The Legend of Treehaven Woods - 1. The Legend of Treehaven Woods

The ceiling in my new bedroom was off-white with precisely seventy-five swirls in the paint pattern. The thirtieth swirl contained a darker patch in the center, shaped like a mutant sheep. At least that’s how my bored brain interpreted it. There certainly wasn’t anything else in the Spartan room to entertain me. No television or video games. No books or computer. They had taken away my cell phone. There weren’t even any pictures on the walls. Well, there was one. Of Jesus. Right above the headboard of my bed.

Having exhausted my study of the ceiling, I turned onto my side and stared out the window. The view was much more interesting so I sat up to take in the surroundings of my new home. The sun had settled just above the treeline of the forest that backed the property. The green treetops were bathed in a bright crimson glow, producing a yin/yang contrast with the dark interior of Treehaven Woods. It was eerily beautiful.

A flash of light drew my attention to the west. There must have been a break in the foliage, because a brightly illuminated path had formed in the woods. A dark form stood at the entrance, staring up at my window. A chill passed through me, causing me to shiver and twitch involuntarily for a brief second. Rule #1: Don’t go into the woods for any reason. The piece of paper containing the rules of the house lay on the otherwise bare wood desk that rested against the wall opposite my bed. I blinked and the figure was gone, making me wonder if my boredom was playing tricks on my imagination.

I recalled the rest of the rules on that sheet of paper. They outlined the daily household schedule: breakfast was at six am, and supper at five pm. Bedtime at eight pm. I could only watch approved TV shows and read approved books. No video games allowed. My aunt and uncle treated Rule #8 as if I were being granted a privilege worthy of royalty; I was permitted one hour of computer time per day to complete my homework. I rolled my eyes. How gracious of them.

I had no idea what I was supposed to do with my time, other than complete the list of chores I was given in addition to the list of rules. For now, I had been given light chores to complete—like doing the laundry and washing dishes. It was made very clear, however, that the intensity of tasks would increase as I regained my strength, and it appeared I would have plenty of time to do my physical therapy exercises.

I wiped away the tears that started to fall when I thought about how my life had changed over the past three months. I shifted on the bed, trying to ease the sudden ache in my left leg. My best friend, Sam, had invited me to a party on Memorial Day weekend. It was the happiest day of my life—the day I kissed Jordan during a game of spin-the-bottle. The best part was, that he kissed me back. We spent the rest of the party together, sitting underneath a giant oak tree in the backyard. We held hands and kissed a few more times. At the end of the night, he asked me to be his boyfriend.

I flopped on the bed angrily, burying my face in my pillow to stifle my sobs. Thinking about Jordan still hurt. Remembering what happened after I left the party hurt even more. I thought I was done crying, but meeting my aunt and uncle and being confronted with my new reality brought my old life crashing back with a vengeance.

My parents had not given me permission to spend the night at my best friend’s house, so they picked me up at midnight to drive me the twenty minutes home. Being only fifteen, I wasn’t old enough to get my license. I told them all about Jordan and how excited I was to finally have a boyfriend. They were very happy for me and offered to drive us to our first date. Thankfully, Jordan was sixteen and had his license, so I would be spared the humiliation of picking up my date with my parents. It turned out I would never have the opportunity.

My sobs intensified as I thought that now I would give anything to have them drive me to my first date. I never saw the car that swerved into our lane, hitting us head-on. One minute I was telling my mom about Jordan’s soccer games, the next minute the sound of screeching metal and breaking glass combined with searing pain that tore through my body before I blacked out. I woke up in the hospital several days later. I had suffered a traumatic brain injury, broken leg, and broken arm. Apparently I coded several times during the surgery to put my leg back together. Coded is just a nicer way of saying I died. My parents weren’t as lucky—if you can call it luck—they had been killed instantly.

I spent the next three months in a rehab facility learning how to walk again. I also received intensive therapy to relearn how to talk and eat. I could eat normal food again, and my speech was pretty much back to the way it was, although I was left with a slight slur. I was still regaining my strength and endurance. I needed a cane to walk and would always have a limp.

I learned a lot about my family during my rehab. My parents had a lot of friends, but I had no other family that I knew of. I never met my grandparents and neither my mom nor dad ever mentioned aunts or uncles. I had accepted it as fact that it was just us. So imagine my shock to learn I had an aunt and uncle living in New Eden, Connecticut.

