Many legends have been told of witches cursing people, objects, and places. Almost everyone has heard the stories of the Salem witches and the older tales of witches throughout Europe, but not much is known here in America of the witches from Mexico or Spanish Bruja. This is the Legend of "El áhorcado"
Last night I had a strange dream; I found myself walking through the desert at night. It felt familiar to me, yet I couldn't recall when. A Crescent moon hung high in the night sky, casting its soft white light against the desert's suntanned sands. The desert's barren terrain except for a few rock formations and a scattering of bushes. Something in the distance called to me, beckoning me to wander looking for it. Walking over a small sand ridge in the distance, I can see something. From my vantage point, I could only see an oversized silhouette at the edge of my sight line, the moon's light shrouding it in darkness. I began walking towards it.
BANG...BANG…BANG!!! I shot up in a panic, still not fully awake. I hear my alarm blaring. I couldn't quite make out the time.
BANG...BANG...BANG!!! "Get your ass up. You're going to make us late." A voice shouted from outside the door. 7:45 am; oh shit, class starts in 30 minutes. My alarm had been going off for at least the last hour; my roommate was pounding on the door. I look around the room, taking stock, still trying to wake up from that odd dream. I've never had a dream feel so real; I pushed the thought from my mind and hurried to get ready. Lincoln was waiting for me down the hall; his black afro was the first thing I saw.
"Nice hair; you wake up late too?" I jokingly said. "Naw going all natural today, man," he replied quickly, smirking. "I'm surprised you found two matching socks this morning, lazy ass!" he added playfully.
Lincoln was 6 when his parents moved him from Bermuda; his dad took a job here in Arizona. They bought the house across the street from us. I was the first white kid he had met, but that didn't mean anything to us. While they were moving into the neighborhood, I asked his dad if he could come over and play. We've been inseparable ever since. Now we were both freshmen at the University of Arizona. I am majoring in Political Science, and Lincoln is majoring in International Business.
Lincoln was well dressed as always, his black slacks and a light blue long-sleeved button-down shirt and black loafers. Usually, I would have dressed nicer, but today I went casual (the first thing I found in my closet this morning). Crumpled up in the corner, I grabbed a pair of dark blue canvas shorts and a black shirt. It. Not the most professional look, but we were running super late, so it would have to do.
"Damn, bro, what happened to you this morning," Lincoln asked? "I don't know… It was this bizarre dream," I replied hesitantly. "Well shit, you good? Today is our first day; are you excited?" Lincoln said as he punched me in the arm. "Hell yeah, let's do this shit!!!" I exclaimed and turned the car on, and Lincoln cranked up the music. We managed to sneak into the auditorium during the opening speeches of orientation. The rest of the day passed by like a blur. It was hard to find the classes and the homework just on the first day was nauseating.
Lincoln and I met back at our car after school. She was old and beat up 92 Nissan Pathfinder. She wasn't perfect, but she was ours, and we felt cool driving her around. It was a surprise our parents got us as a graduation gift, Lincoln graduated valedictorian, and I finished right behind him. We worked our asses off, but it's a pretty sweet reward. Lincoln's parents ended up moving back to Bermuda, but his parents allowed Lincoln to stay with us to finish school. Just before leaving for Bermuda, Lincoln's parents took us to Mexico for a week.
Both of us were exhausted, and I was overwhelmed; we just went home. Our parents rented an off-campus house for us. We didn’t say much on the drive home. The house wasn't much to look at from the outside. There was one distinct feature dead center of the front, a massive tree that loomed over the front of the house. Its silvery bark contrasted beautifully against its light lavender blooms. It's beauty welcoming you to the home.
The rest of the week passed like a blur. Finally, Friday afternoon, our first school week was over. Lincoln and I rendezvoused near the car, like every day, but today felt good. We were getting adjusted to the daily grind. We were both excited and ready to get the weekend started. We were rounding the last corner before arriving home. We didn't recognize the silver sedan parked in the driveway, and four people were standing at the front door. We crept down the street until we realized it was our parents. They came to surprise us with food and drinks. We stayed up all night telling them about our first week. We were both so happy they were there. More so for Lincoln, I guessed. It's been two months since his parents last visited. Lincoln's grandmother developed Alzheimer's three years ago, so it has been hard for them to leave her there. They were here now, though, and I was thrilled for him. It was three a.m. when our parents finally left. We were exasperated and went straight to bed.
That night I returned to the dream from the previous night. Everything appeared the same as before. The crescent moon was still casting its pale white light. The shrubs and rock formations were all in the same place. I was even standing on the same ridge looking. A soft voice beckons me. Before I realized it, I had been walking towards the dark object far in the distance. The shadow was still beyond my sight. Its base is broad and stretched into the sky. From its top spewed long thin appendages reaching in all directions. Fear shot through me like a bolt of lightning. Instantly frozen, an invisible force jerked me forward. Despite my desperate attempts to stop, I couldn't. Soft laughter resounded in my ears as I inched closer and closer to the distant shadow.
