The Stitcher (Part 1 of 2)

*This story may not be suitable to be read to some children

The Stitcher
By Ryan Slattery

“Once upon a time in a swamp beyond the dark forest there dwelt a monster called the Stitcher. He took the remains of dead animals, cut them to pieces, and stitched them together with other animals to make unusual and grotesque creatures, called ‘Stitches.’ Using a mysterious power, he gave life back to the bodies of the Stitches, releasing them into the forest. Travelers and those unlucky enough to be caught in the forest at night report seeing these terrifying beings in the trees, in the ground, and in the air. The poet has said,

With pincers or claws it tunnels or flies,
With one head or two, and how many eyes?
The forest is dark, a mercy of night,
For sight of a Stitch is worst of all sights.”

                The father closed the book and looked at his child, who grasped his sheets lying in bed.

                “Do the Stitches ever leave the forest?” the child asked.

                His father turned his back to the child and walked to the bookshelf. He slid the thin book between the well-worn covers of other favorite tales, and came back to the bed, lowering down to the boy, looking him closely.

                “The Stitches are just a myth,” the father said. “Now go to sleep.”

                The father’s answer pacified the boy, who turned to his side and closed his eyes. The father left the small room, extinguishing the lantern and closing the door. Pale light poured through the window from the moon. Although the boy believed his father, as he drifted into sleep his imagination conceived of a pig with the head of a dog and wings from an eagle. At first the picture made him laugh a little, but the idea that the animals were once dead emerged in his mind and his imagination grew ever more frightening. He tossed in his bed dreaming of such nightmarish creatures. He opened his eyes to refocus his mind. His saw nothing but the pale light of the moon, except a tiny fuzzy dark shape silhouetted against the light of the open window. As his eyes focused on the shadowy figure he saw flapping wings like that of a bat, but with the body of a frog. It had the claws of crow and the tail of a lizard. Its head was that of a mouse and it began to speak as it came closer.

                “You must come quickly; there is danger in this house.”

                The boy saw tiny threads all about the body of the creature, like the patchwork of a disorganized quilt. The creature landed on the cover of the boy, who frantically cast the sheet away, cried out and ran to the door. He ran and jumped down the wood steps only to find nothing. His father was gone, and the door was open. The boy cried out for his father, but there was no answer. Only a small voice from above him called out, “Quiet! You will be in great danger.”

                The boy looked up to see the hideous creature descending to him. He backed away until he walked into the wall. “Are…Are you a Stitch?” he asked.

                “I wasn’t once, but now I am.” Came the small voice.

                “Where is my father? What happened to him?” the boy asked falling down sitting on the floor.

                The Stitch landed on the floor and walked limping towards the boy. “He has taken your father, but do not worry. He will not kill him.”

                “Who has taken him?” the boy asked.

                “He’s called the Stitcher in folklore. Many consider him to be a fairytale, but I know he is real.”

                As the Stitch neared, the boy he opened his hand. The Stitch jumped, flew, and perched in the boy’s grasp. “What does he want with my father?” the boy asked.

                “Nothing. He only took him because he couldn’t take you. But now that your father is gone, there is no one here to protect you. We have to go.”

                “Where can we go?” the boy asked.

                “I know a place in the forest which is safe.” The Stitch jumped into the air and flew to the door.

                The boy got up and hesitated. “Isn’t it dangerous in the forest? Are all the Stitches like you?”

                “I will tell you more on the way, but understand that it is less dangerous in the forest now than it is in this house.”

                The boy left the room and returned with a boning knife from the kitchen. Grabbing a lantern, he followed the Stitch out the door. The air was cold upon him, but it was the darkness that bothered him the most. The moon was bright in the sky, but its illumination did little to light the way. At least he was not alone, however. The Stitch, as strange as it looked, comforted him.

                “I’m sorry I screamed when you came near me at first,” the boy said. “It’s just I have never seen anything like you before.”

                “It’s okay, I understand. I wasn’t always like this, you know. I used to be like you.”

                “What do you mean?” the boy asked.

                “I used to have a name, but I can’t remember what it was. That’s why the Stitcher wants you.”

                As they approached the forest over the hill the Stitch instructed the boy to be quiet, “After a stream we will move west. There is a cave there which I’ve lived for years. Many Stitches are not like me, they follow only what the Stitcher wants. We must be careful in the forest.”

                Before long the boy watched as the silver moon became lost in the maze of branches overhead. The only light left was from his lantern. He walked carefully behind the Stitch watching the ground to avoid tripping on a root or break a twig underfoot. Despite his caution, however, the boy heard distant and near sounds that followed them in the forest. There was no stream ahead and the boy thought he saw movements in the forest. His imagination pictured horrible creatures with one head or two, and how many eyes? Distracted and panicked the boy lost his balance catching his foot in a tangle. He fell to the ground with a thud, dropping the lantern to the ground.

                The boy and the Stitch heard growling sounds from around them, some like dogs and bears, others like animals unimaginable. “You must go quickly to the cave,” the Stitch said gliding down and retrieving the lantern. “I will lead them away. Remember go west when you come to the stream. Find the cave and wait for me.” The Stitch flew into the air with the lantern beckoning the growling beasts for a chase.

There was no light to see the creatures, but the boy felt a large furry mass move over him. He shot up and ran blindly through the forest. He stumbled and tripped as he moved up hills, through bushes, and into tree branches. His mind was so frantic that he scarcely realized that his feet were wet. He reached the stream and went west. Just as the Stitch said, there was a cave. He entered and laid down in exhaustion. He took off his wet socks, covered up as well as he could and slept.

What happens next? Let us know what you think will happen. The conclusion will be published next Monday! Thanks for reading!