They agreed to take me in when I was released from rehab. I thought it was strange that they didn’t come visit me. The day I moved in with them was the first time I met them. At first, I was thankful to be taken in by family instead of being put in the foster care system. Now I wasn’t so sure.

They weren’t the only ones who hadn’t visited. I understood that our relationship was new, but I held out hope that Jordan would come see me. Until Sam told me that Jordan wasn’t interested anymore. He didn’t want to date someone who was disabled. I was devastated. Sam seemed uncomfortable when he was around me. Back then, my speech was very slurred, and he would get frustrated when he couldn’t understand me. He wouldn’t even look me in the eye. His visits became less and less frequent, until he stopped coming altogether. I had never felt more alone in my life. I wanted to die.

Strangely enough, it was a dream that pulled me out of my depression. I was following a cat through the woods into a bright clearing. I met a boy who appeared to be about my age. The light surrounding him was so bright I couldn’t make out his features. He told me that I had been brought back for a reason and not to despair. He embraced me, kissed my cheek, and said I was special. While it was just a dream, the emotions I felt were overwhelming. I knew instinctively that the boy meant his words. I was filled with an overpowering feeling of love.

At first, the dream made me feel the loss of my parents and friends more acutely, but in time it became a symbol of hope. I chose to believe that I had been brought back for a reason and was determined to find out what it was. When no reason was forthcoming, I started to believe that the dream was just that—only a dream my psyche used to protect me from myself. At that point, I had accepted my disability and wasn’t suicidal, but life had no joy.

I missed my parents. They were both outgoing and open people, and we were quite close. I felt comfortable talking to them about anything, and they had accepted my sexuality without batting an eye. My aunt was my father’s sister, but I felt very different around her. I could see a physical resemblance, but she was much more reserved than my father was. A few times I caught her looking at me like she wanted to say something, only to close her mouth and continue her chores. The few conversations we had engaged in were all related to household functions and chores.

I wondered why they had taken me in. Maybe for my money, although from the simple nature of the house and their style of dress, I wasn’t sure that was a source of motivation. Both of my parents had considerable life insurance policies; when combined with the insurance payout from the accident, and social security payments for my living expenses, I was set for life.

After tossing and turning for several hours, I eventually fell into dreamless sleep.

*****

I had assumed the black pants and white button-down shirt my aunt had provided me with for school was a uniform; I was mortified to find out I was wrong. I looked and felt out of place among my peers dressed in jeans, t-shirts, and hoodies. The strange looks and stares I received as I limped down the hall didn’t help me feel any more at ease.

The school had received my records from my old high school and had my class schedule already prepared for me. My aunt signed a few forms, then left with a matter-of-fact good-bye. The principal escorted me to my homeroom and introduced me to the teacher. She smiled and guided me to the head of the classroom.

“Class, this is Matthew Cooke. He will be attending classes here. Why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself, Matthew?”

I stared at her in disbelief. It was bad enough being the new kid without having to humiliate myself in front of my new classmates. “Uh…I just moved here from Iowa.” When I was nervous my speech sounded more slurred than usual. It took all my effort to make sure my words were clear. It didn’t help that I could hear snippets of whispered conversations.

He’s a Cooke…

…lives near Treehaven Woods…

…weird…

…that strange family…

…one of them…

I swallowed. “Um…I like to play baseball—or used to, anyway—and I like video games.”

“Thank you, Matthew. You may take the seat by the window.” She gestured toward the row of seats to her right.

I could feel the stares of the other students as they watched me gimp my way to the desk. I felt some measure of relief when I noticed a boy wearing similar clothes as mine. I smiled as I passed him. His eyes widened and he stared at me with an expression of disbelief. Great… I thought as I slid into the desk behind him. So much for making any friends.

The rest of my day wasn’t much better. New Eden was a pretty small town so there was little variety in who attended my classes. The strange boy from my homeroom was in all my morning classes. I received the same stares and whispers every time I limped down the hall to the next class. Not one person introduced themselves to me or reached out to me in any way. By lunchtime, my leg was throbbing and my spirits were low. Trying to juggle a lunch tray, my cane, and books was almost impossible, but I somehow managed to get everything to an empty table without spilling it.

I hoped that my novelty would wear off soon; I was getting tired of being treated like a zoo animal on display. I dipped my French fries in ketchup absently. I wasn’t hungry and they weren’t the best-tasting things I’d ever had. I looked up when I heard a soft throat-clear. The boy who was dressed like me stood in front of the table, shifting his feet.