Jolted awake; shrill scratch, I glance around my room. The wind is pounding against the house. It must have been the tree outside. A strong gust must have forced the tree's limbs to smack the window. Shit! What time is it? Panic begins to set in. Picking up my phone, it was only five; exhausted; I got up. I did not want to return to that dream again. I made my way to the kitchen to brew some coffee. The house wasn't huge, but it was plenty for two people. The kitchen was down the hall from the two bedrooms. Lincoln won the master after a bet. I didn't mind so much; my room was large enough. Was the hallway always this dark? Maybe the dream was still lingering. No, this is different; the air felt heavy. All of the hairs on my body were tingling. So I did what any rational adult would; I ran to the kitchen and turned on the lights.
There was nothing there; I knew that. I guess the dream had me shaken. While the coffee is brewing, I walk back to my room to grab my phone. My room looked foreign like I had entered a stranger's bedroom. Looking out the window, I watched the wind raging outside. I watched the tree's limbs thrown around by the wind, one near enough to touch the window. Nope, I thought not going out there (the thought of someone or something lurking outside my bedroom was too scary). I grabbed my phone off the nightstand and ran back to the kitchen.
I poured a cup and began scouring the internet. I couldn't find anything close to my dream. I did find out what kind of tree I've been seeing; it's ironwood. "Hey, I'm surprised you're up. I figured you'd sleep until noon at least." Lincoln yawned. "I got up to take a piss and saw the lights on; you okay?" He poured himself a cup of coffee. "Sorry didn't mean to wake you. I had a bizarre ass dream last night and couldn't go back to sleep." I said. "Want to talk about it?" He asked. I told him about the two dreams and the weird sound that woke me this morning. "Damn, that's some shit. Do you want to check outside and see if any footprints might help ease your mind?" He asked. "Yeah, okay, let's go," I say. We headed to our rooms to change, and I grabbed the bat from my closet.
Lincoln and I made our way outside to look for any clues. Sunlight was peeking over the mountains now the wind had subsided; it was a perfect fall morning. Nothing was there, not a footprint or any sign something had been outside the window. "Do you think it might have been the tree?" Lincoln asks. "I thought the same thing, but I don't see how; the branches don't stretch far enough. you must think I'm crazy," I added. "No, you need to come closer to the window." He said. There was an extended scratch cut into the window. Something had been out there last night, but how could it have made that scratch without disturbing the ground. "Did you hear the wind at all last night?'' I asked, unsure why, but maybe if he had heard the wind, somehow it could have been the tree. Well, that's what I'm hoping he will say. "Honestly, I don't remember. I crashed hard last night, sorry." He said. He was slowly backing away from the window. We ran inside, locking the door.
"Maybe the scratch had been there before we moved in," Lincoln said. "Maybe, but shit, that freaks me out." "Well, if you want tonight, you can sleep in the room with me, so if anything happens, you won't be alone." He offered. "Yeah, maybe we'll see." I was reluctant to say. Maybe I should call my parents and see what they were doing today; I would have done almost anything to get out of the house.
"Hey, mom, what are you guys up to today?" I ask. "I'm surprised you guys are awake!" "Not much; your father and I will be just working in the backyard." She replied. "Oh, okay, maybe you want to meet somewhere for lunch?" I asked. "Yeah, of course. Is everything okay?" She questions. "Yeah, I just thought it would be nice to see you guys again." I try to sound convincing. "Okay, honey, where would you like to meet?" I could tell she knew something was up. "Why don't we meet at Picacho Peak and see where we go from there?" She added. "Okay, that sounds good." I hung up the phone.
It was now 9:45 am, and I was starting to feel tired again, so I asked Lincoln if he would drive. Perhaps I could take a little nap on the way there. With the sun shining, I wasn't as afraid of sleeping. Almost immediately after leaving the house, I crashed and slept until Lincoln woke me. We are already at Picacho Peak. A few miles north, we meet up at Encore. It quickly became one of our favorite restaurants we discovered after a few different trips to Tucson before our freshman semester.
The day flew by. Now the sun is setting before any of us notice. We said goodbye to our parents. Since we've been out of the house, they've been a little lonely; since we left for college. Our drive home was a blur, yet pulling into the driveway, a feeling of foreboding punched me in the gut. I didn't want to return to this house. Something told me to run as far as I could from the house. "Hey man... you alright?" Lincoln paused; maybe he could feel it too, but I couldn't tell. Lincoln was always the brave one, never afraid to challenge anything or anyone. "Yeah, I'm alright…." "Alright, we'll go in together. There's nothing to fear but fear itself! ghosts don't exist!" Lincoln said. We walked up to the door; a mighty wind gust came racing through the yard, shaking the tree violently. All the beautifully pale purple and white flowers shot off in all directions. The wind died, leaving the tree bare, and suddenly it looked ominous. I couldn't help but stare at the tree; its silver bark was glowing in the waning sunlight. The ironwood was old and dying, yet still clinging to life, teeming with new young branches, mesmerized by the tree, enticed to reach out and climb it.
