Spring was cold and lazy in His year of 1863. The creeks and rivers were swollen with bitter rain that rushed through trying to find the warmth of the coming summer and leave behind the ravages of the war. Baby William, an unnecessary prefix the five year old grimaced, had been sent outside so that there could be more reasonable talk.
"They are only gonna tell her what to do." said Karastina, his much wiser eight year old sister.
"Why? Momma is all grown up and knows what to do." He shook his head and banged a stick against a tree as they wandered around in his uncle and aunt's wood. He was tired of all the reasonable talk. He knew they wanted her to come and stay with them and begin again. He didn't WANT a new home or a new life. He didn't WANT to hide from Daddy. There was too much hush-hush and whispering. It made his head hurt; all the questions about his papa, the looks, long and pitying, hugging and mussing of his hair. His sister was left alone for the most part. She tended to pull away and struggle; giving off the feeling of "Don't even THINK of touching me" Most people did that. Karastina kept to herself. She did not talk about Papa or the problems. Karastina didn't do much talking at all. It wasn't that she wasn't nice but it was all on her terms; as if anger bubbled and cooked under her skin like venom inside a snake; ready and willing to strike. William smiled to himself, made a "V" with his fingers and curved them into fangs, striking in the air twice; a third time at his sister complete with dangerous hiss but she ran back to "tell", shrieking as if she had actually been struck. He shrugged and kept moving. He had roamed these woods countless times and was grateful for the chance to practice his snake and pirate skills. Around him was lush green overgrowth allowing him invisibility. He sneaked up on squirrel, chipmunk, and rabbit believing that soon his papa would teach him to shoot. Then William would be able to do so much more as a man. It wasn't that he minded being here; he liked playing but missed home and the gruff voice and rougher hands of the patriarch. William knew Papa would be mad at their being gone; missing them too. William yearned for his bed and the smell of fresh meat cooking or vegetables from Momma's garden. He wasn't sure how long they would stay.
"Till the talkin stops" Karastina had announced in her bossy fashion accompanied by a pinch in the arm earlier that day. William wondered how long that would be. It had been three days already.
But his five year old mind switched quickly to the game of hide and seek the sun was playing with him between the branches. As William battled against the evil sassafras and spindly oaks and wimpy scrub pines that held their cones poised to bombard him as he forged ahead to the raging river and the hidden treasure he was sure he'd find making him the BEST five year old in all the world.
Upon arrival at the bank there was a victory dance which roused applause from the maple and birch trees in a sweet, gentle breeze as well as a speech for all to savor: he, "William the Brave" had conquered and been victorious in the most adverse conditions, proving himself worthy even at this his tender age of five. He would gladly be king of all he surveyed and his papa would be proud upon his return. He crossed the river part way on some unsteady stones and plopped down on a large rock taking time to ponder his kingdom and young life as he dangled his tiny feet and was soothed by the pushing water. He watched the eddies and sat so still a deer came to drink. He drifted in the afternoon sun
"William the Brave" failed to hear the twigs breaking. A startled king perked up at the approaching footsteps; his heart almost felt like it was going to burst from his little shirt and run away without him, but when the face came into the clearing his smile was wide. He was not afraid. He was was very happy and skipped back across the water for a hug - an embrace. It was the last time anyone would ever see him.
A grieving mother and silent sister returned to a man unable to handle the death of his heir; his little man. The house filled with anger, rum and resentment. Theirs remained lives empty and sad; unknowing.
Time washed them and the memories away.
Record, tragic weather was going on all around the area in the Spring of 1936. Many were leaving the flooded heartlands for California to escape the rains and find the work. Alice quietly moved in to the little home with the leaking roof, hint of mildew and sparse furniture much of it broken like many of the dishes but for what she had, she knew to be grateful. That night, Alice heard the overgrown woods thumping and watching its new tenant. She was uneasy and cold but there were no other options.
During those first new days, she saw the shadows drifting around her as she returned from the outhouse. She hoped they were animals; quickly scurrying. As time went on the giggles could be daintily heard and then small trinkets from outdoors; little river rocks, acorns even a couple of bouquets left on the doorstep. It made Alice sad and she missed the comforts of her old home. She longed for Robert to hurry and join her so they could have their new start and life back. He'd sent her ahead after making all the arrangements. She was scared but knew she'd be all right until he could join her. She made her weekly trips to town and mailed letters to her husband begging him to come and professing her love and anticipation. His returns were short and vague on both his arrival and his sentiments. Alice began to sink farther into depression. It swarmed her like a million bees, causing such a lonely sting in her heart. At night it crept in and chilled her bones, leaving her feeling as empty as her cupboards. It was no wonder that after four months, talk in town turned from "that little married girl out near the river" to "The crazy woman in the woods". She had taken a liking to her little admirer and always said thank you for the "gifts". She began to talk to it; uncertain at first if anything was even there; but as the time dragged, she cared less and felt comfort in the conversation; one -sided or not.
