More “Dark Town”

There were three ways to win at “Dark Town”.
1 – be “IT” and find everybody without anybody getting to the light switch and turning it on.
2 – be able to get from your hiding spot and sneak back and turn on the light switch without getting caught.
3 – hide where “IT” can’t find you so he/she gives up in frustration.

Now when Wes claims it was dark, he is talking PITCH BLACK, shades pulled, door at the bottom of the stairs closed, can’t see your hand in front of your face dark! Laurie (as always) reigned supreme – hiding in the hamper under the clothes or scaling the hall walls, feet and hands pressing against the opposite walls and back pressed against the ceiling and “IT” walking right under her, completely unaware (I’ll bet she even had the presence of mind to hold her breath when “IT” passed under) of her proximity inches overhead. We learned stealth movement that would have made Indians jealous. One night in a stroke of pure genius, I conceived the boldest and most perfect hiding place. The light switch (gouls – or however you spell it) was just inside the door to Wes’ bedroom, on the right wall which had a long low bookcase cabinet & desktop. “IT” (in this case probably Wes, but I don’t truly remember who) shut off the light and started to count.
[Now it was common knowledge to listen to the scurrying of footsteps away from gouls to gauge how many went in which directions, so my plan was dangerous]
I ever-so-carefully climbed up onto the desktop, feet as far away as physically possible, body twisted and bent while reaching with one arm to get my hand as close to the switch as possible. Wes (or whomever) yells “Here I Come, ready or not” practically in my ear and I, to his complete shock and horror (and when I say horror, think back to his previous writing about how we dealt with fear), immediately flick on the light and yell “GOULS”.

It only worked once, but once was enough.

(“For a moment, wasn’t I a king” == Garth Brooks, The Dance)