"OUCH SHIT…" I cry out in pain. looking down at my hand, they are full of minor puncture wounds just beginning to ooze blood. "Shit, man, are you okay!" Lincoln yelled. "What the hell happened?" I blurted out by mistake. "Let's get you inside and clean your hands," Lincoln said as he motioned me into the house. "I don't know what happened. Why did I do that?" I ask. "I don't know…" he hesitates. "You just started walking towards the tree and grabbed one of the branches." The hesitation in his voice kind of put me on edge. "Okay, did you see the gust of wind?" I questioned. "No, there was no wind." He stated. "Why would you ask?" He added. How could he not have felt the wind? It nearly knocked me over. "I felt a gust of wind, blowing all of the leaves and flowers off the tree," I stated. "There's no foliage on the tree, dude." "What have you been smoking?" He joked. "Oh, I guess I'm just losing my mind or something," I said, half kidding, trying to lighten the mood. "Maybe you need to go see someone about this?" Lincoln asks. "Yeah, but who," I asked? "Maybe we should go see a psychic," Lincoln asked? "You think so?" "Why not? I think they help with these things; it can't hurt, at least." "I guess it can't hurt." "Maybe we can look for one tomorrow," I said in agreement.
That night the nightmare haunted me once again. This time the dream was completely different. The pleasant crescent moon was gone. The dark desert stood lifeless now, a soft silver glow coming from the shadow in the distance. It was crying out to me. Before realizing it, I drew close enough to discern the object in the distance. A large tree, its branches grew in every direction. The ironwood is full of light purple and white blooms. Vibrant green leaves, its bark was smooth and a silverish grey. The tree invited me closer; I felt a calm wash over me as I got closer. Its glow felt like warm sunshine on a winter's day. The feeling lasted but a few short moments as thunder roared in the distance. Immediately an awfully gust of wind tore all of the beautiful life from the tree. A thunderous high, pitched laughter pierced my ears; this time, it was more intense than anything I had ever felt before. I dropped to my knees in agonizing pain. The horrible laugh only got louder and louder as I tried to block it out. I looked at the tree, and it looked nothing like it had just moments ago. The once lush branches were now bare, exposing themselves to me. The once smooth, silver bark began cracking and twisting as thick thorns protruded through the rapidly aging ironwood.
The witches' cackle began to subside but was never-ending. Stumbling forward, I saw something hiding in the branches. I didn't want to get closer, but I couldn't help but move closer. A bolt of lightning strikes, illuminating the pitch black desert, long enough for me to see something hanging in the branches. Drenched in a cold sweat, I stagger forward. My eyes shot open; I rolled over, reaching for my phone; it was 5 am. Another three hours of sleep, how long could I keep this up. I made my way to the kitchen, too tired to even care about the closing in darkness. I turn on the coffee pot and begin my day. Four hours later, Lincoln wandered into the kitchen, wearing red silk pajama pants. He poured himself a cup of coffee as well.
"Shit, man, what time did you get up?" Lincoln asked. "5." "Haha, well, you look like shit!" "Hahaha yeah, I feel like it too!" I feel relieved Lincoln is here with me. If he wasn't, I'm not sure what I would do. "Well, are you ready to go see some psychics today?" He asked. "Yeah, how did you even find the first place," I asked? "I tried finding a website, but I couldn't find one," I said. "It was the first place I found when I Googled physics," Lincoln said. "I can't find them," I said. "That is odd," Lincoln said, "well, we'll go check it out; if they aren't there, we'll check the next one," Lincoln said, "just try to keep an open mind." "Yeah, I'll try and keep an open mind," I promised him. I don't believe in them, but he's trying to help and the only person I trusted with any of this. We had made the appointment for 11 this morning, so we had a little time. I head back to my room, grab a change of clothes, and head for a shower. I catch a glimpse of myself in the bathroom mirror. My eyes began sinking in, and my complexion grew paler.
The psychics' office was in an old run-down strip mall. We were the only vehicle in the parking lot; getting out of the car, a foul odor accosted our nostrils. Looking around, we saw that a community of homeless people had taken over most of the mall.
Mystical Wears was the name of the stop on our list. It took us a good 20 minutes to find. It looked so mundane from the outside window we passed it a few times. I didn't know what I expected, but it was not this. "Well, this is the place," I said. "Wow, it looks so mystifying, hahaha!" He laughed. I opened the door and the overwhelming scent of incense mixed with the foul odor outside. I coughed a couple of times before fully entering the store. The inside was even duller than the outside. The four empty walls were all dingy white, probably from incense smoke. In the back of the room was a desk. I assumed it was the reception desk. It, too, was just a plain brown wooden desk, with the only other door directly behind it. The door, however, had some character. It was white, almost blending seamlessly with the walls, but had an ornate pattern engraved floor to ceiling. The door was the width of a standard door, but it stretched from the floor to the ceiling.
"Do you have an appointment?" We were startled and couldn't get the words out for a moment. "Of course you do; I know exactly why you are here." Her voice was violent and soft at the same time. "How do you know who we are?" I asked stupidly. "You have an appointment." "No one without an appointment knows where this place is, and you're the ones on the schedule for the day." She added. The plain walls had perplexed us. We had lost track of our surroundings, and she took us by surprise. "Please sign your names in the book," She said. She passed in front of us and stood at the desk. Her face was pale and wrinkled; her hair was snow white. Her eyes piercing ice blue, seemed to look through us, and she wore a silk purple hooded cloak draped lightly over her head and cascaded down her back.
