A Mysterious Place (#3) : "Seeds of Looga"

This is a continuation to my blog entitled “A mysterious place (2): A hero in Limbo”

{”I’m not worried, I will come back home” I reassured myself as I made my way between two towering oaks.}…

                                --A Mysterious Place : Seeds of Looga—

     Blindfolded by a makeshift night created by the trees, I ventured deeper into the forest. There was a gloomy and uninviting atmosphere all around me. A sensation of fear draped me, but I found it expedient; it kept me on my toes. Walking through those trees was like passing through some curtains beaded with razors; I had to constantly wave one hand before me, to keep my face from bumping into the rough branches that stuck out. My feet were tightly clamped to my insoles, as I tried desperately to maintain footing on the hostile and slimy terrain. The roots only added salt to injuries; I couldn’t make two steps without stumbling over one. After spending minutes of touching my way out of this maze of branches, my vision started to better. A hazy grey horizon started to creep into that surrounding of darkness I was part of; it was needless for me to second guess myself, I knew that source of light, I knew it well. The dense air I was breathing thinned considerably as I approached my haven.

     Finally, I made it to the sanctuary I longed so impatiently. I was standing in front of some orchestral beams of light. What a paradisiacal sight they created! .Like some well-starched pristine white curtains frozen in time. Those rays were excessively astonishing. What radiant strokes from God they were, on that all-natural canvas. I dared not look at the darkness behind and spoil such mouth-watering view. I began making my way towards the enchanting creek ahead; the running of its water was the only source of sound, so entrancing that it made the silence even more peaceful. I walked with one eye savoring nature’s wonders, the other is scanning the grass that was pampering my shoes, in search for any possible hint of imperfection, a footprint maybe?, because the feeling of being observed or that this place has been visited last night didn’t leave me. Nothing looked amiss in this place full of serene energy, yet seemingly inhabited, not a single chirp of a bird, not a flap of a butterfly’s wing, just the nervous beat of a visiting adventurer’s heart. Soon I recognized this wasn’t the place to ponder upon any worldly worries whatsoever, this was heaven on earth. After that realization, I slowly plunged my feet into the lacy-felt water of the flowing stream. I stood knee-deep into the fluid breeze. I barely felt soaked; its shallow water was clear as day and revealed everything that sheltered underneath it. As I was contemplating the submerged world, I sighted those distinctly beautiful pebbles; about twenty of them laid huddled together under the lapping water. They were bright like a constellation in a nocturnal sky, they really stood out. I still thought they look incredibly like some discarded treasures. Although very coveting, those gold-coated nuggets once again escaped my curious touch, for that moment, not because I wasn’t tempted to, but because I got side tracked. The thought of a possible cascading waterfall flooded into my mind so randomly that I couldn’t resist the urge to find out if there could have been one in Looga. “I’ll take me one those pebbles as a souvenir when I’m ready to head back home” I said. I imagined this creek owed its majesty perhaps to a natural curtain of water; I wanted to meet its source. I walked over to the other flank of the stream and began to walk against its current, hoping that I could feast my eyes with another wonderful sight in Looga. 

