Gazooks

Lord of the Deep and World's Greatest Tickle Monster!

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The Ferry Ride

By Beth
Posted Jul 28, 2007

I was 4 years old. My parents were out of town for the weekend, so they left me with my babysitter, Janice. At 16, Janice was your typical teenage girl, concerned about the latest fashions and hanging around with her girlfriends after school. Yet, whenever she came to watch me, she was like a big sister and always had time for me. We went on day trips together to the forest or the beach. I enjoyed these times for I was always curious and looking for adventure.

I was excited because we were going on my first ferry ride. The ferry was scheduled to sail thru a series of islands and then bring us back later in the evening. We had already visited two islands and were on our way to the third. The water was peaceful as we sailed across the bay and the skyline was turning pink as the sun was slowly setting.

We were standing by the railing, watching the waves crash as we coasted along. Suddenly the water turned very rough. Janice pulled me back from the railing just as the boat started to rock. The boat almost turned on its side as something huge came up out of the water near the starboard side.

It was a gigantic bright green sea monster. It looked like a squid, but its tentacles were countless as they rose out of the water. I looked straight up and saw its face. Its big yellow eyes rolled about and then focused down on the boat. It smiled down on us like a green sun on a raison bran box.

Several of its arms started to hover over the ship�s rail and drip water on deck. I heard a lady scream, signaling the passengers to awake from their initial shock and begin panicking. Many were slipping on the freshly dripped water and falling down as they tried to run below deck.

I stood there, too scared to move as I watched one of its arms reach down to scoop a woman up in its leaf shaped hand. She vanished quickly up into the air. Then more arms started coming down quickly upon the boat like a hard rain as passengers scurried to escape. A tentacle came within five feet of me as it easily wrapped around two young teenage girls. Then more and more women of all ages were picked up; some were grabbed by the handful, some by themselves.

It finally occured to Janice that we might be next. She grabbed my hand in the commotion.

�Quick, Amy! We�ve got to hide!� she said urgently, pulling me toward a stack of several large crates at the end of the deck.

People kept running in front of us. They were all just as scared as we were and not paying attention to where they were going. The monster calmly continued to seize women, picking them out of the crowd, one by one. I counted at least five picked up right in front of us in mid-stride as we made our way thru the crowd.

�Keep going, Amy!� Janice urged as we pushed thru all the people. I couldn�t run as fast as Janice, and I kept tripping over debris. Finally, I fell down on the deck. Janice realized she�d lost her grip on me and stopped to come back for me. Just then, a hand reached down and plucked her off the deck. I froze as I heard her scream and watched the hand carry her up into the air. I followed it as it pulled her towards the nest of tentacles holding other women hovering over the water, waiting for the monster�s next whim.

I was terrified. All alone now, I got up and scurried thru the thinned out crowd and made it behind the crates. I shielded myself the best I could from the fray. After a few minutes, the people that could, had escaped down below deck. I seemed to be the only one left. I could hear the captured women screaming and whimpering as they waited for what was next.

Then I began to hear a wave of female laughter.

I peeked thru a crack between the crates and watched as the monster�s hands opened up like flowers and created giant green hammocks for the captured. Unable to escape, the women watched as free tentacles reached for them and began tickling them.

I was able to see the teenage girls that had been captured near me. They laid side by side on an outstretched hand as a tentacle alternated wiggling over each of their stomachs. Another had knocked off their shoes, and was brushing their bare feet. Their laughter grew louder and more intense as the moments passed. Then Janice came into view. She was laughing as her ribs and underarms were gently stroked. She tried to push the tentacle away, but it kept moving to a new spot. Sometimes, she would stop struggling and let the tentacle tickle her silly until she couldn't stand it anymore and tried to fight it off again.

I watched for several minutes as the tickling continued. I had never heard of a real life tickle monster, and to see one in action was something to behold. It was easy to be afraid. Underarms, feet, ribs, stomachs; no part was safe. The monster was huge and there would be no getting away once it grabbed ahold of you. I could feel my fear fading as it was replaced by fascination the longer I watched. I began to imagine myself in their place, a tentacle carefully wiggling over my bare feet as I was tickled to death.

I became so fascinated by what was happening, that I was no longer satisfied with watching so far away. I braved a look around and saw some crates that were closer to the monster. I was small enough, I thought. Surely the monster wouldn't see me move there. Once there, I could hide safely behind them and get a closer look. I crept over to them as stealthily as I could to get a better view.

Unbeknownst to me, a little man had seen me from the start. No one noticed him arrive with the monster. He had quietly observed the panic with a smile while the monster striked. They had attacked enough times that his friend the sea monster (and world's greatest tickler) no longer needed direction. The monster knew exactly what to do, allowing the man the pleasure of enjoying the mischief. All he had to do now was remind the monster to stop.

He was sitting on the railing, looking up with delight as the monster tickled all the pretty ladies on the boat for him. Normally he would be high above in the fray on one of the monster's hands, gazing down at their handiwork. Today, he decided to marvel at the magnificent site from below.

He had seen me duck behind the crates before the laughter began, but had spared me. His friend had grabbed enough playmates to satisfy them, he thought. No sense in being greedy and going after a small child. In fact, he had almost forgotten me. If I had just stayed put, he would've left me alone. However, moving out of the shadows into the sunshine, my sparkly headband twinkled like a beacon and caught the corner of his eye.

As he watched me duck behind the second set of crates to get a closer look, he reconsidered his decision.

He walked carefully along the railing until he was a few feet away from me. He called out to get my attention, "Hello, little girl!"
His voice carried over the laughter so well, I was sure the monster heard him too. I looked up and was surprised to see the odd little man looking down at me. His dark red wetsuit and a pair of goggles around his neck told me he came with the monster.

He jumped down on to the deck. He was very short for an adult, and only came up to my waist. He smiled and asked, "Why don�t you come out here and we'll give you a good tickle?�

Discovered, my fear returned. Imagining being tickled and actually being tickled by the monster were two different things. I crawled back against the crates and replied back, �No, please, I�m too scared.�

He smiled reassuringly and walked a few paces closer to me. �There's nothing to be afraid of. We're just here to give everyone a good laugh. You like to laugh, don't you?"

I nodded my head.

He continued, "And you can handle some silly little tickles, can't you?"
I hesitated. I knew there would be no escaping once the monster started tickling me. I started listening to the laughter again. I thought how exciting it would be to laugh so freely. Sure, they were laughing hysterically and that in itself was nerve-racking, but none of them sounded distressed. If they could take it, why couldn�t I?

I nodded my head again and replied shyly, "Yes."

He coaxed, "Then be a good girl and come out, so we can have some fun.�

I stood up and walked out away from the crates toward the man. The man smiled, delighted I had come out on my own. He pulled out a small whistle that had been around his neck under his suit. He looked up at the monster and blew on it, but I didn�t hear a sound. However, the monster heard it even over all the laughter and suddenly focused on us. The weight of the monster's stare on me was intense, but I stood my ground. The man did a couple hand gestures to talk to the monster, who then smiled and nodded in agreement.

Before I could change my mind, a hand reached out for me and gently scooped me up. Everything blurred by as I was lifted high up to join the others. Then the hand opened up and cupped around me, so I couldn't roll out. I was nervous as I listened to all the others laughing, but I didn't regret my choice. I looked over and saw Janice laughing silly. Then I joined her.