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Older Than Any Species

I

My parents always told me not to go into the woods that surrounded our small village. At that time my age was nine, or so. Most others whether they be foe, friend, or stranger know how this feels. No one wants to listen to their parents. A youngster loves to explore and be free. Putting shackles and cuffs on them creates hostility. On the other side of the coin though, saying, "don't do this," or "obey that," is no more than wanting to keep the self from harm's way. I can recall a day when another species that was a bit older than me disobeyed his folks by dancing out a period of freezing rain during a horrible winter. Poor critter got a fever and passed on quickly.

Unlike most modern civilizations we do not have technology, or up to date services. Our team of elders believes such ideas to be a waste of time. They are stuck on the old ways of living which is sad, considering they could've saved the youngster that died from his fever, but, I have no say, nor do we have a democracy like other places. Enough of the politics though, my course of events has nothing to do with said, sad, pitiful recollections. My brain has a more important focus. The woods that surround our small village. My place of birth that has so much that needs to grow and better itself. Sorry, did it again, forgive this fool's rambling, it's all silly.

The forest though. It's strange no one would ever talk about why not to go there. Instead there'd be hush whispers of the creeping darkness that existed there. Horrible stenches were said to lie deep within, along with evil that ate the life that dared enter into it. It was no more than a place that created tales that made us kits behave. Those that were little were told, "Behave, or else we'll feed you to the evil of the woods," even, "Monsters who loved ignorant kits like you."

II

As many should know, stories go down through the ages, but get lost in translation, meaning that all the words we heard of a tale end up having something misinterpreted, or replaced with another contested because the original can't be reclaimed. At first glance this is really bad to have happen to a great tale. Second relook though, perhaps the idea that was taken out of context, or misinterpreted might be, if not, better than what the original story was. It's all about point of view in the end. In case of the tales dwelling in the forest that surrounds my place of birth, hard to say. I mean yes some stories are scary, others scarier, and the rest plain dull, but got to keep the kids in line somehow, or entertained based on how the plot of the yarn's written.

Here's an example of a story that was told to me about the forest that I honestly found pretty terrifying for awhile growing up: In the late 19th century a small critter was walking through the woods. He smelled smoke of the most foul odor he'd ever encountered. He wanted to go back home, but something familiar caught him about the smoke. His curiosity led him to find a pile of bodies burned to the color of charcoal being strung up over a fire while strange alien beasts smelled them. The young filled with fear, turned to run, but, came to face with one of them, and was knocked out. He awakened to find himself strung up over the fire, evil cackled.

I find this one dull because it's fact based: A young in the late 19th century was walking through the woods when he saw smoke. He stopped when he smelled smoke. His brain wanted to have him turn and run but he ran to see what was going on. The youth flipped out upon seeing that all around him smoke and flames was consuming the forest. He turned top run and tried to get home, but a tree fell down in front of him. The youth turned only to have another tree block him. This little one was trapped with the flames slowly making their way to devour him whole.

III

Regardless of whatever story I was told and what I was told in regards to the surrounding forest, my heart to investigate was strong. Now, most others in this wonderful world of ours my brain tells me would say this fellow is an idiot. Well, when we're young, aren't we all somewhat dumb inside? Me, for one, rhetorical questions are a waste, but it happens. It's only, well, come on, being young doesn't come without risks. We all believe when we're little that the universe circles us and no one else. Our personal bubble grows bigger and bigger until someone pops it, which makes us flip because it has to be grown again. Think of living young as chewing gum to make that bubble, but, after being chewed for so long, it just pops. It annoys us a little, (more if it gets on the top of the head), then we have to start all over. It's sad, but chewing, it starts again.

"Get a goodnight sleep, ok?" my mom yawned. "I'll be in my bed if you need me."

"Ok mom, goodnight."

My dad and older brother already were asleep. My mom had tucked herself into bed, and to be honest, it did hurt me a little to do what my brain wanted to, but inside, my curiosity to know what went on in the woods got me going. I'm going to go into those woods tonight no matter what. Those were the inner thoughts I had at first. From all these tales the horrors of the night are really scary but there's something I like about it. I sat up from my bed and crept out of my hut into the high glowing orb light. My head turned to see my family asleep.

I quietly moved across the ground towards the exit of our village. Once I was far out near the woods, my heart raced. My creators of this verse forgive me for disobeying, but, my eyes just want to see what's out here, beyond the realm of a small nobody life. A part of my brain made feet run. Laughter left me. I'm going to do it. Soon the horrors of the forest will be seen by me.

IV

My body stopped in the middle of the forest. I could see two large trees lying on the floor in front of me, but, there was no trace of a body for that matter, but my brain did recall the second tale I'd been told. The second tale gave me a bit more fright internally then, but still, the monster one scares me more. I guess because it had something to do with monsters, but, there was no one sign of fiend at all where the young me stood back then. Regardless, I decided to keep going forwards. Perhaps my eyes would catch the true terrors beyond the place where the tales liked to be born. Maybe I'd find where they lived, though that I'd never been told.

My whole self stopped and backed up upon seeing a wood sign with red blood painted emblems that had strange symbols on it that seemed to regard a type of danger. It was not skull and crossbones, but some other I'd never seen, or heard. It seemed alien, foreign, out of this world, like, extremely ancient before this time. Only question was though who and why was this put here to begin with? Now, I know there'd be no more questions, well, rhetorical ones, but could someone please explain to me why this sign might have been there. It's so bizarre to me, but then again. Thinking back then, some of the symbols seemed recognizable, yet being so small, it didn't phase me what it was attempting to tell me. I was a squirt, nothing more, or less.

I recall getting closer to the sign and lifting it up to better examine it. Part of my education in my village was learning our language. In all honesty, these symbols, had a tad bit similarity, but, my brain couldn't at the time function because it grew weary and exhausted as it begged to turn back to get some sleep. However, my heart boomed with excitement and demanded to go one step further. It wanted to come back to the village with knowing full circle as to why no one should go into the forest. It's a shame my brain never got the symbols then.

V

So I ventured forward beyond the sign to find a small lake where the water sparkled and danced in the moonlight. It made me sigh and my heart melt at the beauty before me. I recall going to the water and having a taste. It was so cool, refreshing, and delicious. I could not believe that our elders dared to do this to those of us in the village. To keep such awesomeness on a secret level. Then my brain thought of that sign I'd seen earlier. Some of the symbols began to match up with this scene. There was one though, it couldn't registrar in my brain fast enough, or at all in my head. A picture of a cloud above the water. I mean, there was no storm back then.

My answer would come when the wind picked up and the whole area became a yellow mist. I began to cough hard and left the scene as fast as I could. My eyes were burning, itching, watering, and my insides. Then my eyes caught creatures from a distance where the fallen trees were. They made sounds I could not understand, or saying incomprehensible sentences. It was a language all their own. My foot mad a wrong move, snapping a twig, and the creatures turned in my direction. I tore off into the woods in a different direction with the best aim for the village.

Sadly, my foot got strung upside down by a rope trap. I coughed, screamed in agony, my eyes watering harder, and burning more. My body vomited blood upon the forest floor, and I cried out loudly as my insides felt as if they'd been squeezed by a strong man. My hearing turned more sensitive in terms of volume. I couldn't tell if it was the water, the mist, or the fiends my eyes saw did something to me. Last part my brain can recall is being cut down and landing flat on my face. My eyes blacked out, but not before seeing the creatures staring down at me. The darkness ended up taking me for a week. When I did come to, my body was in a hospital, yet I was strapped to a bed with an IV in me. All around me I saw creatures, talking, about foulness.