      It was an incredible contrast, on my left were an unending row of sunrays filled with what seemed to be fairy dusts more than anything else, lined the stream; on my right side were a stampede of dreary trees way less leafy than the oaks but as imposing in size, they bore a wistful appearance, I swear I heard some whimpering sounds coming from them. A very unsettled mass of fog veiled their trunks; their branches looked like some gangrenous limbs. After only two minutes of morbid thoughts and wobbly walking, the fog veiled thinner allowing me to make out how atrocious the trunks looked; it took me getting closer to one to realize that it was infested with maggots. Almost instantly after that disgustful discovery, I heard yet again another pleading voice; something about it drained my adrenaline completely. I decided to investigate and walked towards the sound; and for heaven’s sake I shouldn’t have. A few paces ahead of me, loomed a silhouette, leaned against a tree, it looked very human-like and it was muttering indistinctly. Suddenly the fog began to clear out quite rapidly, sucked in by some unnatural force to my unexpected disappointment, for the first time I felt sort of safe when I was veiled by that spooky haze. That thing wrapped around the trunk, turned out to be a woman, one ear awkwardly pressed on the tree while her shaky hands were moving in a slow circular motion over its bark. Fear was soaring inside of me, but it wasn’t the opportune time to flee, moreover I got spotted. She looked more shocked than I was which gave me a slim hope. I kept a straight face as much as I could manage but I didn’t deprive her of some mean-looking eyes. I insanely thought my fierce look would make her run away fearing for her life; that did not happen. She craned her neck as to look over my shoulder and in a raspy voice that made my bones curl she asked: “You wouldn’t be alone, would you be, my dear?” Her eyes widened and a simpering smile started to form on her wrinkly face, before I could even reply in a firm tone: “I always come here, alone!”. “I see!” she said, paused and let out a sham cough and continued: “ Ah! Just as fate would have it! Will you be so kind as to assist an old lady to the river’s bank, dear?”. I was disgusted at the ruse she was trying to pull off. You’re not an old lady, you’re a hag, a witch, the most despicable, and this is not a river! I thought and inquired drily: “You did walk all the way up to Looga by yourself, didn’t you? Why would you need my help to walk just a few steps to the stream?”. Her eyebrows rose to her scalp at my query, her eyelids were pulsating nervously and she assured: “Dear boy, you don’t have to, Looga can still stand on her feet you know”. After that, she tried to haul herself back on her feet. I stood baffled because for a split second I understood she referred to herself as Looga. No, I must be hearing things, I said to myself. But yet, some things about that old woman were unclear, which sent my mind on a trip: first she’s feigning a cough, all of the sudden she couldn’t walk and she supposedly shared the same name as the forest we were in. Her asinine feints were somehow deplorable for a witch; I couldn’t believe people fell for them.  I watched her teetering as she tried to lift a foot forward and I couldn’t resist but to say: “I feel extremely strong and kind today, I can help you”. I drew closer to her and told her my name, hoping she could dignify me with hers again, just to make sure I heard it correctly, but she only said pensively: “lovely kid, very lovely of you”.

     I clasped one arm around her frail back, the other fully extended to ensure a perfect balance. She was either heavy or purposely leaning all of her mass on me as to test my might. I showed her no sign of fatigue; I just kept on limping toward the stream. She had an acute scent of resin and the air around her was a little colder than normal, and she breathed as if she was snoring. Everything about her was sketchy but I didn’t want to apprehend too much and foil her evil plan, it was like I knew what was coming but I didn’t know how to counter it yet. Whatever cruel game she had in mind I decided I’m going to play along and possibly outwit her, beat her at her own game. After what seemed like forever, we reached the stream’s bank. I quickly undid my arm from her back and stepped back a little, which gave me a more detailed view of her. She was nothing like the stereotypical witches I had read about in stories and seen in films. I didn’t see any underbite or a crooked and pointy nose, her nails looked well-kept and her skin looked plain. But her groggy voice, her piercing eyes, her nursing that tree, all that didn’t seem to add up. Climb up these steep hills, ignore a threatening sign, walk through a pitch dark forest, just to splash some fresh stream water on the face. What are you hiding from me lady, who are you? My eyes asked her. “I heard lots of bad stuff about this place, but I like it here, I come here to relax, this place somehow soothes me” I said, with an insouciant air, while I scope around, searching for the perfect getaway. After an awkward moment of silence I asked “ Is it true What they say about this place? That …”.“Nonsense!” she roared, “that those trees are living? That here lives a cruel witch named Looga? I heard all of those tales; I even made up a couple myself” she said, her face lit up with glee. She then launched into a hysterical laughter, burying her face in her hands. “Ma’am, I have must leave now, but promise me you’ll be here tomorrow when I come with my little brother, we both like tales” I said, running a finger under my eye to dry an imaginary tear of laughter , I was smiling as well. “Of course!. You boys are sure going to enjoy my stories” the mysterious lady replied, with an air of surprise. “Do you think you can tell me one very quickly?” I asked expectantly. “ Ohhh! I don’t want to spare you the juicy details, dear, come a little bit earlier tomorrow… with your brother” she stressed with a shaking finger pointed up.” Sure!” I complied. As soon as I turned towards the oaks she exclaimed: “Where do you think you’re going, boy!?”. I froze in panic and closed my eyes tightly. I feared in earnest, because I thought my clever attempt at fleeing her grip  had only rendered her more vicious now. This is it! This where I get a blow right at the nape of my neck and perish, I thought.