“This is where I usually sit,” he said softly.

I gestured toward the chair across from me. “I’d love some company.”

He sat and we ate our lunch in silence, casting questioning looks at each other occasionally. Picked at our lunch is probably a more accurate description. He looked as enthused about the food as I was.

“My name is Matthew,” I finally said, hoping to break the awkward tension.

“Isaiah,” he replied. He took a bite of his hamburger, then chewed slowly. He appeared to be planning what to say. “So you’re a Cooke?”

I shrugged. “It’s my last name, so I guess so.”

He looked at me thoughtfully. I wondered what it meant to ‘be a Cooke’. “And you just moved here?”

I nodded. “Yeah. I’ve only been here a few days, so I haven’t a chance to really see anything around here. Just my aunt and uncle’s place and the woods behind it, although I’m not allowed to go into the woods.”

A dark expression crossed his face for a brief second before being replaced with curiosity. “You live near Treehaven Woods, right?”

“Yeah. My aunt and uncle gave me a list of rules and number one was don’t go into the woods. Any idea why?”

“You don’t know the legend?”

I shook my head. “Like I said, I haven’t been here long.”

Isaiah took another bite of his burger, then washed it down with a swig of soda. He smiled and looked at the bottle of Coke. “I love this stuff. This is the only place I can have it, as long as I have enough change.”

“Your parents won’t let you have soda?” I asked.

His demeanor changed instantly, his features hardening into a scowl. “No. You should know that.” His eyes flicked up and down, taking in my appearance.

I felt foolish as I realized that we had a lot more in common than our appearance—my aunt and uncle had rules about food, as well as my activities. One of them was that I could only have milk or water to drink. There wasn’t even juice in the house. I wondered if he had to follow the same rules I did.

“So what’s this legend you mentioned?”

The bell clanged loudly, causing us both to jump. Isaiah grabbed both his and my trays. “What class do you have next?”

I looked at my schedule. “English. Room 150.”

“I have Social Studies in 210. See you later!” He left, leaving me to stare after him, more questions running through my mind than before.

*****

The pile of three plates clattered to the floor loudly as my leg spasmed. It took all my effort to remain upright. I had walked more at school that day than the whole week prior, and my body was letting me know that it wasn’t happy.

“Be careful, Matthew! You must pay more attention to what you’re doing,” my aunt admonished.

“Sorry,” I slurred. “My leg hurts.”

“Speak clearly, boy. It’s difficult to understand you.”

I frowned. “I can’t help it. It gets worse when I’m tired. It’s from my brain injury.”

Her expression softened. “You’ve had a long day, no doubt.” She picked up the dropped plates and set them on the table.

“Mother, shouldn’t you check on the roast?” I smiled gratefully at my uncle. He winked. “Rest after you finish setting the table, son.”

“Thank you.” Luckily, I only had the silverware left to place, so after arranging them in the proper order, I retreated to my room and lay on my bed.

I must have fallen immediately asleep, because it felt like only minutes later when I was awakened by my uncle calling me to dinner.

They both frowned when I entered the room and sat at the table. “What are you wearing?” my uncle asked.

“These are my favorite sweats and hoodie. It’s more comfortable.”

“We expect you to maintain a certain decorum around here. Dressing properly is one of our rules.”

I stared at him. Was he kidding me? “None of the other kids were dressed like me. Well, except one. I thought those clothes you gave me were a uniform. I want to wear my jeans and shirts to school so I don’t stick out any more than I already do.”

My aunt shook her head. “Absolutely not. You are a reflection of us, and we will not tolerate insubordination.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but shut it when I saw the rigid posture and expressions on both of their faces. Maybe I could throw some clothes in my backpack and change when I got to school.

We ate in awkward silence. The food was delicious, but my appetite wasn’t as big as it used to be before the accident. Eating, like everything else, was tiring due to the way my mouth muscles had been affected. It was something I couldn’t take for granted like everyone else. I had to concentrate on chewing thoroughly so I didn’t choke.

My aunt frowned. “You must eat more, Matthew. You’re a growing boy. You need your nutrition.”

“I’ll try, but my appetite isn’t as good as it used to be. It’s very good, though.”

“How was your first day of school? Did you make any friends?” my uncle asked.

“It was OK. Everyone kept looking at me like I was from outer space. One kid talked to me, though. His name’s Isaiah.”

