Busted

August 15, 2016

One beautiful afternoon, I was out at the preserve, miles away from my clothes, feeling completely free, when in an instant, I was wishing I wasn’t miles away from my clothing.  I was walking across a clearing toward the trail where I had left my bicycle, and two boys dressed in the strangest costumes I’d ever seen suddenly emerged from the trail where I left my bicycle.  They stood for a moment, realizing that they were looking at a naked girl walking across the clearing toward them, not sure what to make of the situation.  Part of me wanted to turn and flee into the undergrowth and find a place to hide until they left, but something inside told me not to break my stride at all, and I kept walking toward my bicycle.

As I drew closer to them, I began to see the details of their elaborate costumes.  They both had multiple layers of cloaks, steam punk style goggles, leather bags, crafty looking charms and amulets and one carried what looked like a wizard staff with an emerald like stone set into a spidery metal crown.  

“Are you ok?  Did something happen to you?”  One of the boys asks.

“It’s really hot, and I don’t feel like wearing anything” I reply.  “Aren’t you really hot under all those layers?”

“Yeah Valerie, we’re actually dying in these dumb costumes.”

I froze, my eyes turned into saucers.  These boys knew me!

“It’s Casey, from your second period American History class at Silver Lake.”  Casey smiled as he pushed his goggles up and showed his eyes.

“Bart - fifth period PE.”  Bart pushed up his goggles and did a little bow.

“Ok, you caught me, but you don’t have to worry about running into me out here again.  I’ll be out of the way of... whatever it is you guys are doing out here.”

I walked over to my bicycle and picked it up preparing to ride away.

As I put my things into the basket I hear Bart call to me.  “Look, you don’t have to worry about us telling anyone about seeing you out here.  The truth is, its much worse for us if people find out we are out here LARPing, so believe me...  you don’t have to worry.”

“What’s LARPing?”  I ask.

“Live Action Role Playing” Bart mouthed the words with a bit of flourish.  “It’s a game, Mind’s Eye Society - a theatrical role playing event.  We’re rehearsing to get ready.  There are six of us who want to go to the game this year.”

“There are six of you out here?”  I ask.

“Yes,” Bart assures me.   ”We were going to go meet the others at the apothecary shop up the hill.”  

“It’s a pretend apothecary shop.”  Casey assures me.  “Why don’t you come along, and meet the others, you can learn more about the game.”