It was raining again when she heard the scream. She jumped from her bed and rushed to the door. Flinging it wide, she saw the little boy. He stood pale and tattered just beyond the water path. His eyes were dark and large and he was soaked to the bone. She motioned for him. Called to him but he stood firm then turned and walked into the lush wood. Alice did not follow. Certain that he was a neighbor boy or a Gypsy. She barred the door and paced between leaks. The night fell silent except for the rain which plagued her for four more days. Each night, she heard the scream and each night she saw the boy at the edge of the path. On the forth night, she followed him. He seemed to be content in the soggy weather, playing with branches and pretending to be a viper or snake of some sort; charging and hissing some times and others battling weak skinny trees like a French swordsman. She found herself giggling and smiling for the first time in eons. She followed him each night to the bank of the river which was steadily swelling and getting angrier every day. Alice was amazed at how quickly and quietly he moved through the trees and when she got to the bank, he was always in the middle; on a very large rock. When she came through to the clearing, he would turn, startled but then he would smile and her heart would burst with warmth. But he didn't come back across and unlike him, the cold, wet weather bothered her so she would leave him.
Then after about a week, she got a letter from Robert; more distant, cold and abrupt than the others; telling her at last that he would not be coming. Robert would be heading for California where there was work but with someone new. He stated he would try to send money when he could. Alice was heart broken and crushed. She cried like the rain; her eyes swelling and red from the pain that leaked out. She stopped eating and going to town. She simply sat on the one wobbly chair and counted droplets as they sneaked in and plopped down on her floor. Even her gentleman caller as she called him hadn't been heard. Starvation withered her body and scattered her mind. She spoke to everything; scolding, crying and pleading. No one answered. More rain came.
Then as she sat one afternoon or was it morning? She was unsure. There was a scream. She did not respond the first time. It was the second one that brought her slowly to the door. And there he was. Her boy. He stood in the rain at the path; like he had before. She motioned but had no strength to call out. He turned and they began their game of not so hide and seek. She followed him to the bank and found him on his rock. She stood and continued to watch. He turned and smiled. Alice smiled back. She took a step toward him and watched as he began to come back across. She stepped forward and held out her hand. She was so happy that he was coming back. The water was pushing furiously and she found herself trying to help him from the shore: teetering and twisting in the steps he would need to keep from falling in. He was almost to her when she heard the footsteps, the twigs breaking. Alice had been there long enough to know no one else was around. This caused her weak heart to race.
"Hurry" she hissed to him. "come and hide with me! Someone's coming"
Not a word did he utter. He stood at the last stepping stone before her. His eyes suddenly widened and he reached up as if shielding himself from a blow. Alice was stunned, ducking and falling into the angry water. She raised her head to see a second child, a young girl, strike him with a rock from the beach and then shove him roughly into the swirling murky water. The boy disappeared.
"NO" Alice screeched and began to swim. She struggled against the waves and currents that tugged and slapped her. She kicked and fought to keep her head above it; to keep breathing and find the boy. She was backwards floating swiftly downstream when her head struck the debris at a bottleneck. Darkness grabbed her and bright lights flickered under her eyelids. The pain was white hot and she let her air out in a scream. She felt her dress snag on some branches and looked up. She was so close to the surface but couldn't reach. Her air was gone. Alice opened her mouth and stuck her neck up as high as she could. She gasped but sucked in mud and water. Her lungs caught fire and kicked in her chest. She flailed but then relaxed seeming to accept the fate so near to her. She understood in a fleeting thought that she had nothing and therefore was nothing. She would pass quietly in the water and no one would ever miss her. Suddenly she felt the tug of a tiny hand. Opening her eyes, Alice saw his dark eyes through the cloudy water. She reached for him. He did not pull away but pulled at her skirt and helped her get to the top. Where they hugged. She laughed and pulled him closer and closer.
"My hero" she gurgled for her lungs were full of water and mud.
"A king!" He grinned, nodding as modestly as the young "ruler" could.
"What name might I call such a noble majesty?" she did not feel the rain or the cold of the water just the warmth of his company.
"William"
"King William, I am honored and grateful. I should like to keep your company for a while or at least until the storm stops."
He hugged her and laughed in between claps of thunder they did not hear.
It wasn't until after the rainy season, when the sun had dried out the ground that they found the body of a young woman, the crazy lady in the woods, tangled in a mess of logs and rocks... a bottleneck caused by the torrential rains. She was clutching a filthy wad of dirty old cloth; hugging it somehow.
In a loving embrace.
And hello stranger~ I'm sorry I haven't been here. I did quite a bit of research on this one for an area I hiked not long ago and with my new job, I just got caught up in life. Ha I guess we all do, don't we? Well I like this one. It's creepy, sad and in a dark way, loving.
I hope you enjoyed your visit. I appreciate that you thought of me.
Until next time...