My aunt’s fork clattered to her plate, causing me to jump. “Isaiah Smith?”

“Uh, I dunno. He didn’t tell me his last name. He was the one who was dressed like me, though.”

“Stay away from that boy. That family has never been right.”

I stared at her in disbelief. My one friend… well, sort of friend, and I was forbidden to see him? “Why? He seemed nice.”

“The devil is in that boy. The cleansing didn’t—”

“Careful, Sarah. They are part of the Community.”

“But they’re markwarden!” She said the word as if it were a vile taste in her mouth.

“Yes, they are, and we shouldn’t speak ill of them in front of the boy.”

“Yes, Father.” She looked like she wanted to say more, but took a bite of roast instead.

My curiosity was piqued even more now. What was the Community? What were markwarden? And what was this ‘cleansing’? Isaiah seemed nice enough, so I didn’t understand how they could think he had the devil in him. What had I been brought into?

“What’s the Community? What are markwarden?” I asked. “I don’t understand any of this.”

“It’s your heritage. We have a Community meeting on Sunday, so Saturday we will tell you about our history so you are prepared,” my aunt replied.

I opened my mouth to ask another question, but the scowl on my aunt’s face let me know that the subject was closed. I decided it was a good time to change the subject.

“Tell me about my parents. What was my dad like growing up? How come I didn’t know about you guys?”

My aunt and uncle exchanged looks, and I wondered if I should have waited to bring up my parents, especially after noticing the tear my aunt wiped away quickly.

“I’ll clear the table since your leg is bothering you, but tomorrow night it will be your responsibility. You still need to wash up, though,” she said, then rose and gathered our plates before heading into the kitchen.

“It’s hard on her, you know. She and your father were very close once,” my uncle said.

I nodded. “I understand. I miss them every day.”

He smiled sadly. “We’ll tell you about them someday, but tonight is not the right time.”

“Thank you,” I said, then hobbled into the kitchen to complete my chores.

*****

The next day at school was about the same as the day before. Apparently my novelty hadn’t worn off yet, because my presence continued to produce stares and whispers. I awoke late that morning, so didn’t have a chance to grab any extra clothes, which meant I was stuck wearing the black and white formal attire provided by my aunt. Isaiah sat with me at lunch again, and I decided to ignore my aunt’s statement to stay away from him. I needed a friend, even if he was strange.

He looked at me thoughtfully as he chewed his sandwich. “So you weren’t warned away from me, huh?”

I coughed as my bite of leftover roast went down the wrong way. Once my fit had passed, I took a swig of water. “Well, yeah I was, actually. I’ve decided that they can’t tell me who my friends are, though.”

He continued to stare at me and frowned slightly at my words. “You consider me a friend? We hardly know each other.”

I shrugged. “I know, but you’re the only one who will give me the time of day, so I’ll take it.”

He laughed. “Nice to know you have standards.”

I smiled. “Yeah. Gotta have standards.”

“You’re not what I expected.”

I raised an eyebrow. “What does that mean?”

“You’re a Cooke.”

“So? I have no idea what that means. It’s just my last name.”

“Around here it’s a lot more than just a last name.”

“Why does everyone around here talk in riddles? ‘The Community’, ‘cleansing’, don’t go into the woods… I don’t understand? What the hell is going on?”

Isaiah’s expression hardened at my words, and he scowled as he glared at me. “You mean you don’t know?”

I shook my head. “I haven’t even been here a week. I have no idea what any of this means.”

He sighed and slumped his shoulders. “You’re not like any Cooke I’ve ever met.”

“What are they like?”

“This isn’t the best place to talk. Can you meet me after school?”

“I don’t see why not. I have to be home by 5:00 for dinner, though.”

“OK. Meet me in the park after school. It’s not that far from your house.”

I nodded as the bell rang, and we headed to our next class.

*****

It was cold enough out that the park was empty, providing us with the privacy Isaiah wanted. I sat on a swing next to him and rubbed my throbbing leg. “Sorry. It took longer to get here than I thought it would.”

“I should have thought of your leg. I’ll have to think of a place that’s not as far for you to walk.”

“Thanks. So, does this mean we’re friends?”

He laughed. “I suppose so. I thought about what you said. I don’t have any friends, either, so I think it would be nice to have one.”

“Sounds great,” I replied. “So tell me about this ‘Community’. What is it?”

