It faded in and out for a few minutes before Peter realized what it was. The Tall Man from next door was mowing his lawn. He was a strange guy, even by Peter's standards. He never spoke to anyone and last Halloween he gave out coupons instead of candy. Peter didn't like him very much. However, he did like the funny vibrations from the mower. He could feel the dirt settling down through the hair on his arms. It gave him goose bumps. For a brief moment in time, Peter was a little black ant tunneling through the quaking Earth. As the sound grew louder he had a devilish thought.
"I could pop up from the ground and scare him to death," Peter mused.
Just then, he felt a shock to his back. Then another. Peter's world evaporated.

"Ratman is over and you missed a good one," shouted Billy excitedly.
"Dark Clown took control of the City again and..." Billy's voice trailed off as his brother rose from his early grave.
"Um... time's up already?" Peter cleared his head. The Sun's rays stabbed at his eyes.

He brushed himself off and told his brother all the exciting and strange things that happens to someone underground.
"When you can't see it forces you to use your ears and your… extraterrestrial powers. Like Ratman! Come on, you should try it Billy," Peter urged.
"I'll bury YOU this time."
Billy shook his head and took a step back.
A spider crawled across his brother's chest.
Peter brushed it off and snapped, "Well if you're gonna be a baby then let's go inside. You're not old enough to appreciate it anyway. I better change clothes before Mom and Dad see me."

That night before bedtime, Peter took Billy aside. "Tomorrow is Saturday and Mom and Dad are going yardsaling. I want you to bury me again before they get back? And remember, not a word, got it? G'night Billy."
Billy had trouble sleeping that night.
Saturday morning came bright and blue.
Mom and Dad left early to visit yardsales and older sister Jennifer was in the middle of her two-hour bathroom ritual getting ready for her job at the Candlestand.
The time had come.
The coast was clear.

The hole was dug much deeper than before.
Billy seemed more hesitant this time as he watched his brother's mad digging from the basement door. Finally, he walked outside.
"What's the matter Billy?" Peter snapped.
Billy waited for Peter to add some insulting remark, but it never came.
"I had a bad dream last night," Billy murmured softly.
"Oh grow up Billy, you big whiner, I'm just a few feet down. Nothing's gonna happen to me. I'm just in the backyard. You'll know exactly where I am the whole time."
"I dreamed Mom and Dad found out and got mad at me," Billy admitted.
"Oh, well, look nobody is ever gonna know, OK? Besides I asked you to help me. No one would believe it was your idea anyway."
Billy seemed only slightly appeased.
Peter paused for a moment then pulled something off his wrist and handed it to his brother. It was The Watch.

Peter's prized digital watch which he picked out and purchased HIMSELF with his birthday money given to him by Grandma. It had a stopwatch feature which went to 100ths of a second. Peter's best friend Joey's watch only went to 10ths. Billy knew this watch too. In fact it played a traumatic role in Billy's young life. Peter would use the watch to tease his younger brother. He would eat a piece of candy, claiming it gave him the power to alter time. He would then discreetly push the stopwatch button and show Billy how time had been accelerated.

"See now your goldfish are gonna grow old really fast and die. But SEE I have the power to set things right. As long as you bring me more candy I can control time and keep things in order." Peter could be a cruel boy when he wanted to be.
"Now when the watch reads 10:00 you just come right out and dig me up. Got it, Billy boy? So simple even a monkey could do it. Nothing to worry about." Peter began grinning with anticipation as he jumped into the hole and laid down flat. He flinched slightly as the first shovelful of dirt smacked his back. "This is gonna be so cool," thought Peter. He closed his eyes and grew more excited as the shoveling faded. After Billy finished, he looked around and then carried the shovel back to the shed.

Time passed. The boy watched Ratman save the City of Atlantica from the sadly misguided Troglodytes. He'd seen that one before.
Billy carefully checked the watch.

It said 00:00.00. Still not 10 O'clock. "Peter will be mad if I dig him out too soon," he thought.
After a few more cartoons Billy checked it again. 00:00.00. Still not time. Mom and Dad came home with armfuls of strange things. "They look just like the things we have in the attic and never use," thought Billy to himself. Finally Mom asked THE QUESTION.

"Where is your brother?" Billy now had to lie to Mom for the very first time. After some careful hesitation he said, "He's outside playing in the dirt." It wasn't really a lie. He felt a little better having gotten through THE QUESTION. He secretly checked the watch. Nope, not yet.