Gadolor

Midnight Job And What He Saw Under the Bushes

It was Trevor’s job to wake up at midnight and scrub the lanterns when no one would need them. One night as he was scrubbing he noticed something in the bushes. He sniffed because the cold was making his nose run and then a similar sound came from the shrub nearby. Was it green glass twinkling in the lantern light under the bush? He sniffed again and heard more clearly a burbling sound, then a slight click-clattering. Something emerged from under the bush and Trevor almost jumped back in fright.

It seemed half spider, half wasp, with a half-dozen glowing green eyes of different sizes set asymmetrically in its furry face. It had a delicate mandible mouth whose pieces wiggled when it said, “Mmrrblblbllle.” Trevor stared. “Errikblblbl.” It was the kind of thing Trevor would energetically stomp on if he saw it in his house and if it wasn’t the size of a small dog. It cocked its flat head to fix him with its biggest green eye’s gaze. “Mmkm, mmkm,” it bounced a little on eight spidery toes.

“He-hello,” Trevor waved timidly.

“G-g-g-ko,” it responded, scampering in a circle. It stopped to watch him again. Trevor felt like he should continue scrubbing the lantern so he did, still watching the thing with both of his two eyes. This was the only lantern on this corner.

“Mmb-k,” the spiderwasp exclaimed, causing Trevor to jump back in fright as it scampered up the lantern’s light pole until it was level with his head. Its furry body was now lit from one side by the lantern’s yellow glow. The body was black and the hairs were gray, giving the creature an iridescent appearance as it moved. It became solemn as the green eyes turned inward to the lantern’s heart where the bright tungsten filament glowed.

“Ah!” Trevor exclaimed, as the spiderwasp vomited on the thick lantern glass and busily spread teal goop all over it. The yellow light, showing a drab scene of a quiet lane and trees looming nearby, turned blue-green as the goop spread across the glass. The spiderwasp had vomited on the second of the lantern’s four panes before Trevor glanced over at what the teal light was illuminating.

It wasn’t the lane. It was a wandering path of varying width that seemed to be trimmed by mushrooms of varying size and color. The trees that leaned over the path appeared more curvy than normal and almost rubbery. Trevor wondered whether those indigo leaves were made of thin leather or cloth before the spiderwasp interrupted him.

“Mmb-k-m, Mmb-k-mm,” it exclaimed, scampering triumphantly to the lantern’s pointed top. All the lantern’s glass had been covered by goop now, and Trevor looked around him at an entirely new world.