“Well, first you need to know a bit about our history. It starts when the Puritans came to America. Not all of them were what they appeared to be. There were some who still followed the old ways and wanted to make sure they continued in the New World. Most of them settled in Salem, then fled to New Eden during the witch trials. They discovered a colony of German settlers who had established a colony in the woods. They were pagans who protected the forest, led by a man named Oskar Müller. Oskar welcomed the refugees, which led to the formation of the ‘Community’. They lived in Treehaven Woods and practiced their beliefs in seclusion, only going into town when necessary. They discovered that the woods held a secret and became protectors of the forest along with the German sect.” Isaiah glanced toward the woods. His expression was soft, almost as if he regarded the forest as close friend.

“The townspeople were already wary of the woods. While they didn’t know exactly what the secret was, they knew enough to stay away or face the consequences. When the Community was formed, the members were catered to by the fearful town residents. They were afraid of what might happen if they angered the Community; that the other residents of the woods would break the unspoken treaty that had been forged over the years. Oskar didn’t hesitate to prey on their fears. He was a master at manipulating the old stories to the Community’s advantage, but charismatic enough to be a liaison between the town and the Community, keeping tensions at bay.

“Eventually, the members of the Community had differing points of view about how to deal with the townspeople and modern beliefs and technology, and it split into two belief systems—one firmly entrenched in the old ways, and the other adopting a more modern point of view, combining the old ways with new, Christian ideology. While Oskar was alive, he managed to keep the two factions together, working for the greater good. Once he passed, fighting within the Community led to the Great Rift—when those choosing the modern way left the woods and settled in between the forests and the town.” He paused and took a breath.

“My family, the Smiths, are members of the markwarden. We practice the old ways, while your family, the Cookes, are part of the chiristowarden that adopted the new order. That’s why they warned you away from me. They think our rituals are somehow unclean or evil or something.

“The Community’s belief system hasn’t changed much over the years since the rift. We’ve adapted to modern technology some, more than the Mennonites and Amish have, although we lead a pretty simple life compared to most people. We have phones, TVs, and computers, but their use is very limited. We don’t eat any processed food or excess sugar.

“What was that ‘cleansing’ my aunt mentioned?”

“I don’t want to talk about that right now,” he replied tersely. The pain in his expression made me wonder if I really wanted to know.

“It’s not a bad life, for the most part, but it can be hell at school. Although most of us are home-schooled, we are given the choice once we reach thirteen if we would like to continue being home-schooled or would prefer to transfer to the public school. Most choose home-schooling, but I wanted a broader education.” He snorted. “A bunch of kids tried messing with me when I first started school, but all I had to do was threaten to sic a Waldgeist on them, and they left me alone. There’s too many stories for them to take a chance, apparently.”

“What’s a Waldgeist?”

“Now I’m getting to the legend part. The Legend of Treehaven Woods started about two hundred years ago after some new townspeople got lost in the woods and stumbled into a Samhain celebration. The Community and the Waldgeister were performing a ceremony together to bless the forest. The townspeople didn’t understand what they were seeing and ran away, terrified that they had seen the devil being raised. What they actually saw were markwarden wearing masks to confuse the spirits that cross over when the veil between worlds is lowered Samhain night, and the Waldgeister in their true forms.

“The people fled and told the others what they had seen. This was the first time the tree-people had been given a name, and the stories of encounters with the Waldgeister became more dramatic with each retelling. Every ill the people had experienced—from personal sickness to diseased animals or a poor crop—was blamed on the forest spirits. Members of the Community became alarmed at the change in attitude and worried that the townspeople might try something ill-advised.

“About a month later, the same people that stumbled into the Samhain celebration were found in the woods, mauled to death by animals. The Community and the Waldgeister were blamed, and a lynch mob was formed; however, once they entered the woods they became disoriented and lost their way—due to protection spells the Community had cast—and never found what they were looking for. They set fire to the forest, but thankfully the water-spirits were able to extinguish it before too much damage occurred. Several Waldgeister lost their trees and, while normally peaceful, vowed vengeance against those who had hurt them.

“Many farmhouses burned that night, prompting the townspeople to pronounce the woods cursed and start the Legend.

Treehaven Woods darf nicht gestört werden

Oder dich trifft der Zorn der Baumleute.

Die Walgeister beschützen was sie lieben

Und lassen sich auch nicht durch Gebete besänftigen.