    I turned to face her again, my spinal cord was rattling my heart was throbbing painfully; my neck was stiff and as heavy as a boulder. “Here….” She said, then she plunged one hand into the sparkling water, gave it a slow stir and continued to say “… here, accept these as tokens of my gratitude to you, dear”. I reluctantly looked down at her offering hand and was amazed to see two of the most mesmerizing pebbles I saw earlier. Both pebbles were so bright that they casted a golden shadow on her palm. “No, I can’t accept this” I declined. “ But I insist, you can share one with your little brother…please” she said. Her imploring look summoned my hand to reach out and grasp the stones from her. Without uttering any more words I moved towards the oaks heading home. I felt uneasy about how I manage to bluff my way out of this, I didn’t find my alibi convincing enough. As I walked slowly in the darkness I couldn’t help but to feel extremely wary. I was right where she wanted me to be, she lured me here, on a thick dark path, corralled  by some colossal trees and God knows what else, an hostile terrain that encumber any abrupt movement, a place in which I was more vulnerable , I was walking on a fertile soil for raising oaks. At any moment she’ll cast her spell on me and turn me into one of her watchful trees, just like in the stories I was told about this place. Every minute or so I’d hear a gust of wind zip by my ears telling me something I couldn’t understand. It was as if I was skipping through a crowd of worshipers. I stopped to see if I could pick up anything, I was trembling to the point I could barely stand. The kid, usually brimming with bravery was now on the verge of tears. I closed my eyes once more, trying desperately to recollect myself. The pebbles! I thought and opened my eyes in epiphany. I began to walk again but I was tentative on how I was going to discretely rid myself of those seeds of fear. The noise level grew louder around me but still foreign to my ears. A sudden and cold breeze seemed to be closing in on me from behind, the same sensation I had earlier when I was helping that mysterious lady to the stream. I did not look back, I kept moving. I wasn’t far from leaving that tunnel of horror and voices, I could see clearer, I even could even see the post sign I passed by earlier, yet I didn’t feel safer. The frigid draft was still present behind me; I could feel it getting closer and closer, too close now. I slowed my pace down a little, arched my back, bent my knees and loosened my grip around the stones. I was about to resort to the most elementary of ways to get out of trouble; run from it! But in my case the trouble was a witch, so I really needed to make a cheetah-like dash. I held my breath and with all my might, I catapulted my body onward, which sent a deafening rush of air into my ears. I snaked through the trees at lightning speed. It was within a matter of microseconds before I sprung pass the sign, tossing the pebbles over my shoulder without slowing down. I was still running when I looked back to see if there were an angry witch following me, that moment of distraction caused me to lose my footing and fall. I got up faster than I fell, and I marveled at the distance I had travelled when I looked towards the forest. Even though no one was tailing me, still I took off running again. I approached my village in record time. I didn’t stop running until I reached my porch where stood my guardian. I really felt safe now.

     “What are you running from, boy?” asked the bemused face of my guardian. “I’m … I was running from Looga” I said, leaning on my knees gasping for air. “Looga?!” she startlingly asked. “Yes! Looga , not the place, the person, you know...” I replied, nodding my head.” I think these tales are getting into your head a little too deeply; boy you worry me” said my guardian with wild eyes.” I’m sorry, I’ve been so disobedient to you” I told her rather randomly, I was wheezing very strongly. She glanced down at me, took her reading glasses off, cleared her throat and attested “I accept your apology, but you need to come clean and tell me exactly where you’ve been”. That was I thought, no one will believe me. I stood there, staring off in space; as a matter of fact I was staring at that forest on top of the hill. A place of assumptions, uncertainties and illusions, a staging ground for all sorts of fears.  In the end, my experiences in Looga seemed more surreal than convincing. I was still musing and looking at the mountain, when suddenly I heard my guardian shout: “great!be mysterious all you want but you’re punished!” .Later , right before I tuck in bed I took a look at Looga,the forest,through my window, that triggered a mixture of voices and images  rambling through my head , reminding me how horrific my journeys to that forest have been . I went to bed and fell asleep almost instantly.

That night, I dreamed of a waterfall…a splendid  one but unknown.

~END~

Thank you, dear readers from the well of my heart. ( : 
                      by: snoopyboy

Peace!