The woodpeckers demise
It was the summer of 2003, she was 10. She ran through the bushes that grew high a few yards from her back yard. Her usual routine for that summer. Exploring the area with her back pack. Prepared for the world and whatever might come along. She was far too concentrated on the woodpecker and the hole he was boring into the Ceiba tree ahead, to realize that she had entered an unknown section of the wilderness behind her property. She would usually go as far as a square mile into the tropical forest, she knew this area like the palm of her hand, and she would usually set up traps for birds, rodents or any other critter that she can keep as a pet. Her neighborhood friends would sneak out with her once in a while to play in the thatch house that she had managed to build that summer. It had a weak structure, but the fact that she had built it on her own made it a sanctuary. She had cleared the area and organized it as a playground. These lands belonged to no one, untouched by the current civilization; but once before they belonged to natives that ruled the land making it now a Mayan burial grounds.
She must have probably walked over 2 miles from the usual trail, however upon seeing the woodpecker she lost track of where she was. Its redhead hitting that enormous tree at such speed. "How?" Her innocent mind questioned his actions. So much power in such a little body. "He doesn’t even have hands to grip on while performing his actions but its feet are more than enough." So many insights popping into her mind as she got closer to the outstretched root that seemed to be an extended hand trying to greet her. She jumped over 4 tall roots before she realized she could hear running water nearby. She had been so mesmerized by the mighty bird that she had no clue of where she was standing. She looked around until she noticed a running creek a few feet away.
She moved towards the streaming water, stooped down and was able to clearly see her reflection on the crystal water. She spotted a stain on the side of her right cheek, it must have been some dried slime from the ripe mangoes that she had been attacking earlier. She folded her hands to form a bowl. She dipped her hands in the water pulling some out on its way up to her face. She repeated this motion at least three times before she heard the crackling of sticks behind her. She quickly jumped to her feet and turned around with water dripping all over her pink T-shirt. That’s when she saw him.
He stood about three feet away from her, wearing nothing but a torn and dirty pants. His ribs and collar bone stood out visible, while his sunken eyes confirmed that he had been through distress. He stood there wide eyed staring at her with no expression on his dirty pale face. He held a slingshot in one hand while with the other he pointed at the woodpecker.
As she turned her head to look at the woodpecker she heard a last “plock”. Its body expanded and contracted in a split second with its head hanging below its neck. Feathers falling from above simulating fall, the red shade of its head blending in with the oozing fluid. A couple of flips and turns below landing flat on the ground.
A malevolent cackle broke the silence and interrupted her thoughts. She turned to look at him, wide eyed, only to see his hand stretching the sling shot towards her. Shebfelt her hardened face crack a smile through her sweaty skin.
“I bet you haven’t been up stream before” he said as he walked past her clearing the way with a branch he had turned into a walking stick.
“I don’t think I am allowed to even be here on this part of the bushes. It’s a bit too far away from my house and if my mom starts calling out for me I will be in trouble.”
“Ha, mothers huh? Well she doesn’t need to know. But if you don’t wanna go up stream, it’s okay. But I have to go now. I have a long day and many animals too hunt.”
“Wait so you are a hunter? Is that what you do every day?” Asked Lyanne following after the young boy that had started his journey and was about 3 yards away from her.
“Sometimes I hunt, sometimes I just wonder around exploring different areas of this rainforest.”
When he said rainforest, she looked around and realized that she had been so interested in this newly appeared boy that she had followed him to continue the conversation and now there she was in the middle of an unknown region. The trees were much taller, the bushes were bigger, the sun light was dimmer and the path had to be made as they walked and immediately took back its ruffled form after they had passed over it. The noises were different, she could not see the animals but by the sounds they made she was a bit disturbed by the pictures that came to her head.
“I have something to show you” He said as he picked up the pace.
“What’s that?” she inquired.
“Just follow along and be careful where you step” He said as he jumped over patch of soft soil.
It seemed as if the earth on this part of the forest was debating whether to be a swamplands or rocky trails. Jumping from Stone to stone until she managed to catch up with him. They were on elevated grounds at this point. They had been walking uphill for over an hour with not much said. She still didn’t know what was she supposed to see, and she did not want to ask much questions either. It was a weird feeling that took over her body. She followed on his command without putting up a fight. This was not normally her. She would always be the one leading and would not allow anyone to tell her what to do. Worse yet follow a stranger into the unknown areas of the rainforest.
By the time they managed to get to the top of the mountain, the sun was already on its way down. He led her to an enclosed area with stone pillars simulating a sacrifice chamber. A large flat stone laid in the middle with some encryptions. She walked around it trying to decipher the message or label on them. She had recently been reading some books about ancient societies and practices. This was so interesting at first sight. Then, her eyes caught sight of a stick protruding out of the ground, some shade ranging from a dirty white to Beige. Her eyes followed the object, until she realized that it was part of something bigger. She analyzed the ground and was able to form the shape of a body buried not even a feet in, only superficial parts pushing out, but naked to the human eye on a quick sight.
Cold sweat touched her upper lip. A tingly sensation invaded her body, her finger tips felt stiff and cold. She slowly looked around, and with each glance more and more bones started manifesting. The hairs on her back started standing up as she heard a familiar voice.
“Do you like what you see?”
Paralyzed with only her eyes to communicate she blinked. He was now before her. It was until now that she realized that something was off about this character. She had been focusing on his upper body the entire time that she failed to see that his legs were not human. They were awkwardly bent and more inclined towards the front. They were not covered in fur, but instead of feet and toes, he had something similar to goat hooves. But instead of having the middle partition giving it form along with the back heel for support, these were all conjoined in one. One dark oval hammer that started to get louder and louder with each step that he made. This had not been heard until now.
“You should have listened to your mother, little girl.” His voice now in a deep growl.
“You should have known that the forest is no place for a pure soul” he laughed viciously while the darkness in his soul filled the skies. Everything was turning dark and he only kept growing taller and taller.
He screeched and that was more than enough to break the spell that had been holding her back. Without thinking twice, she ran through the darkening forest, just listening to the rustling of the leaves. Seeing the shadows formed by the trees trying to get a hold of her. She followed the stream all the way down, so much horse power in her tiny legs.
She finally got to where it all started. She jumped over the Ceiba’s roots as if she were on a hurdles race. She ran and ran until she stumbled into her mother’s arms. In between sobs and cries and her mother’s questioning she managed to look up and realized that the sun was in morning position. Her mother kept asking what had happened.
“What’s wrong Lee? What happened to you? Why are you crying?” her mother was very concerned and cleaned her face with her velvet handkerchief that she always carried around. The scent of lavender eased her pain of fright and she gave in to her mother’s arms.
She explained what happened to her mother over and over again. But to her mother nothing made sense. It was 10:08AM when she walked out of the house, it was now 10:30AM and she was within her mother’s comfort. Nothing seemed to coordinate with her story. Her mother set foot to investigate and walked along with the handy man to the location where Lyanne pointed out, behind the Ceiba tree, where the creek rested. They returned with confused faces, the Ceiba tree was there, but no stream was found.
That evening when her father got home and after listening to the story, a frown took over his face. He had known all along of the dangers of the land, he knew that it was meant to be inhabitable. He failed to listen and now there he was, mortified by the thought that if she had stayed still for one more second, she wouldn’t be home right now. Children and adults mysteriously disappear within a mile's radius from the Ceiba tree. It’s only been a few that have made it out alive.
He also knew that anyone that escaped that fate, had brought back with them a shadow, a shadow that wouldn’t rest until the ritual was concluded.
Comments