Reynard Beck, The Boy Who Could Fly

SYNOPSIS:

Set in 1875, Reynard Beck is the story of the boy who could fly. All he wants… is for it to stop. His brother … wants to make money from Reynard’s 'gift'. A road trip story, and a mystical coming of age, filled with Alan Parker'esq casting and Big Fish characters. Reynard meets every imaginable type on the way to seek answers. Those who accept him, those who wish to change him, and those who wish to abuse him. From former underground railroad folks, to real railroad workers. Preachers and pastors, villains and pawns, historical figures of the time. Fraught with adventures, kidnappings, flirtations, music, revivals, back roads and characters galore...this is a story of accepting ones self, and making the choice to take the path that works for you.

REYNARD BECK

The legend of Reynard has been around for over 140 years with no known author/originator. This is my original idea of what his life might have been. What follows, are a few excerpts from ‘his diaries’. I am in development of the script with a writer. For more of the diaries, please email micheleseidman@aol.com and after NDA is signed, I will release more of the diaries & script to you.

The Diary of Reynard Beck © 2013-2016

Original Story by Michele Seidman, based on the Legend of Reynard Beck

Preface

We live out in the middle of nowhere, just a little land my granddaddy left us. When my Paw died, he told my brother and me to look after the farm and our Mom. I was 10 when he passed on but I turned 16 a few days before IT happened.

I started this diary that night.

Friday, October 1st 1875

I heard the rooster this morning and tried to stay under my blanket. When I opened my eyes everything looked out of place. I thought I was dreaming. I could not see around me much. All I could see was the beams and boards on the ceiling in my room. I looked down and sure enough I was floating. I still thought I was dreaming. And I made my way by grabbing the beams and getting to a sidewall and pulling myself to the ground. I stood up normal but when I let go of the beam I started floating up again so I grabbed on tight and searched the bedroom with my eyes. I saw some fireplace stones and I managed to fetch them by working my way across the room grabbing anything that would hold me down. I shook out my pillow from the case and I fashioned a crude weight belt and tied it on. It seemed to do the trick.

I still thought I was dreaming and could hear Momma and my brother Joshua from downstairs in the kitchen. I went down to the kitchen and everything seemed real normal. Mom asked me what I wanted and Josh asked me why it took so long to get down. He was mad cause we had a lot of chores to get done as the harvest is coming soon. I told him I just over slept is all. He called me lazy and that was that. Mom made a good breakfast and I was hoping I was dreaming so I could wake up and come down for more.

But the day was like any other. The weight belt was hidden under my shirt and no one seemed to notice. After lunch, I snuck away from the work crew and I went out behind the barn, tied my foot to one of the hitching posts and I took the weight belt off and laid it on the post. Sure enough I started floating again. I grabbed that belt quick and tied it back, then pulled my shirt back over it just before Joshua came around and found me about to untie my ankle. He gave me a look. I thought for sure he was gonna say something but he shook his head and walked away hollering for me to stop playing and get back to work.

The day went like any other day except that no one knows I can float and seems I am not having a dream at all. This is something real. I am going to write more tomorrow. Right now I have to figure out how I am gonna tie myself in bed so Mom and Joshua don’t notice. I need to sleep something fierce.

Sunday, October 3rd 1875

Been a couple of days and I still float when I take off my weight belt. I figured out how to tie myself to the bed with some rope. I hide it when I get up in the morning so no one will see it. So far Mom and Joshua have not figured it out yet but Mom said I looked like I was finally putting on a little weight. Said I always have been too thin and could float in the breeze. If Mom only knew.

Wednesday, October 6th 1875

It’s getting colder and my fireplace bricks need to go in the fire. I went to the barn and found some old strips of leather and fashioned me a new weight belt with some horseshoes and other flat bits of metal. I can hide this one under my pants and tuck in my shirt loose. Leaves a bunch of funny marks on me when I take it off at night. I made sure all the horseshoes pointed up. Figure I need all the luck I can get.

Saturday, October 9th 1875

Joshua knows. He promised not to tell Momma. I made him swear cause I don’t want to scare Momma none. It’s my own fault. I was really tired last night when I went to bed and I guess I did not tie my rope tight enough cause Joshua came in my room this morning to a startle. I was crawling down the wall when he bolted in asking where his hat was. I was about half way down and he just stopped dead in his tracks when he saw me. His mouth opened wide enough to catch flies and he looked like he did not know if he should stay or go or what. I told him to be quiet cause I was afraid he would shout for Mom. Joshua has a big mouth and talks a lot. He is slick with words but I needed him to be quiet.

I grabbed my weight belt and put it on so I could grab him and shut the door. He started asking all kinds of questions. Thought he was imagining it for a minute. I took the belt off and started to float and he just sat on my bed with a confused look. I put the belt back on and we sat and talked. He asked me if I knew how this happened and how long I had been hiding it. He wanted to tell Mom but I made him swear on our blood brother oath not to tell her. Momma being religious and all, I was afraid she would think the Devil was at work. This does not feel evil it just feels strange.

We had breakfast and went and got ready for the harvest. Joshua kept looking at me all day with a funny look. Just before bed tonight he came in and started asking the same questions. I don’t have any answers but he promised me we would try to find out what was going on as soon as the harvest was over next week. He said, we’ll go in to town to the library and look in some science and medical books for answers. I made him swear again that we would find out what happened to me so I could stop floating and be normal again. I don’t want to be different. I’m already too quiet around folks and they tease me all the time for not talking much. I just don’t see the point in a lot of words unless they have meaning, I guess.

Friday October 15th 1875

Harvest is almost done but I got a feeling bad down in the pit of my belly. Today when we were just finishing bringing in all the equipment, one of the Carter clan from the farm across the river came riding up asking if me and Joshua could come help her. It was little Katherine. Seems her youngest brother climbed way up in the tree when his Mom tried to get him to take his monthly bath. He got so high up there no one can get him. The ladder won’t reach and her daddy can’t climb cause he got thrown off a horse last year and has a lame leg and her Moms about to have their 5th baby. Joshua promised we would be right there.

We rode over as soon as we were done closing the barn doors and got to the Carters farmhouse just as the sun went down. The whole clan was out there shouting to Thomas to hold on tight cause by now he was crying. I am guessing he was laughing when he went up there but by now he was just hungry and tired and probably getting bit by bugs. Joshua tried to shimmy up the tree but he did not get far. We tried using the ladder and stacking it on boxes and bails. By now the whole Carter family had gone inside to get the little ones to bed and Joshua turned to me and said I had to do it. I told him he was taller and he said I had to take off my belt and get Thomas.

I kept saying no but he talked me in to it. He tied some rope from a bail to my leg and let me float up and grab Thomas, his weight helped us float back down pretty quick. He took Thomas and sat him on his knee and told him he just imagined that I floated up to him. It was a dream and he better wake up now. Then he pinched him a little and Thomas started fussing about the pain when his Mom came out crying with happy tears. She kept thanking us over and over and Thomas kept pointing at Joshua saying he pinched him awake.

We rode home in silence. I am mad. What if Thomas says something before I figure out how to stop floating and Joshua had a funny look on his face when he said goodnight. I never saw him look like that before. Something feels wrong in my guts. Maybe I ate too much.

_________________________________

These Diaries are the original work of Michele Seidman, based on the legend of Reynard Beck. Any use without permission, will be pursued under all applicable laws.