Running, that's all she's ever known. There's something or someone that is chasing her and she is trying to get away; she must reach freedom. She cannot let the bad get her, it cannot reach her or it will consume her. So she's running and all of a sudden she takes flight and she's flying around this room in this dark, danky warehouse. She's flying as hard and as high as she can but it's just not high enough or far enough and soon the gnarled, twisted hand will reach her and grab her. She'll be smothered out, her light eternally put into darkness. She's getting tired and can't go on much further so she frantically searches for an open door or window somewhere. A crack big enough for her to fit through, something anything so she can escape. She's hitting her head and bumping her wings on the ceiling and on the low hanging lights that are in the warehouse, about to give up even though she knows she can't but what is she to do? When suddenly there is a broken window she hasn't spotted before and even though the bad is grabbing at her, gnashing it's teeth at her she darts towards her only chance at freedom. She makes it but just barely. She's suddenly blasted with a light so bright she momentarily cannot see but she keeps flying. The bad is right on her tail and it's going to get her she can feel it. She can almost see it's face so she flys faster and harder hoping to get away. She tries to fly higher but she just can't seem to fly any higher than it's grasp. She fly's through the trees at an angle and zooms over pools of water. Suddenly, she starts to notice more and more the beauty that surrounds her and suddenly she realizes that the bad thing is gone. It has vanished beneath her. Suddenly, with a burst of energy she soars ever higher towards the big blue sky with the white puffy clouds. She's always wanted to explore the sky so up, up, up she goes. It's so very blue the further up you go. Everything down below just appears as a speck; a small nothing if you will as if all that bad that loomed over her just moments before wasn't all that terrifying after all. It was as it turned out just a bit of nothing. It turns out that your troubles may all be about perspective. The closer you are they seem quite large and looming but the further away you get they seem small and not so troublesome. Even the mountains seemed but a speck from this height. She decided after a time to swoop in a little closer though and there she saw the white snowy caps on the mountains high. The deer, squirrels and other woodland creatures rooming about in the forest going about their day. She saw a mama wolf stopping by a creek with her pups for some fresh mountain creek water. There was so much more beauty really than all the bad that had been chasing her all her life. As it turned out all she had to do was look at things from a different perspective and by spending a day in the sky above she had realized this was true. She found that she particularly liked the forest and so it was there that she decided to find her respite. She found an old tree that had clearly been around for some years and there was already a hollowed out hole in the old tree so she quickly gathered some twigs and things for her nest and settled in for the night. She was so tired. What would tomorrow bring? Would she still be able to take flight? If so, where oh where should she go?
About the Creator
Lindsey Altom
For me, writing runs in the blood. I've written songs, poems and short stories ever since I was a little girl. I mostly like to write about my life experiences mixed with a little fiction or just things that come off the top of my head!
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A Swampscott Summer Solstice
In a town just north of Salem, Massachusetts there is a beautiful seaside town called Swampscott, Massachusetts with only about 14,000 people living there. It rests along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and almost everyone there makes their living off fishing, selling, or cooking fish. However, there was a time long ago when this town belonged only to the Native tribes that founded it. The tribe's names were Naumkeag, Pennacook, and Pawtucket. Most people living in Swampscott in 2024 have long since forgotten where their heritage comes from and who was on that land first. However, there is a small group of women who have not forgotten. There are certain times throughout the year they will gather together on the shores of King's Beach to perform their ancestor's rituals. On the day of the Summer Solstice, four women gather as the sun sets and reach a secluded part of the beach. They gather some dry oak branches and build a bonfire. These women are in their late 40's to early 50's and they have heard the tales of their Native American heritage from their grandparents and parents who heard it from theirs and so on and so on. They have been taught to respect their heritage and keep its rituals and so, that is why they have gathered here. Their names are Enola, Dolli, Wanyecha, and Dakota. They have gathered here on several occasions before tonight. They have done this since they were little girls. However, tonight would be much different than ever before, and as Dolli stokes the fire, Wanyecha goes to gather more dry oak to keep the fire going for a few hours. Enola has gotten out her sage and has started to cleanse the area and Dakota or Kota for short has started dancing around the fire. Enola just smiles at her and says, "Kota, will you ever grow up?" Kota, always the tomboy and the wild child answers back, "Now, what would be the fun in that?" Enola rolls her eyes and continues sageing. Dolli smiles and joins her best friend, her sister with her dance. After a short time, Wanyecha comes back, places the wood next to the fire, and sits down. At that, Kota and Dolli stop dancing and sit down as well for they know it is time to start the ritual. Enola in her motherly voice clears her throat and says, "Ladies, we begin." The sisters all join hands and start to chant. After a few minutes, when all seems still and all you can hear is the ocean lapping against the shore and the women chanting Enola speaks out and says, "Ancestors, the world is so different now but we intend to honor you and keep your memory alive. Thank you and the gods above for another Summer Solstice." Next, Enola takes the clay mixture and lines her face with it to prepare for the Summer Solstice dance. Next in the circle to speak is Wanyecha who has seemed rather deep in thought all night. As she begins to speak, the fire seems to glow brighter. She says, "God of Fire we hope this offering brings you power and pleases you. I am angered by what I see today and how this town has forgotten where it came from, I urge you to remind them." The sisters suddenly all feel tense and uneasy but no one breaks the circle and no one lets go of the other hand. Wanyecha takes the clay mixture, marks her face, and continues to hold her sister's hands. Dolli speaks up next, "Fire god and Mother Nature who gives us our seasons and this Summer Solstice hear our cry! We thank you, we worship you and we wish all could see your power!" The light from the fire is now shining immensely bright and seems to glow all around them as if it is lighting up the entire beach. No one else is around and as Dolli takes her turn with the clay mixture she wonders what will happen next. But, she has no time to think as she returns hands with her sisters Dakota speaks up taking her turn last. "This city has forgotten its past and wants to cover it up, forget it, or pretend it didn't exist. But we know and we remember. We will always remember. Help us great Spirit, help them remember." As Kota placed her hands in the bowl and started to place her face paint on her the fire whose glow had seemed to spread to all corners of the beach suddenly seemed to suck itself back inward and went back to a regular bonfire. Suddenly, Wanyecha produces a cloth sack and tosses it into the fire. The fire whooshes upward and outward into the woods and toward the town behind them. The sisters all look at Wanyecha and say simultaneously, "What was in that sack?!" She doesn't have a chance to answer however because suddenly there are voices all around them but none of them in English. The sisters all look at each other wide-eyed for they know this language but have not heard it for many, many years. It is the language of their ancestors, Wampanoag. They listen as they sway and suddenly it is Kota who speaks first as she says, "They say, they shall pay with blood." The sisters look once again at Wanyecha. It is Enola who speaks first this time. "Wanyecha, what was in that sack?" She responds, "Just some old bones, some of my blood and dust from my ancestors." Enola looks at her gravely as she says, "Well, I hope you're prepared for what you have just woken up." Suddenly, the winds pick up and blow out the fire, the voices increase and cries are heard from the town. Enola says, "Oh, we've done it now. Get in your cars. Let's go!"
By Lindsey Altoma day ago in Fiction
Comments (1)
I loved that, it started with such terror and suspense and became something so lovely and full of hope with that changed perspective. Well done!