"Please come this way." She asked, opening the abnormally tall door. Lincoln and I looked at each other and followed her into the other room. The room was round and opulent. Drapes of all shades lined the rounded walls. In the center of the room sat a table with a small crystal ball. The table looked to be solid gold with a silver pattern throughout the table. She motioned for us to sit at the table adjacent to her. I told her about my dreams and what had been happening while I was awake. "I see." She put her hands around the crystal ball
"Oh great spirits, I, Maria Mota, call out to you looking to find relief for this young man's nightmares." She called out, falling into a trance-like state. I thought it was the oddest thing she introduced herself to the spirits but not to us. The lights shut off, and a ring of candles fixed to the walls lit up in a bright flash of light. It blinded us briefly. When the light faded before I could open my eyes, I could hear a horrible witch's cackle echoing through the small room. It was so loud I thought my eardrums were going to explode. It kept growing louder and louder; I tried yelling to drown out the noise, but it was no use. Hurricane-force winds whipped around the room. As quickly as the chaos filled the room, it died. I looked around the room, and everything was in its place. Something was wrong; scanning the room, Lincoln looked frozen in place. Maria looked odd; her eyes were still closed. They slowly open, revealing pitch-black eyes. Black liquid pours from her eye sockets. I looked away and saw Lincoln's eyes had turned black too. He opened his mouth, and black liquid flooded out. Lincoln and Maria stood up and moved closer to me. I screamed out. My body shook violently. It was Rosa waking me up.
"In my 90 years, I have never felt anything so sinister." "You, my young child, have been cursed by a truly vengeful spirit. I have no way to help you." She said regretfully. I couldn't even speak. "I can tell you are a good young man; this may be your only option. She lives in the small town Xilitla, in Mexico, and you need to go see her immediately." She said sincerely. I think she could see the tears welling up in my eyes and embraced me and tried to comfort me. "Listen well, my child, you will go see her. She is the best curadora there is. I have heard she can cure any curse. Keep this in mind; however, you must do as she says; it is vitally important. her identity changes after everyone she's healed." Her tone softens. I gathered what strength I had, fighting the exhaustion, nodding my head in agreement. She told us how to find the curadora in Mexico. It didn't feel like we had been there that long, but when Maria opened the long door, the pale white glow from the full moon lit up the night.
"What time is it?" I asked Lincoln. "11!" He replied. We had been there for 12 hours. Where did the time go; how is it that time passed so quickly. "This shit is freaking me out; let's go home, man." "Yeah, let's go home, but first, I'm starving. What do you want to eat?" I asked. "Pizza, obviously," Lincoln joked. "Great choice, haha! Alright, you drive!" I said. I think this whole ordeal was getting harder for him. He didn't say much on the drive home. It was already well past midnight as we pulled into the driveway. Feelings of pure dread and horror fill my mind. My heart is racing as we unlock the front door. Something inside the darkness waited for us; my breath quickened. Nothing happened; there was nothing there. Quickly I ran to every light switch, flicking them on. I can't handle the darkness. Lincoln and I enjoy the pizza we picked up and watch an old western movie on tv.
The moon is full tonight, igniting the desert with its bright white light (Shit, I thought I must have fallen asleep while watching the movie). The desert was cold and empty. I looked around and saw nothing but flat sand. Maybe it's not the same dream; it feels welcoming. There was a subtle breeze blowing, carrying a sweet, pleasant scent. I walked around, enjoying the tranquility. Not all was as it seemed the further I walked. The lively desert slowly wilted, fallen-over cacti rotted from within, all of the trees and bushes withered, their bark turning brittle and splintered. A few puddles of stagnating black water scattered throughout the desert perfumed the stench of putrid rot now carried by the breeze. Dark clouds began to move in as the wind picked up. My heart sank deep into my stomach. Thunder roared in the distance as the clouds shrouded the moon. The pleasant feeling of just a moment ago was gone, replaced by complete terror.
Bolts of lightning streaked across the blackened sky as the thunder roared above. The ground below me tried to swallow me whole; I dashed, trying to find solid footing. I turned back to where I had been to see the tree crawling out of the ground. That's when the horrifying witch's laugh started. I could barely stand it. It was driving me mad; I screamed back at the laughter. It was futile; it just grew louder and louder. I heard a loud pop, and blood began to trickle from my ear; all sound was gone. It felt like a bomb went off in my head. Everything felt serene afterward, like watching a silent film in slow motion. The tree continued growing from the earth, casting ominous shadows. Its branches reached out to drag me away. The tree is now visible, its dead and lifeless limbs swaying lightly. Again, a silhouette hung from the tree, swinging.
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The stench of rotting meat lofted around the tree's base, the rancid odor dancing in my nostrils. Still foggy, I stumbled closer, horrified at what I beheld. Close enough, I watched an old burlap sack swaying in the branches; as the wind died out, the bag settled. I assume the bag concealed a body; it looked to be tied using a slipknot. The weathered sack's large holes exposed its contents. The horrid smell was emanating from inside. The short-knotted rope was barely hanging onto the tree. From what I could see through the holes, it was a decaying corpse with no way to tell how long it had been hanging there.
"HELP… help…" "What the fuck…." I yell in terror before covering my mouth with my hands. "HEELLP… H E L P…" A raspy voice calls out like someone struggling to breathe. The sack thrashes around, grunting and groaning, the rope stretching and cracking, slowly unraveling, slowly fraying, strand by strand. The body continues to thrash about. All I could do was watch as the last rope threads bust free, dropping the body to the ground with a loud thud. The body was still alive. I didn't want to move closer, but I had to.