 

Treehaven Woods untouched must be,

Else feel the wrath of the people of trees.

Waldgeister protect that which they love,

And care not about prayers uttered to the above.

“To this day people continue to avoid Treehaven Woods. Every once in a while, we’ll get outsiders who want to try to prove the Waldgeister are real, but the Community has been successful so far at misdirecting them.”

We sat for a few minutes in silence. He had given me a lot of information, and I was trying to process what it all meant.

“The sunset is so beautiful,” I said. Then it registered what time it was. I was late for dinner. I stood abruptly, then cried out as my leg spasmed from sitting so long, and I fell to the ground. Isaiah was by my side in an instant.

“Are you OK? How can I help?” he asked.

“I’m OK. I just sat too long. Once I get moving again, the spasms will stop.”

Isaiah helped me to my feet, and I took a few tentative steps, trying not to grimace.

“Let me help you home,” he said as he put his arm around my waist for support. The contact felt nice, and I leaned on him a little more than was actually necessary. I hoped he didn’t mind. He led us toward the woods, and I stopped.

“Is it such a good idea to go through the woods?”

“It’ll be OK. It’s the shortest way. I know the safe paths, don’t worry.”

Safe paths? What wasn’t he telling me?

“Alright,” I said hesitantly. As we walked, the silence struck me as odd. It wasn’t the fact that we weren’t talking; I felt comfortable enough with Isaiah to not need to fill every moment with chatter. The entire forest was silent. There were no birds chirping or branches snapping or even the rustle of underbrush as small creatures scurried about. Even the leaves were still. The darkening path felt oppressive and I shivered, but not from the cold.

We approached a fork, and I felt a sense of dread when I looked down the path to the right. It was pitch black compared the lighter gray of the left branch. Isaiah headed toward the right and I halted, refusing to move farther. Where was he taking me? Why was I putting my trust in someone I had only known for a few days? I had been warned away from him. He had told me a lot of information, but what guarantee did I have that any of it was true? Maybe I should have heeded my aunt and uncle’s rules.

“What’s wrong? Is your leg bothering you?”

I swallowed and looked at the path, then into his eyes. I saw no deception there, only concern. “No… um… It’s just, that way feels—”

He nodded. “Ah, now I understand. You can feel the difference?” He looked surprised.

“I get a sense of dread when I look that way. It feels… wrong somehow.”

“It’s the wards we’ve placed to protect our location. It’s safe, I promise. Most people who come this way will naturally choose the lighter path. It’s by design.”

I was still skeptical but chose to believe him. Besides, what choice did I have? My instincts were screaming at me until we entered the path, then I felt a sense of peace and calm. Typical forest sounds returned, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

“See?” Isaiah said, smiling.

“Yeah. Wow. That was something.”

We continued our journey, making several more turns until we stopped at the edge of the forest, my aunt and uncle’s house in view. I wondered if we were on the same path I had noticed my first evening in my room, when I imagined I saw the dark figure. Maybe it wasn’t my imagination.

“Can you make it from here on your own? I don’t want you to get in trouble for being seen with me.”

I nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. Thanks. You’re a good friend.”

He smiled and waved as he headed back the way we came. I hobbled around to the front of the house, deciding that it would be better to enter through the front door. I hoped they hadn’t seen me come out of the woods. I almost ran right into my uncle when I stepped through the door.

“Where you have been, boy? School’s been out for hours! I was about to go looking for you.”

“You’ve been in the woods, haven’t you?” Aunt Sarah’s eyes narrowed and her expression hardened. “I can see the dirt on your shoes. Remove them before you step further into this house, young man.”

I toed off my sneakers with difficulty, then made my way to the couch and collapsed on it, rubbing my leg. It hadn’t hurt this much in a long time. I had definitely overdone it today.

“Answer our question! Where have you been? Dinner’s been over for an hour and a half!” My uncle’s stern look almost made me forget about my throbbing leg.

“I stayed after school and lost track of the time. I walked home and my leg is killing me.”

“You were with that boy, weren’t you?” my aunt accused.

“If you mean Isaiah, then yes. We’re in a lot of the same classes.” I didn’t want to lie to them, and everything I said was technically the truth.

“I told you to stay away from him. He’s a Smith.”

“I know, Aunt Sarah. He’s the only one at school that will talk to me, though. He’s my only friend. I don’t want to lose that.”

She snorted. “You don’t need friends like that. Now go do the dishes. You still have responsibilities, young man.”

