Turn the fucking page.
    Foster’s eyes snapped open.
    The buzzing had stopped and was now replaced by a pounding in his head. He lifted a hand to rub his forehead and the pain in his wrist made him suck in his breath. His mouth was dry, and the room smelled like pennies. The storybook that Foster had been reading was on the floor next to his music box. Both were stained red by the small pool of blood forming around the beanbag chair. The book was on the ground, but the Woman in the Garden stood in front of him.
    She stood