Living Forest (14 page)

Curiously I ask,

“Why didn’t you leave the storm drain until then?”

Amanda drastically replies,

“Are you nuts? The second I would’ve stepped out, that tree would have been there finish what it had already attempted to accomplish. My death.”

Amanda stops dead in her tracks. More curious than ever she says,

“Wait a second Hollister! How are you alive? You were dead. You were HIM! Are you even Hollister or are you here to murder me?”

I see that she’s becoming distraught. Quickly, I reassure her of myself and motives.

“No, no, no. It’s me and I’m not so sure why he left my body. All I know is what he shown me during my death, and what I awoke to when he gave me my life back. Now all I want is for these demons to go back to the Hell from which they came.”

Now interrogating me she asks,

“What exactly did he show you Hollister? Your not the same person I once knew. You’re different.”

In graveness I respond,

“After what your mother did to me, I learned how to protect myself. As for what he shown me it’s much like you see here, but it was my people who were murdered. Murdered not just by your people, but by all. He made me live the deaths of my people so I’d understand why he was going to do this.”

Amanda stops me from talking more, and confusingly she asks,

“Wait a second, are you serious? And you believe him?”

I reply confidently,

“Yes, I’m serious. It’s the truth too no matter how haunting it is. Most people in this country come from a long line of serial killers, rapist, and thieves. Your founding father’s grandparents nearly being the worse and it only got worse when your people ran out of land. Those poor souls murdered for the first mountain rich with gold were skinned alive. Whites were the first to scalp, and they displayed ours proudly in front of our mines. So yes, I wanted revenge for my ancestors. I just didn’t want what is happening now. The people today didn’t commit those crimes. You’re nothing more than a prodigy of their upbringing.”

Amanda acts as if I’m making this up disrespectfully saying,

“I just can’t believe that. The leaders of this country would’ve never done anything like that first. Schools teach a vastly different story.”

I stop her from saying anything more and rudely reply,

“How do you think this country became what it was? It’s through my ancestral bloodshed. Otherwise wouldn’t this country be run by us? Wouldn’t the majority of this countries population be natives? Think about why they taught lies for so long. I’m done arguing with you. We got shit to do if we’re to save what’s left of the country we call home.”

Apologetically Amanda replies,

“I’m sorry Hollister.”

Interrupting her quickly, once again I rudely reply.

“Shh... let’s go. Let’s save all we can first. We can talk about the remaining pieces later if we live.”

Saddened, Amanda replies in a quieter tone,

“I agree. We’re not that far from the gas station now.”

We walk in silence for about fifteen minutes before finally reaching the gas station. I nearly forgotten about the frantic woman, who would’ve killed me, until I seen her body lying on the ground dead with her face down. Loosing her family was too much for her to bare, so she stabbed a knife through her own heart. Knowing I’m responsible for her death and the deaths of everyone else, I want to join them even though I don’t deserve the luxury of an eternal rest. What I deserve is much worse.

Amanda’s right about the horses, I can see one running on the top of a hill about half a mile away. We walk quickly down the broken road keeping a steady pace so we don’t get tired as fast as running or jogging. There’s no guarantee that we’ll even catch one. Approaching the field where I first seen it, the barbed fencing that once held the horse in looks to have been dragged away. Frustrated I ask,

“How do you expect to catch it now?”

Amanda replies with a smirk,

“Watch and learn Hollister.”

Amanda takes the index finger of both hands and places them in the corners of her mouth. A loud squealing whistle shrieked from her lips, cringing my ears. In less than a minute I began to hear trotting. A white and brown painted horse struts up to Amanda like she is its owner. She gently strokes the fur on his face, and begins to softly speak to him as if the horse is merely a little child.

“Yes, you’re such a good boy. I bet you lost your owner to the trees. Its okay boy, I’ll take care of you now. Will you take us to our home?”

The horse acts like he understood her, nodding his head up and down as if saying yes. I’m beginning to wander if she’s a horse whisperer or something. Amanda looks back at me and smiles. Calmly she says,

“I know you’ve never ridden a horse before, especially bareback. I’ll get on first so I can control him, and then you get on and hold onto me.”

Looking at Amanda, I’m not so sure that’s what I want. She may be as tall as me, but she weighs nearly nothing. I fear one rough buck, and we’ll be back to walking. I begin to speak shallowly, not even realizing I’m doing it, but I quickly mask myself with concern.

“You’re right Amanda as always. I don’t know how to drive this creature. I’ve watched a rodeo on television before, so I know what they’re like. Are you sure about this?”

Amanda begins to laugh at me. Frustratingly I say,

“What, was it something I said? With everyone dead, I don’t see much to laugh about.”

Calming down, Amanda tactfully says,

“Hollister, I’ve almost forgotten about how you make me feel. You’re the only person in this world that has ever made me laugh. This creature is a horse, and he can’t be driven. All we do is show him where to go by controlling him. The horses you seen on TV were not trained to be ridden like this horse.”

Objectively I reply,

“What makes you so sure that he’s not like that?”

Amanda, seemingly more haughty now says,

“If he was, he wouldn’t be standing here with us now. I need to see if I can find a bridle, bit, saddle, and rein in the rubble of that barn over there. That would make our journey much easier.”

Confusingly I look at her, but she speedily replies before I can speak.

“I know you don’t know what those are. Well... maybe the saddle. I’m sure you’ve watched enough movies to know what that is. Don’t worry though, we will search together.”

