Into the Mystic/ The Beginning

INTO THE MYSTIC

Copyright2016 M.L. Flores

Published by M.L. Flores at Smashwords

CHAPTER 1

The morning dew shimmered through the trees as the sun began to rise. Nymphs were flying about tickling the noses of the little children as they woke. Two adolescents ran down to the riverside to collect some water for the morning cooking. As they bent down to fill the leather pouches a clap of thunder rang though sky. As the thundering sound faded out into the unknown rain began to bounce off the surface of the small creek leaving rings of ripples cascading across it. Wind rushed through the trees with such force the children felt as if they would be lifted from the ground and blown away. The scenery around them began to disappear as a cloud of heavy fog surrounded them. In the distance they could hear the faint sound of their parent’s calling for them.

Her father’s voice sounded calm as he yelled her name, ‘Nicole’, her mother’s voice followed his, with undertones of panic. His parent’s called to him in unison with hers. ‘Luke, where are you!?’ As the two tried to answer back they found no voice would exit from their mouths. Fear gripped them. Looking at each other with confusion and panic they both simultaneously dropped their leather water pouches and grasped each other. As they embraced each other tightly something strange began to happen. Silence crept in slowly. Straining to listen for those familiar sounds, they realized something else was happening.

The voices of their parents, the rustling leaves and the trickling of the stream all disappeared, everything surrounding Nicole and Luke vanished. There was only a thick haze of white. Whispers slowly begin to flow through their ears, the voices were soft and comforting but scary at the same time. Chills ran through them from toe to head as Nikki quietly and with restraint spoke into his ear asking, ‘do you here that, where is it coming from?’ Luke stammering as hushed as he could answer said, ‘yes, I think it’s coming from the fog!’ The mist was repeating over and over that, ’everything will be okay and don’t be frightened.’ The intensity of the whispers grew louder as they squeezed each other tighter. Their bodies started to emanate a blurred aura of different colors. Luke was the first to notice the light as it rose from in between them. ‘What is happening?’ He asked in a small frightened voice. ‘I don’t know, she replied squeaking like a mouse. As the light enveloped them the elements of rain, wind and the whispers disappeared. The brighter the light became the farther it reached, clearing the area as it expanded. The storm started to pass and the mist receded. They slowly began to release their grip on one another but never letting completely go, overwhelmingly they looked at each other trying to make sense of what had just happened. As they were holding hands Luke starts with a look of concern, ‘are you okay? What was that!?’ Tears stained her face as she answers, ‘I don’t know but I think we need to go when this haze clears!’ Once the mist cleared they released each other completely, the emanating protective light diminished, the surrounding sounds of the creek, the gentle breeze, insects and the call of their parents could be heard again.

Relief washed over them, when they turn to run in the direction of their parent’s voices Nicole trips over the water pouches they had dropped. Grabbing the leather pouches off the ground and taking each other’s hands they run back toward the village. Holding hands gave them more relief from the fear that gripped only a few minutes before. Adrenalin pumping through their veins helped them to move like the wind that was flowing through the trees. Yelling together for their parents as they ran, ‘mom, dad we over here!’ Coming up over the small embankment they saw their families pacing and calling to them, tears of fear change to tears of joy filling their eyes again, their hands separated as they began running in separate directions, crashing into the arms of those they loved. As the reunions came to a slow end and normalcy ensued Nicole and Luke glanced at one another knowing that they would meet later to talk about what happened. Through the caresses of their family a sense of warmth ran through their adolescent bodies as they looked at each other from a distance.

A few hours later Nicole went to sit outside under the stars. She was surrounded by the light of the moon and the chirping of nighttime when he came up and sat down beside her. ‘Hey, what are you doing? ’Nothing, just thinking’ she replied. ‘About what?’ he asked inquisitively. Looking into his eyes she returns with, ‘Luke, what happened down at the water today? I have been playing it over and over in my head and I still don’t understand what happened. ‘Where did those voices, fog and light come from? Why couldn’t we yell for help but could talk with each other? I don’t understand.’ They sat quietly for a few minutes then Luke started to rub her back and answers as best he can. ‘I’m not sure I have the answer to any of your questions and I may add to your confusion with my ideas of what is going on but, what I can tell you is that the light sphere came from us. I saw it starting from in between us and grow from within us. The voices I believe were trying to reassure us that everything was going to be ok, I think. I don’t know why this is happening either.’ They both fall back and relax onto the warm ground in silence. Both dwelling on the events of what happened today. Laying side by side she rolls over onto his chest and says, ‘Thank you for being there today. I know we were both scared but we survived it. We may not understand what’s going on but I think we will understand it someday. In the meantime, I think we should stay close to each other.’ Luke smiling silently at the fact that they will be spending more time together squeezes her gently closer. After a short period of time the voices of their parents are heard calling them home. They sit up and look at each other. Nikki says, ‘Goodnight Luke,’ he returns with,’ goodnight’. Coming to their feet they embrace in a hug and as they separate there is a linger, looking into each other’s eyes. The feeling of butterfly’s flutter in their stomachs along with a feeling of nervousness threatening to overcome them. As they slowly lean in to have their first kiss Luke’s father grabs his shoulder and says, ’Hey there, there will be none of that son!’ Startling them into reality Nikki turns without a word and runs home. Luke and his father walk back in silence to their teepee. As the two young teens go their bed mats they doze off smiling and thinking of each other.

