10-year-old William is a bundle of fear and anxiety. These feelings have manifested into something real and terrifying. After confronting the bullies at his primary school, Will is outmatched and kicked down in the dirt. Alongside Will are his two best friends. They call themselves 'The Mystery'. After observing something peculiar happening in the farmer's barn, Will must wrangle up his friends and discover what on earth is in there. Could the answer to Will and his friends' problems lie in that barn?
10-year-old William is a bundle of fear and anxiety. These feelings have manifested into something real and terrifying. After confronting the bullies at his primary school, Will is outmatched and kicked down in the dirt. Alongside Will are his two best friends. They call themselves 'The Mystery'. After observing something peculiar happening in the farmer's barn, Will must wrangle up his friends and discover what on earth is in there. Could the answer to Will and his friends' problems lie in that barn?
1
THE BEAST IN THE WOODS
I was stuck at Barnsmead Park Primary School. It was
an old school, and it seemed as though nothing had
changed since it opened in the seventies. I saw the
cyan-coloured paint chips peeling off the walls, the tattered
moth-ridden curtains, the smeared chalk-stained
blackboards.
It was the beginning of a new school year. In fact, it was
Year 6, the final year of primary school, and I was already
itching to leave. I wouldnât miss this place. Not one bit.
Changes were happening. Relationships were forming,
cliques were branching off, and owning rare trading cards
was the height of currency.
Autumn was creeping in, and summer was fading away,
the leaves had already turned crispy and stale. Summer
didnât last long here. It was lunch time, and my best friend
Tony was sick that day, so I wandered around the playground
by myself. I was extremely aware of the students
playing around me with all their friends. I would often pull
this trick where I squinted and scanned the playground
aimlessly so it looked like I was trying to find my imaginary
group of friends. A crinkled leaf blew past my face, and
landed next to a small, wooded area in the corner of the
playing field. My attention became fixed on the swaying
branches and creaking tree trunks. I stared at it for a great
amount of time. I stared for so long that people eventually
disappeared. The studentsâ hysterical laughter and chatter
became muffled and gently fell away. The only sign of movement
and sound came from within the murky woods.
It was as though something was calling to me.
The leaves brushed against one another, scraping and
scratching. I took a huge inhale, readying myself. I knew Iâd
have to investigate this oddity alone.
I cautiously took the first steps towards the mysterious
woods. My freshly waxed school shoes grazed the grass that
gradually reached knee-height. The harsh sounds of the
dying plants became louder. The trees revealed a narrow
gateway where one small human could have entered if they
squeezed themselves through the gap. Looking deep into
the heart of the woods revealed nothing but sheer darkness.
I trembled with fearful excitement.
In a weird way, I think I enjoyed the fearâthe mystery of
it all.
I took a step through the entrance. My shoes met with
the unmistakable squelch of wet mud. I was too curious to
care about what Mum would think; that was a problem to
deal with later. There was a rustle in the trees up ahead. A
morbid thought crept across my mind. Iâm going to die.
THRASH!
I leapt backwards. A couple of pigeons scattered,
disturbing the trees as they flew away. Phew. Pigeons. Just
pigeons.
Iâd had enough of the cave of horrors. The school bell
droned in the distance. It was time to head back.
Just as I turned around, I heard a crunch. I lifted my
shoe, but there were no leaves underneath. A sharp, needle-piercing
feeling stabbed my entire body. An icy grip latched
onto my arms and feet, locking them in place, as though
held by invisible chains. I could just barely manage to turn
my head.
Beyond the dark abyss, a tall silhouette approached. Its
footsteps thudded and shook the ground. It reached a sliver
of light poking through the canopy. The light barely
revealed its identity, but it was enough. It was at least eight
feet tall. A monstrosity with huge, lifeless black eyes,
protruding walrus-like tusks, and a face covered in brown
matted fur. It made a guttural sound, like a running engine,
as it approached.
When you watch a movie, usually the victim screams,
but I made no sound; I was incapable. Instead, I ran. The
grass seemed thicker than before as I awkwardly waded
through it. It felt as though bricks were weighing me down,
and the safety of the school building didnât feel any closer.
My legs heaved with all their might to lift off the ground. I
dared not glance back at the beast, but I couldnât help taking
one final look. All I saw was a blur of mushy browns and
smeared greens. I tripped clumsily over my shoelaces and
landed on the muddy ground. I craned my head up to see
another monstrosity. Mrs Collings!
She was standing over me, hand on hip. I never thought
Iâd be so relieved to see her glum face.
âLate. Again,â she snapped.
I wanted to say something, warn her of the danger
lurking in the woods, but I knew she wouldnât believe me.
âAnd look at your shoes!â she bellowed.
Since this book is described as horror, I picked it up expecting it to be scary. But it turns out to be a cozy horror, a cheerful story about friendship and personal growth. I had to realign my expectations to fairly appreciate this book.
We meet William and his two closest friends Tony and Bree; all three being nerds and misfits at school. Not only is William bullied by âThe Football Boysâ at school. One night, William notices strange noises and a strange light in his neighbourâs barn. He proposes this as the next case for his private club, The Mystery, where the trio play detectives. Thus begins their adventure to find the barnâs secret. But The Football Boys, who seem to constantly bump into the trio, get involved in their investigation. Things get complicated when a couple of the Football Boys disappear during the investigation, Tony starts hanging out more with the Football Boys and both Tony and William are smitten by the most sought-after girl in class, Charlene. Add to the mix, Williamâs inner voice, which at times seems like another sinister mystery, and we have a good page-turner.
The story has a few loose-ends and inexplicable instances. Some may be oversight. Some are outright bizarre e.g. how do 2 schoolkids disappear for months with no adult talking about them nor the police involved? Also, one too many weird incidents are happening in the small town where the story is set.
By the end of the story, the mysteries are uncovered but the Whyâs and the Howâs are not exactly answered. But Williamâs other challenges â his fears, problems with his best friends, affections for Charlene, have been tackled perfectly and we have a happy conclusion. Except for his inner voice, which at times feels like another entity.
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It is hard to love William in the beginning. Not because he is introverted, scared and socially awkward. But because he seems self-centred. He feels friendless despite having two best friends with shared interests and does not open to his supportive parents. He even ignores his younger brother who is like William and as troubled as he. But by the end of the story, William overcomes his flaws and grows into a better person.
While his friends and other characters have been well written, I couldnât help but notice the strange treatment given to the two girls: Bree and Charlene. Bree still has significant roles in the story, but Charlene is shown as an arm candy of the leader of The Football Boys and is used as a mere prop quite a few times. This does not make sense either within the story nor in the larger picture where one hopes that books align with contemporary society and issues, especially when aimed at young readers.
Overall, this book is engaging, and wonderfully deals with the themes I mentioned above. The mysterious and the uncanny elements drive the plot and stay at the core and the backdrop, but do not expect to solve them if that is what you are looking for. This book is ideal for readers looking for a quick, cozy, light-hearted reading.