too?
The question came to me clear as day. All my numbness and horror vanished, replaced in that instant by a desire to escape, to survive. I bolted toward the kitchen and slammed through the back screen door. I heard it break off its hinges. I could hear the panther’s claws scrape wood as it followed me across the back deck. I jumped clear of the steps and fell on my landing. Frantic, I rolled up to my feet and sprinted to the edge of the woods.
And there I stopped. Everything I had just witnessed filled my mind to the brim. There was no way to withstand it, and I began screaming. The scream turned into a wail like the siren on a fire engine. The panther came to an abrupt halt in front of me, and just as suddenly, I saw the woman appear beside it. The wailing sound I was making grew louder and louder. I didn’t even draw in a breath—just somehow continued to bellow in unfettered rage and anguish. My ears were hurting, and I felt as if my whole body were on fire. But my back felt as if it was being pricked by thorns.
At that point, everything began to feel like a dream. Perhaps I imagined it, but from the forest, a flock of ravens appeared in a great cloud—thousands of birds. They swooped down around me and attacked the panther. Bird after bird hit with such force that each impact made a loud thud. A few birds fell dead, their necks broken from the force of their attack. The panther leaped and swatted a few times before fleeing, defeated by the birds’ vicious assault.
The woman looked at me. Her face was horrifying. There was something in her deep obsidian eyes that made me feel as if she was here for nothing else but to kill me.
“ Ki-sikil-lil-la-ke , ” came the voice in my head.
The woman was pale with rage.
“ Ki-sikil-lil-la-ke , ” it called again with greater urgency.
Looking at the woman, I was frozen. Somehow, I knew that she wanted me dead, and I knew I needed to run. But I couldn’t.
She took a step forward, and all hesitation vanished. I moved through the forest with a single-minded fury that left me without another thought. I could sense the woman behind me. Everything was moving past so quickly, I could barely see where I was going. I could hardly catch my breath, and my clothes felt tight. The collar of my shirt constricted my neck.
After running headlong for what felt like an eternity, I came to the dirt trail leading to the forest’s outer edge. I knew that just beyond it was the cliff. This was a dead end. I had run in the wrong direction.
Hearing the rapid footfalls of the woman running behind me, I ran a few steps more, then stopped right at the edge of the cliff. In an instant of terror, the most tremendous pain I had ever felt in my life came over me. It was as if someone had shot a bullet into my right shoulder. I lost my balance and fell over the edge.
The woman’s eyes looked down at me in surprise. She raised her hand, and in it was something small and white. All around me the darkness pulled at me, and I grew lost in it.
****
“Jade? Jade, are you all right?” I opened my eyes, and even with my blurry vision I could distinguish Claire’s face. “Nate, call nine one one.” She slipped her hands underneath me, and with incredible strength I didn’t think plausible she picked me up, and carried me into the warmth of her house.
8 ON MY WAY
I heard the door crack open, allowing a narrow shaft of light in behind it. Claire silently made her way over to the bed and knelt on the floor. I could feel her gaze on me. She hovered a few moments, probably making sure I was still breathing. I didn’t know how long I had been lying in this bed in the dark, and thinking about it only made me breathe in shorter gasps. Her warm, soft hand found my shoulder.
“ We’re right outside if you need us,” she whispered, tenderly kissing my forehead before
The question came to me clear as day. All my numbness and horror vanished, replaced in that instant by a desire to escape, to survive. I bolted toward the kitchen and slammed through the back screen door. I heard it break off its hinges. I could hear the panther’s claws scrape wood as it followed me across the back deck. I jumped clear of the steps and fell on my landing. Frantic, I rolled up to my feet and sprinted to the edge of the woods.
And there I stopped. Everything I had just witnessed filled my mind to the brim. There was no way to withstand it, and I began screaming. The scream turned into a wail like the siren on a fire engine. The panther came to an abrupt halt in front of me, and just as suddenly, I saw the woman appear beside it. The wailing sound I was making grew louder and louder. I didn’t even draw in a breath—just somehow continued to bellow in unfettered rage and anguish. My ears were hurting, and I felt as if my whole body were on fire. But my back felt as if it was being pricked by thorns.
At that point, everything began to feel like a dream. Perhaps I imagined it, but from the forest, a flock of ravens appeared in a great cloud—thousands of birds. They swooped down around me and attacked the panther. Bird after bird hit with such force that each impact made a loud thud. A few birds fell dead, their necks broken from the force of their attack. The panther leaped and swatted a few times before fleeing, defeated by the birds’ vicious assault.
The woman looked at me. Her face was horrifying. There was something in her deep obsidian eyes that made me feel as if she was here for nothing else but to kill me.
“ Ki-sikil-lil-la-ke , ” came the voice in my head.
The woman was pale with rage.
“ Ki-sikil-lil-la-ke , ” it called again with greater urgency.
Looking at the woman, I was frozen. Somehow, I knew that she wanted me dead, and I knew I needed to run. But I couldn’t.
She took a step forward, and all hesitation vanished. I moved through the forest with a single-minded fury that left me without another thought. I could sense the woman behind me. Everything was moving past so quickly, I could barely see where I was going. I could hardly catch my breath, and my clothes felt tight. The collar of my shirt constricted my neck.
After running headlong for what felt like an eternity, I came to the dirt trail leading to the forest’s outer edge. I knew that just beyond it was the cliff. This was a dead end. I had run in the wrong direction.
Hearing the rapid footfalls of the woman running behind me, I ran a few steps more, then stopped right at the edge of the cliff. In an instant of terror, the most tremendous pain I had ever felt in my life came over me. It was as if someone had shot a bullet into my right shoulder. I lost my balance and fell over the edge.
The woman’s eyes looked down at me in surprise. She raised her hand, and in it was something small and white. All around me the darkness pulled at me, and I grew lost in it.
****
“Jade? Jade, are you all right?” I opened my eyes, and even with my blurry vision I could distinguish Claire’s face. “Nate, call nine one one.” She slipped her hands underneath me, and with incredible strength I didn’t think plausible she picked me up, and carried me into the warmth of her house.
8 ON MY WAY
I heard the door crack open, allowing a narrow shaft of light in behind it. Claire silently made her way over to the bed and knelt on the floor. I could feel her gaze on me. She hovered a few moments, probably making sure I was still breathing. I didn’t know how long I had been lying in this bed in the dark, and thinking about it only made me breathe in shorter gasps. Her warm, soft hand found my shoulder.
“ We’re right outside if you need us,” she whispered, tenderly kissing my forehead before
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