Swoosh

By Kurt Moehlmann

Swoosh is the first in a series about a young boy and his special talent. With his animal companion, they meet various life challenges and discover how to solve them and grow with these experiences.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Mar 14, 2019
• ISBN: 9781982223588

Kurt Moehlmann

Kurt Moehlmann writes for young readers. He pulls the reader in to his stories with humor, intrigue and surprizes. He engages the reader with characters that are believeable and magical.

Book preview

Chapter 1

What was that?

Swoosh… swoosh.

He peered into the late twilight and saw nothing.

Swoosh.

He twirled around, and still nothing. Or was there something? A shadow, a flitting image, but then nothing. He circled around, and still nothing.

Maybe it’s the wind, he thought. He made his way from the garden shed to his back door.

Swoosh.

Doggone it. What is that? Show yourself, he demanded.

Silence. Just more silence. He stood in complete darkness and grabbed the swing set to steady himself. He stood motionless. Then the strangest thing occurred. Inside his head, he heard, I’m right here.

Who’s right where? he said aloud.

Don’t talk out loud. Think your thoughts.

What?

Think your words. Don’t speak!

He thought, What does that mean?

Yes! Yes! That is what I am requesting.

This is weird.

Only to those who don’t trust.

Where are you? Who are you? What are you?

Silence.

I said to think your thoughts.

He quieted himself and thought, Where are you? Who are you? What are you?

That’s nice. Good boy. As for where I am, come to the shed and open the door.

He walked to the shed and did as he was told.

Now come inside. Turn your flashlight on, but point it down.

He followed instructions.

Now look over your right shoulder. Keep the light low!

He did, and what he saw scared him. You’re a bat! Yikes, I’m outta here! He ran out of the shed to the house shaking all the way.

Chapter 2

His mother looked at him and exclaimed, What’s wrong? Are you hurt? Somebody chasing you?

No, Mom. He breathed heavily between words. Just got freaked in the darkness.

Well, it was just your imagination. There’s nothing out there. You should get ready for bed.

He trudged upstairs and got into his pajamas. Was that my imagination? The voice had seemed so real to him, and that was definitely a bat in the shed. He hadn’t made that up. The words kept revolving in his head. He couldn’t stop hearing them.

So do you believe me now?

He sat up in bed and looked around. The windows were closed. There was no way a bat could have gotten into his room.

Don’t try looking for me. I’m still in the shed.

But how can I—

In your head please.

But how can I hear you?

You know how you can connect two cans with a string and hear what the other person is saying?

Yes.

Well, our two heads are the cans, but we don’t need any string. We can talk to each other in our heads.

How did this happen? How can this be?

I’ve been searching for you a long time. You are very special.

He lay on in his bed and kept thinking about those words—I’ve been searching for you a long time. You are very special—What does this all mean?

The bat said, It means that my prayers have been answered, that you can save me and my colony, that my message can be delivered.

What message? What colony? How can I save anything?

Shhh. Just listen.

The bat recounted his colony’s history and current perilous situation. He listened, wide-eyed and stupefied. At one point, the boy asked, Am I crazy? Who are you really? I must be crazy. I’m hearing voices.

Quiet!

The bat continued with his story all the way to the end.

Chapter 3

The next morning, he woke up and ran downstairs.

"Where are your clothes? Go back upstairs and get