Striving to find the courage, I take the first step closer. Just above the center, I see the sack expand and contract. It was faint, but I saw it. My legs started moving on their own. I watched in horror as the bag tightened back to its thinner profile. I resisted, but my body was now moving on its own. Its chest expanded and contracted with each step. Its breathing seemed to get stronger and stronger with each new breath. I was just feet from the body now; the stench was so horrible I couldn't stop gagging. It took everything I had not to puke. The vile scent was making it impossible to breathe. Each breath felt like I was inhaling toxic waste and exhaling tiny shards of glass. Now over the body, the steadily breathing dead body, I couldn't hold back anymore; I had to throw up. The body was mumbling something my hearing hasn't come back to me yet. Its inaudible rambling had a familiar tone, not the words but its voice. It sounded like someone I knew, someone I had just recently heard talking, but I couldn't place it.
"EEAWWAAA!!!!" I scream out in excruciating pain. I look down at my side to find a tree branch pierced through the top of my left foot, continuing into the ground. "AAAWWWEE!!!" I screamed out again as the tree branch came up through the soil and pierced through my right foot, nailing me in place. I fell backward, collapsing to my back. I gazed up at the dark stormy sky; tears filled my eyes. I was exhausted and in excruciating pain; all I could do now was cry. I cried out to God for help; I begged and pleaded as the tears streamed down my face.
"God isn't going to save you from me… AWEHAHAHA AWEHAHAAA…" The corpse spoke but in a completely different tone, a female voice. The body rose unnaturally from the hips, its face still covered by the bag, but I could feel its gaze. It tore at my heart, nothing but pure rage and evil. Then the witch's cackle thundered across the sky as I sobbed hysterically.
SPLASH!!!
"Hey man, wake up; you're freaking me out!!!" Lincoln yelled out, splashing a bucket of water on me. "Dude, what the fuck are you doing!!! Lincoln yelled at me; he had a panicked expression on his face. It took me a few seconds to realize where I was and what I was doing. A sudden sharp pain throbbed in both my feet. I finally realized I was in the front yard. Somehow I had climbed halfway up the tree. Saturated in blood, I saw thorns from the tree embedded in my feet. I was trying to climb the tree practically necked. I didn't know which was worse: the pain from the thorns or the overwhelming terror I felt from the dreams. I told Lincoln about that night's dream while he tended my wounds. "We need to go now and find Rosa," Lincoln said. It stung so bad all I could do was mash my teeth and try not to scream so loud the neighbors would hear. The pain was unbearable; my vision started closing in around me. Before passing out, I saw my feet, just like in the dream. Thornes from the tree had pierced clean through both my feet. Lincoln was distraught; I could tell this was becoming too much for him. Shit, I don't blame him; it's too much for me.
"Okay, let's go to Xilitla and see Rosa," I said, finally gritting in agonizing pain. "Really… good because I already have it planned out!" He sounded excited to go on an adventure. "I don't want to sleep anymore. I can't take the dreams; they are becoming too unstable." "Okay, so we stock up on Red Bulls and Monsters and just go," Lincoln replied quickly. "It will take us a little more than a day to get there." He said. "Do you have your passport here?" He added while wrapping my feet with gauze. "I think so." "Okay, I will go find everything we need. You rest on the couch." He said, helping me to the couch. I couldn't stop thinking about the dream; whose voice did I hear before the witch. So many thoughts were racing through my head. I had difficulty concentrating; I knew I couldn't go back to sleep. Something terrible was coming for me in my sleep; it was close now. If I don't sleep, it can't get me (I'm hoping at least).
"This is where the fun begins!!!" Lincoln chuckled. We got into our SUV and drove away from the house. It was after 1 p.m. It would be a long trip. We didn't have the money to fly and could call our parents for money. They wouldn't believe us anyway; I wouldn't have. This would be the lankiest road trip of our lives. One thousand four hundred sixty-three miles, 23 hours and 51minutes, that's where our destination, Rosa, awaits. Lincoln is excellent at planning; in just a few hours, he figured out the best route and how often we would have to stop to fill the car with gas, but he also found us a place to stay that night. He is a fantastic friend; I am fortunate to have him here with me. I don't know how I would have gotten through this alone.
Getting to the border was easy enough; it took us 5 hours to get to the border in El Paso, TX, but this is where the real adventure would begin. Mexico seemed like a different world to us; we had never been out of Arizona by ourselves. We made good time through Mexico, just about 50 miles from Xilitla. It had been a pleasant trip up to this point, but exhaustion was setting in. The energy drinks were no longer helping me stay awake. I was crashing hard, and I was starting to see that DAMN tree while awake. Every tree we passed had the same silver bark from my nightmares. They were calling to me, their subtle tone was soft and sweet, but I was trying to hold on just a bit longer. Lincoln's voice was constant, and all that remained of my sanity. When the witch's horrible laughter started, I couldn't take any more. I had to get out of the car; Lincoln quickly pushed the child lock button, and I couldn't escape. I began screaming back at the horrid laughter, but it was always louder than me; it was inescapable. If not for Lincoln, I would have torn off my ears then and there. We were now 30 miles out.