Walking to the rubble of the barn, the horse trots beside Amanda like he’s her guardian keeping me from getting too close to her. Within a few moments of searching, the horse slowly trots to the opposite side of the rubble. He takes his right hoof and stomps it a few times on a board trying to grab Amanda’s attention. Amanda cheerfully responds to the horses action,

“What is it boy? Did you find something?”

The horse responds back, holding his head high and proud, the call of a horse echoes through the torn countryside. No other horses call back, but I can hear many different forest dwelling animals squeal, roar, and fuss over the rapid decline of their homes. I can see many of them scampering through the open land looking for a place to hide from preaditors. I hustle to Amanda to help clear away the tree torn walls.

With all my doubts about this horse, it seems I’ve underestimated its intelligence. Everything we need is found right here. After Amanda prepared the horse for departure, she jumped on top and then locks her eyes onto me. Shaking my head side to side saying no with my body, Amanda mockingly says,

“Are you a chicken or a man Hollister Wolf? Hurry up and jump on, we’re wasting time.”

Sighing in distrust of this animal, I attempt to climb on top with little success as I fall hard on my ass. Not only does Amanda think it’s funny, this jackass of a horse is laughing at me as well. Amanda does something and the horse kneels to the ground. She brutishly says,

“Are you able to get on now, or are we still to high for you?”

Cruelly I reply,

“Keep it up and I’ll leave you here with the trees.”

That didn’t set well with her. The entire trip to my crumbled home I receive the silent treatment. From there we follow single path trails to where this all began. It’s not as hard to find as I once thought, because the top of the gold temple can be seen glistening in the distance barely topping a crater that Sleeping Star left. Examining the structure, there appears to be a door on top. It’s made from gold, but it’s not hinged like a normal door. It appears to drop down or slide away, but it’s locked from the inside. No matter how hard we try, this door will not budge.

Chapter Thirteen

In this twister of a chapter we will find out how Hollister and Amanda survives through a category five tornado, and how they found themselves looking upon the entrance to the temple of gold. With no hope opening the trap door, Amanda recalls old memories to solve their dilemma. As they race away to find where Amanda believes another entrance may be hidden, they find themselves being kidnapped by a surviving brigade of thugs and vigilantes. Tied up and being walked behind the horse, we will continue as Hollister Wolf.

A bold tone rises within Hollister,

“What do you want from us?”

The man holding a pistol, riding the horse, looks back and says,

“You’ll find that out when you see the Chief. Now quite down and don’t make this harder than it has to be.”

Amanda looking back at me, watering of tears beginning to form in the corner of her eyes, I can tell she wants to say something, but nothing flows from her lips which press tightly upon her face. I wasn’t about to say anything more. The longer we travel through the open land, the more I notice that Amanda is the only really White person around. Everyone else’s skin is much darker. Quickly I begin to wander if there’s a reason for us being alive.

Walking up to a barricade where many trees stand, they stood by as we walk through. They didn’t move. The trees just stood still. Looking back, I notice that the barricade is made by fallen trees. These trees have no glowing spirits inside them. Stopping at a rebuilt from rubble building, they cut me and Amanda apart, and take us seperate ways. Anger boiling deep inside, I yell in rebellion,

“Don’t you hurt her!”

They continue to drag her away as if another agenda weighted their minds. I’m pushed towards a door splattered in blood. A firm tone speaks,

“Go in.”

Opening the door, instantly I notice a man sitting at a desk. Rushingly he responds,

“Well, come on then. Don’t just stand there all day, close the door and sit.”

Taking his index finger and pointing at a wooden chair, a look of seriousness drapes across his face. The man is tall and slender, nicely dressed in a suit. He has long straight black hair pull back in a ponytail. The business looking man speaks with a proud tone,

“I know who you are. Well, maybe not your name, but I know what you’ve done. What is your name by the way?”

A little timid I say,

“Umm... Hollister Wolf.”

Pondering my name for a few moments,

“I remember now, I knew your father back in school. I also know where they are.”

Excitement and terror strikes me at the same time.

“You do? Where? They can’t be alive! I watched as dirt was put on them. You lie!”

Throwing both hands in the air, palms facing me, he speaks with reassurance,

“Now just hold on a moment, in a manner of speaking they are.”

My eyes widen at the thought of being able to see my parents again. Still trying to reassure me,

“I saw your father with your mother in a tree. When they came by they asked if I’d seen their son, but I hadn’t. I did let them know if I ran into you I’d keep you here until they arrive back from the war.”

Lingering in shock through these newfound words I say nothing yet. The Chief speaks sternly,

“I’m sure you can guess, you can not under any circumstances leave this safe haven until Sleeping Star is brought in front of the council to pay for his crimes in becoming what he’s become. The trees have told us everything.”

Anger begins to boil inside,

“He will come to kill her. You have to let her go.”

Aggression rages within the acting mortal Chief,

“Now you shut up and listen. She’s a threat to us all Hollister. Do you know where her blood comes from? Are you a traitor to your family? We need you, but not with her. There are more colonies of people remaining alive that will need you more than she does.”

Off in the far distance I can hear explosions caused from war. Crackling thunder vibrates above as wall clouds begin to push across the sky. Looking through a hole in the wall, I can see wind flinging light dust and grass above the ground. Hundreds of lightning strikes plummet to the ground. Screams of terror from the colonists can be heard just before the thunder rolls. Then nothing, only quaking tremors which seem to rumble and shake everything for what feels never ending.

Whipping winds begin to scream across the land. The Chief yells out,

“Get the hell out of here. Run!”