Lady in the Woods

5th Place 14-17 Category Junior Authors Short Story Contest 2009
 
by Danielle Gregory

“It takes the disguise of a human woman. Dark green hair like ivy trails down her back, leaves and moss intertwine in the locks. Skin is a sickly dark shade of purple with odd vines protruding out of her flesh that are the same color as the hair. Bright green eyes shine through her dark complexion vividly. People say it wanders this very forest but no foot prints are to be found. My grandpa claims that it walks lightly on the mossy turf with cloven feet that create almost no print. He also told me that even though it hasn’t been seen for over forty years, it still lives and is sleeping in this very forest”

“That just sounds creepy, do you actually believe that sort of stuff?” a deep voice asked. “Of course not! It’s all superstition, if there was such a monster then this would surely wake it up, eh?” replied a voice similar to the other but higher. He pulled the cord and the machine roared to life, the blades whirling at such pace his eyes could not see them anymore. Slowly he eased the cold metal into the rough, dusty wood of the tree. A shower of dust and chips flew out of the bark, as nearby birds escaped the deafening noise into the wind. The deeper voiced man chuckled and ripped his machine’s cord as well. A fawn and its mother appeared out of the sea of ferns and leapt over a small rotting log; the men were completely oblivious as they split open the once mighty tree’s inner wood.

A few hours passed and the men decide to break for lunch. They each remove their bright yellow hard hats and wiped the dust from the protective glasses’ smooth surface. “Did your Grandpa tell you anything else about that she-monster?” the deep voiced man asked. The younger man lifted his head to the dusty sky and thought; he took a bite out of his lunch and racked his mind for anything else. “Ah, yeah he did. That thing apparently wore nothing, leaves and other forest like stuff covered its body.” “Nothing, eh? Wouldn’t it get cold?” he asked again. An expression of puzzlement fell upon the younger man’s face. “How the heck should I know? It’s just some story my grandpa invented to pass the time. You don’t actually think it’s real?” he laughed back at the older man. “O-of course not!” then pausing, added “it’s just that my parents would tell me a story similar to that, is all!” “Sure, sure I believe ya. Let’s get back to getting those trees down; the truckers are expecting the acre to be ready for hauling soon, right?”

His hand grabbed the well worn handle of the machine; with his other, he pulled the cord. Nothing happens, he tries once more, nothing again. Kneeling down, he inspects the machine, checking all the obvious spots, and then something brushes his palm. Jumping back, he drops the heavy machine! His younger partner looks at him and assumes it was only a spider. “H-hey. You didn’t do this as a joke, right?” the deep voice stammers. “What are you talking about? Let me see!” the younger man asks. Running up to the other, leaning against a stump from his shock, he trips over a large plant “where the heck did that come from? We cleared every single shrub here, didn’t we?” asking angrily, kicking the plant. He walks over to the discarded machine and inspects it. Thin vines have intertwined around the gears and blades of the machine. In fact the machine itself has rusted, with a small forget-me-not flower blooming in-between the rusting holes. “Y-you’re doing this to make fun of me! I told you I d-don’t believe in that stupid story!” roared the older man. “I swear I didn’t do this! Calm down! Maybe you left it on a really wet spot or something!” stammered the younger one. Both men stop talking for they realize what was happening. The whole forest has stopped moving. Complete eerie silence. Both men look up when they hear trees rustling their leaves. it stood there.

The figure stood before them with green hair as dark as a fern’s and eyes piercing like a hawk’s. Its dark purple legs passed smoothly along the clearing with small sprigs of life in each footprint. The long slender fingers trail across the stumps of the once mighty trees. Slowly, then gaining speed, saplings sprout from the stumps and grow high with newly budding leaves catching the light. Both men’s legs buckle, forcing them to land on the moist dirt, their eyes wide at the dark figure in front of them. It raises its face to the leaves it had created. The vine like hair falls away from her eyes to reveal, not a hideous disfigured face(as most would imagine) but a tear drop face with simple features. The younger man studies the monster and notices it truly is a woman, despite obvious differences. Huckleberry, salmonberry and fern leaves have wrapped themselves around her body forming a sort of gown. Both men inhale quickly when her gaze turns to them, her body shifts as she starts moving towards them. Slowly her hand moves to her shoulder were a huckleberry plant had grown. She plucks two berries and gives one to each man.

“Eat my fruit, for inside each berry there is the knowledge to take care of your surroundings. Through your acts you have driven the creatures away from here by destroying their homes. Remember that humans have come from these forests not unlike the simple deer. It is your duty to help not only your generation but your fellow creature’s generations as well. Take heed to my words and let them not fall on deaf ears.” Her voice rang throughout the woods. First the older man ate the berry then the younger; they looked around at what they had done. They had cleared an acre of wood as crudely as possible, leaving not even grass. “I am so sorry. I didn’t realize what I had done! I won’t ever do this again!” cried out the younger man. She locked her eyes onto his, “you have seen what you have done wrong, but do not forget to care for your generation; cut the wood but not carelessly. Use it for good use and do not let the trees’ death go in vain.” replied the forest woman. Then without any more words she walked towards an old tree and placed her palm on it. She dissolved into the tree’s bark until nothing but a few berries lay at the base.

Danielle writes...

My friends told me about the contest and I wanted to enter and I had a slight idea what I wanted to write about. My dad took me and my mom out to Bowen island to walk around. It was really beautiful and while walking on a trail my mom said, "It's like a sea of ferns," and I thought about writing a story about an odd tree lady. No idea how I got the connection but when I got home I started typing.

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