Lincoln finally managed to calm me down as my hallucination subsided; my vision and hearing began normalizing. Like a shining beacon of hope, sunlight danced across the sky, casting out the shadows. I felt at peace for the first time in weeks. We have finally arrived at our destination. The town was old, and the two of us stuck out like a sore thumb. We were looking for the ruined remains of St. Augustine's Convent. We tried talking to the town's folk for directions and if they knew who Rosa was. None of them understood us, and once we mentioned Rosa, they began praying and slammed doors in our face.
"Excuse me; I can take you to see her." A small soft voice called out from behind us. Lincoln and I jumped. We quickly turned around to find a small child standing there; she couldn't have been more than five. Her blood-red hooded cloak and snow white dress draped lightly. Her face was pure; she seemed to be completely innocent. "That would be lovely, my dear; my friend here could use her help," Lincoln said tenderly. I just stood there frozen; the contrast of colors struck a chord with me. I was baffled and couldn't stop staring at the little girl. "Yo, let's go… hey, you there?" Lincoln said as he punched me in the arm. "Yeah, let's go?" I say softly.
We returned to our Pathfinder with the little girl. As I pulled the keys from my pocket, the little girl asked me about one of the charms on my keychain. It was a small charm, something I had gotten in Mexico over the summer. Just outside the resort, there were all kinds of shops with little souvenirs, but this one particular one caught my eye. It was a thin piece of nickel-plated zinc, shaped like two pyramids butted against one another with a line separating them horizontally. In the top section, there was a small hand perfectly proportioned, and the lower area had a heart and in the center an eye. The charm wasn't highly detailed but odd enough to stand out. I asked the old lady running the shop what they were, and she replied they are good luck charms in her culture. She said these come with a warning; however, always check both sides because if the other side has an eye, it is the devil's eye, and misfortune would follow. So, of course, I promptly checked both sides, and it was all good with only one eye. I purchased it and thanked the lady as I ran out of the store to show it to my family.
"You have an evil charm on your keys." She said, pointing to the small charm. "What are you talking about, this little guy?" As I lifted my keys to get a better look. "I checked it before I bought it, so it should bring me good luck!" I proclaimed. I watched it dangling in the wind. There are two eyes, just like seeing it for the first time. I was immediately paralyzed with fear, dropping the keys before collapsing.
A cool breeze flowed over my whole body like floating through the wind. It was impossible to tell where I was now; small flames danced atop candles, unable to penetrate the deep darkness which surrounded me. Where am I, and how did I get here; I hear voices in the distance, still too soft to make out. I am steadily getting my bearings now. I'm lying face up, shirtless, on a large concrete slab. I didn't have the energy to fight. All I could do now was lie there helplessly. The voices grew louder; one voice was raspy and very coarse, the other was very hushed and little, and the other was Lincoln's voice; that gave me a sense of security. As they drew nearer still, I could see a bright orange glow hovering in the air; it danced gently in the bitter darkness. The slim silhouette of a lady emerged from the darkness walking next to the light. As the light grew closer, two more shapes came into focus. They were the little girl and Lincoln walking on either side of what I assumed would be Rosa.
"Thank god you're awake!!!" Lincoln shouted as he rushed over. "What's going on… what happened?" "You just passed, and Lisa said we needed to move quickly before…," Lincoln paused, "this is Rosa; she is willing to help you." He continued. Without saying a word out loud, I could hear her voice in my head. "Spread your arms out. So that your body makes a cross." Her voice was soothing and sweet. Her voice didn't match her appearance at all. This old lady was barely able to stand. Her withered features were like dried tree bark, her pale white hair thin and brittle like dried-up grass. The voice in my head was like fine silk and full of life. "My body may be frail, but my mind is still sharp, young man." She replied sarcastically. She never spoke to me again after that, though. The ritual was about to begin.
Lisa walked up next to Rosa, still wearing the same red hooded cloak, but the hood was down this time. I got a good look at her face. Absolutely adorable, her medium brown skin glowed in the light of Rosa's lantern. Her small icy blue eyes looked at Rosa with such purity and innocence. Her jet black hair only further accentuated the look of her icy blue eyes. I wondered how such a perfect little angel could come to be in the company of one such as Rosa. Who would have one so sweet and innocent to live this kind of life. She lifted her hood covering her face and ran into the darkness. I tried calling out to stop her for fear of such darkness consuming that poor girl was hard to watch. Tears rolled down my face as again I was unable to speak.
Moments later, she returned from the deep darkness, wheeling in a pedestal carrying some supplies on it. There was a wooden bowl with a bright yellow lemon cut in half and a whole brown egg, and a vile of some clear liquid. Rosa first grabbed the clear liquid and sprinkled it all over my body. Then she grasped one half of the lemon and egg in her right hand and began reciting a prayer in a language unrecognizable to me. Rosa closed her eyes, putting her left-hand parallel with her chest, then placed her right hand over my forehead. She began scrubbing my face without touching it. She barely started moving down to my neck. The eggshell cracked; Rosa jettisoned her hand over the wooden bowl cracking the egg. Thick black tar came oozed out of the egg. I looked at Rosa's. Her face was horrified. Whatever she saw caught her off guard, but she quickly regained her composure. It must have been a bad omen; my pulse quickened. Rosa waved the little girl over and whispered something in her ear.