The next day passed like any other day and as the evening sun was setting, the elders slowly wandered into the meeting tent to sit around a stone fire pit. The children of the village were scattered throughout the adjacent forest playing. A meeting was called so that the adults could discuss when the preparations would begin for the winter move. A discussion of who would be leaving the summer encampment to prepare the caves on the far side of the forest and who would stay to harvest more of the crops ensued. Neveah spoke in a loud voice, ‘I believe that half should go to the caves and the other half should stay here,’ Raven, Kimber and Leo nodded in support of her suggestion. Everyone agreed and moved onto the next motion of business which was, when they would leave. Raven spoke to the clansmen in an authoritative voice, ‘They should leave on the next turn of the moon.’ As they were agreeing on his proclamation a shrilled scream reached in a grabbed their attention. Silence rolled across the room as of their facial expressions changed from seriousness to alarm. Those who were sitting jumped to their feet as those who were standing rushed outside to see what was happening.

As the screams of children echoed through the woods all of the adults who were in the native community jumped into action. The yelling of those who were scattered throughout the camp could be heard strongly crying out, ‘save the children!’ Parents were running around trying to find their children with panic overtaking them. Nicole and Luke were standing in the cedar grove when they saw him and began to scream. He was standing in the shadow of a large old sycamore tree surrounded by the cedars. As he stepped out into the fading light of day they saw his skin was a thin opaque white, his hair long and whiter then fresh fallen snow. His cheekbones and eye sockets had smoky grey shadows brushed across them with eyes black as coal that seemed to be filled so much that nothing but the blackness could be seen. As the other children turned to see what was going on they became mesmerized and silent at the sight of the stranger. The only two who could make a sound were the two of them. She looked briefly away from the man and around at the other children who were in tranced, as the adults continued running frantically. Luke never let the man leave his sight.

Hearing the screams, the meeting came to a quick halt as the adults scrambled to their feet and ran to aid the children. Emerging from the darkness of the tent into the evening light and looking in the direction of the screams they saw him stepping closer to Nicole and Luke. A screech from the sky rang through their ears like nails on a chalkboard. Looking upward they saw the thunderbird. A wandering albatross that was only spoken about in old folktales. The wingspan of the creature was at least twelve feet across. Its wing color was so blue it created the illusion of being black, eyes as yellow and orange as the sun. Nicole’s parents Neveah and Raven glanced quickly back down from the sky at Luke’s parents Kimber and Leo. The knowing look as to why this was happening was exchange by the four adults. Looking in the direction of the two young adults standing in front of the shadowed man they moved quickly. Without any hesitation they began to run toward the cedars. The others that had looked up and saw the large folktale bird stood in a daze astonished by what they were seeing. It began to descend upon the silent children, the adults became shaken from their daze and began to yell to them. The hypnotized children paid no attention and continued to stare at the menace that was in the woods with Nicole and Luke. The group that had just left the meeting in a rush moved quickly toward them unnoticed. Grabbing the entranced children and shocking them with a jolted shake back into reality. As each was brought out of their trance they were sent to the meeting area.

Nicole and Luke were fixated on the tall man as he came into full view and was moving quickly in their direction, snatching them up and taking them away was his plan. Their screams continued. Turning to try and run away from him they found themselves frozen in place. Something was holding them, preventing them from escaping. Looking at each other and locking eyes a silent communication was made to grab each other. Clasping their hands fiercely the colorful aura returned to protect them. The instant they touched the light exploded from them, the thunderbird changed direction and flew away, the man halted his motion to grab them and shrank back into the shadow of the old tree and disappeared. Releasing their grip on one another they turned and ran to the shelter of their parent’s arms. Looking again to each other from afar and a tingling rushed through them.

Astonishment and confusion entered into the minds of the elders at seeing the flash of beautifully colored iridescent light explode into the air emanating from the two youths. They inhale deeply with fear and stopped in their tracks. As the adults