"The devil has cursed you," Lisa said. "Rose said she can help you lift your curse, but it will come at a very high cost." "We don't have a lot of money…." Lisa cut me off. "Money has no value here. You must be willing to sacrifice someone to save yourself." She said so plainly. I couldn't possibly choose someone to take my place. A few minutes of silence pass. "No, I can't do that to someone." I was finally able to muster the words. I could see Rosa's face clear as the day she was happy I said those words. She leaned down to one knee, now eye level with the little girl, and pulled her hood down, revealing the little girl's face. She didn't speak a word, but it was like the little girl understood exactly how Rosa felt. "She has agreed to sacrifice her own life to save yours. Your soul has greatly moved her." The little girl said as Rosa picked herself up and turned her attention back to me.
Rosa continued with the ceremony to draw out the evil living within me and pass it into herself. The wind howled through the blackness. An ominous presence filled the ruins. Lincoln moved to protect Lisa holding her close. Rosa continued, praying in her language. "You think she can save you, boy?" A voice whispered in my ear. "This woman is too weak to break my curse." It continued. The voice seemed familiar, but I couldn't recall where. A shrill screech echoes all around, followed by thunderous laughter. It was the voice from my dreams that came to life outside them. Lincoln ducked down to cover the child's ears and comfort her. Rosa chanted louder to try and match the loud laughter, but it was always louder. The air grew icy as the laughter intensified. The wind flurried, snuffing out what little light we had. Consumed by the darkness, lightning vigorously struck the ground all around us.
Rosa continued chanting through all of this, genuinely unafraid of the evil at her doorstep. As quickly as it started, everything stopped suddenly. The candles reignited, and Rosa collapsed to the floor. Lincoln and I gasped, and finally able to move, I rushed over to check on Rosa. Her body was cold and stiff, I checked to see if there was a pulse, but she was dead. I observed the oddest thing; looking at her neck, it looked like a rope had been tied around her, strangling the life from her fragile body. I felt the tears rolling down my cheeks before I realized I was sobbing. The little girl scooted over to comfort me.
"It's alright Rosa is at peace now. She walks with the angels." The little girl's voice was so soft and gentle that it touched my soul as I continued crying. "Listen, what is important now is that you leave this place and don't stop until you get home. No matter what, do not look back until you pass through the threshold of your home. The curse will still try and catch up to you." The child finished. "What about you? Who will look after you?" Lincoln asked, trying to fight back the tears. "I must prepare Rosa's body," She replied, "now go quickly." Her voice was commanding this time. "Right this way to the car." Lincoln motioned for me, and I followed him to the car. Without saying a word, we began the long drive home. We were about an hour from Xilitla now, and I let out a sigh of relief, and a feeling of complete relaxation washed over me, and I slept for the first time in what felt like years. The nightmares had finally stopped, and I could sleep the whole way home. A full day had passed; as we turned down our street, Lincoln woke me up. I felt refreshed and recharged, ready to take on the day. The sky never looked so beautiful, the perfect shade of blue, not a cloud in sight. It was like a new beginning, and I was ready to welcome it wholeheartedly. Forgetting the little girl's last words, I looked back to where we had come from; there was nothing there. Maybe we had out ran whatever it was; I laughed it off and thought nothing more of it. I wish I had looked more carefully than I would have seen what had followed us all along.
Finally, we arrived home, and it never felt so good to be there. The tree out front looked smaller than it had when we left for Xilitla. The whole house felt warm and welcoming. "Damn, it feels good to be back!" I shouted aloud. "Yeah, now maybe you can stop waking me up so damn early!" Lincoln joked as he followed me inside. The next few days were amazing. I got all my coursework caught up and back to straight A's. Not a care in the world, the nightmares had ended.
It's been three weeks since our trip to the remote village of Xilitla, and life has been like a miracle. I started dating a girl from one of my classes. She invited Lincoln and me to chill at her house. It was a Friday night, and everything was going well. We were enjoying a couple of beers on the back patio when she asked if we wanted to do something crazy. I thought if only she knew what we went through three weeks ago. She ran inside to grab her keys. She told us about how her dad stored artifacts from all over the world in the attic. When she came back, I noticed a small silver charm. She ran to the side yard to grab a ladder so that we could explore the attic. She sat the latter down and unlocked the attic door.
Into my chest and started racing. It was the same one that had caused me to suffer so much. I asked if I could see her keys? She tosses them to me, studying the charm closely. Thankfully it only had an eye on the side of the hand and heart. I must have looked like I saw a ghost. Lincoln punches me in the shoulder, snapping me back. I couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong. We had to leave. "I'm sorry, we have to go, something came up, and I need to get home." My voice cracked a little as I said it. "Hey man, you okay," Lincoln asked? "Just wait; let me show you this first." She shouted as she crawled through the attic doorway. Her body vanished into the dark attic doorway; unfiltered fear courses through my veins. I could hear laughter coming through the small opening, that same kind of laughter that had haunted me for weeks. No, it couldn't be back; it was all just in my head, I tell myself. The light from the attic flicked on, and the moment of fear passed. "Come up here, guys; this is cool," She yelled. Her voice echoed throughout the attic; like idiots, Lincoln and I climbed the ladder to see what was up there. I was first up the ladder. Just as my hand touched the top rung, the power surged, instantly shutting off all the lights. I froze, Lincoln was saying something, but I couldn't understand anything. I must have let go of the ladder because I was now falling. It was like one of those dreams when you're falling, and just before you hit the bottom, you wake up in your bed. I didn't wake up in bed; I woke up covered in the desert sand.
How could this have happened? There's no way to tell how long I've been dreaming. The last thing I clearly remember is waking up. Lincoln and I were coming down our street, and I looked back. Just a single white cloud hung in the sky. I thought its shape was odd but didn't think twice. I turned around and started talking to Lincoln. After we returned to the house, I went to my room and passed out. Three weeks had passed. I tried to remember something, but there was nothing; it was all starting to blend. BOOM, a loud crash of thunder roared through the night sky. A wall of pitch black clouds, reaching from the sky, swallowing the ground as they crept closer and closer. Very slowly, the wind hurled them forward like they were hungry for more than just desert sand. I ran and ran, but no matter how fast, they were slowly getting closer. Out of breath, I sought to take refuge from the coming storm; I needed a place to hide out. There was nothing out in this god-forsaken wasteland, nothing that could help. The desert was mainly barren save for a few bushes and the wide varieties of cacti. After catching my breath, I ran some more, hoping to find something. Quite some distance off, I could see a tree's profile, so I ran to it, hoping to find shelter. Mortified as I got close enough to the tree, it was that damn ironwood tree I had seen in almost all of my dreams, the same one in our front yard. Its once vibrant silver bark was now greyed and weathered, stripped bare, revealing all the thorns that protected this once magnificent tree. I couldn't go to that tree, not after what I saw last time and the putrid smell. I turned to my left, swiftly right, and behind the storm surrounding me. The only way to go was towards the tree. The storm led me here. Now under the mangled old tree, I saw the body hanging in the bag, but this time there was a second body. It was Rosa. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. How was this even possible? Her neck looked like it did when I checked her plus. She was hanging here, but how, why.
THUD… I jumped back as the body in the bag suddenly plummeted to the desert floor. Something tore at the sack from the inside; it wanted out, and it wanted me. I fell to my knees in disbelief. Before I realized what I was doing, I had inched closer to the bag to see what was inside. It felt like I was watching myself move but had no control over my body. My hands tore at the bag. It was me; I was in the bag. I was looking at myself. Thunder boomed overhead. Tears flowed down my face. The voice I had heard was mine. Lightning streaks across the sky; the black clouds were very close now, closing in around me. Suddenly they stop, held at bay by an invisible force. I couldn't help but laugh.
"Did you think you could save yourself, boy?" "Did you think she could save you?" "How foolish, my curse, my vengeance can't ever be extinguished… HAHAHAHA!" Her voice was old and filled with spite. It was the same voice as the laughter and the one that spoke to me when I was with Rosa. I don't know when or how it happened, but I felt something tightening around my neck. I lifted my hands to feel what was there. It's coarse and knotted; it was the rope that had been hanging around the body that looked like me. Violently jerked back; my body had no chance of resisting. Quickly I was lifted off the ground and now hanging from the tree. I gasped for air as the rope tightened around my neck.
I couldn't fight it, or maybe I had no will to fight it. My vision grew dim; a shadowy figure emerged from the black clouds. Perhaps the one who cursed me? Dressed in all black with a hooded cloak covering her face, she walked with a staff in her left hand. The staff's silvery glow was distinct. Blood slowly dripped from her hand; the staff was still full of thorns. She looked up at me, meeting her eyes with mine. They were blood red, full of vengeful furry. They burned themselves into my heart and soul. That was the last thing before my sight wholly faded.
It was 5 am when Lincoln woke up that Sunday morning. Still groggy from the long trip, he went to check on Mike. "Hey, I'm coming in; you better not be sleeping nacked." Lincoln joked. The room was empty; Lincoln studied it for a moment. The room felt dark and cold. Lincoln flicked on the lights expecting to see Mike still passed out, but the bed looked neat. Like no one had slept in it. Mike must have already gotten up, Lincoln thought. Sounds from the TV in the living room echo through the hall; This feels off.
Maybe I'm still a little jumpy from all that's happened the last few days, Lincoln thinks to himself, walking towards the kitchen. "I'm going to get the coffee started. Do you want some?" He asked, thinking his friend was awake watching TV. There's no answer. What the hell is going on, he begins to wonder.
The coffee finishes, and Lincoln pours himself a cup before wandering into the living room. It was empty as well. Lincoln's on edge. Wondering room to room looking for his Mike. He's nowhere in the house; Lincoln checks the backyard nothing. Maybe he went for an early morning run, Lincoln, though. He approached the front door, everything was telling him not to open the door, but he knew he had to. It's still locked at the top lock. Lincoln hesitates but unlocks and opens the door. Dropping to his knees, he begins sobbing wildly. The sun was peeking over the mountains directly to the east of the house. The tree in their front yard shone brightly but hid a dark shadow. It was Mike's body hanging from the tree, lifeless.