“What about dinner? I’m starving!”

“Don’t backtalk me! You know our schedule. Dinner is at five o’clock.” She turned and walked away.

Uncle Abraham waited until she was out of the room before speaking. “She’s right. You should stay away from any Smiths. Or at least be more discreet about it.” He winked, then sat in his recliner and opened the newspaper.

“Thanks.” The lingering smell of fried pork chops and mashed potatoes made my stomach growl practically the entire time it took me to wash the dishes. I didn’t dare try to sneak any leftovers, since my aunt dried the dishes as fast as I set them in the strainer, shooting me disapproving looks the entire time.

I decided to take a shower before retreating to my room, hoping that the hot water would help soothe my aching muscles. It helped a little bit, but not nearly as much as I wanted it to.

I lay in bed, staring out of the window at the forest. It was dark now, illuminated only by starlight and the sliver of moon that remained. I sat up when I noticed sparkling lights dotting the forest’s interior. It looked like several people carrying flashlights or torches walking down a path, the light interrupted by the tree trunks.

I jumped when I heard a knock on the door, followed immediately by creaking hinges as it opened. My aunt entered my room carrying a plate with a sandwich on it and a glass of milk. She set it on the nightstand, then turned my desk chair to face me and sat. She slid her hand into her apron’s pocket and produced a photograph, holding it to her chest briefly before handing it to me.

It was an old photo of two young children with their arms around each other, smiling gap-toothed grins. My father’s features were unmistakable, even at that age. I wiped away the tears that started to fall down my cheeks.

“Is that you with him?” I asked.

She nodded. “We were very close until… well, until he met your mother.”

“You knew my mother too?”

“I don’t suppose they told you about their past.”

I shook my head. “No. I had no idea I even had any other family until the hospital told me about you.”

“I’m not surprised,” she said, wiping a tear from her eye. “Peter never did approve of our ways. He was always getting in trouble, exploring the woods and meeting with townspeople. Of course, he chose to attend the local school when he was a teen. Our parents tried to stop him, but he was too strong-willed.”

I smiled. “Yeah, mom used to say it was like talking to a brick wall sometimes.”

“He loved her so much, he forsook his family, home, and entire life for her. I hated her for it for a long time. Now I can see why he did it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Your mother was a Smith. A Cooke and a Smith dating was scandalous—it never happens, so they kept the relationship secret. They left after they were discovered together, although I suspect it was only a bit sooner than they planned. That was fifteen years ago.” She looked at me pointedly.

“So I was the reason they left?”

“Not entirely. I’m not so sure they knew about you before they left.”

“We had a good life,” I said. “We always had what we needed.”

“I’m glad. I think about them often. When they told me—” She inhaled deeply and smoothed her apron. “Well, I was devastated. I had always hoped that one day we would reconcile, especially after our parents died.”

“I wish they had told me about my past, but I think I understand why they didn’t.”

“We have our first Community meeting this weekend. I have to tell you that you won’t be widely accepted, seeing as you have both Smith and Cooke blood.”

“Do you accept me?”

She smiled. “You are my nephew and the only link I have left to my brother. Of course, I accept you.”

“Thanks.”

She cleared her throat and stood. “Now, for disobeying the rules you are not to leave the house other than going to school for a week. I expect you to be on time from now on, and stay out of the woods. I am not happy about your friendship with the Smith boy, but if I forbid you to see him it will only make you want to see him more. So what I will do is caution you. Be careful around him and don’t believe everything he says.”

I nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

She looked at me as if she wanted to say more, then shut her mouth and left my room, closing the door behind her.

*****

My life at school changed unexpectedly the next day. Isaiah was late to lunch, so I grabbed a tray and went through the line by myself. On my way to our table, I was concentrating so much on not spilling my tray that I never saw the foot that tripped me when I passed by a table occupied by some of the school’s more popular students. I crashed to the ground, landing right on top of my tray full of turkey and mashed potatoes smothered in gravy, mixed vegetables, and some sort of fruit cobbler.

I sat up and brushed away the food that clung to my clothes. “What the fuck?”

Laughter erupted from the table’s occupants. “Good one, Kyle!”

“Holy crap! Man, I wish we got that on video!”

At my old school, I was one of the popular kids, so being in this position was new to me. My face flushed red with anger. I grabbed my cane and pushed off it to give me leverage to stand, but it slid on a glob of mashed potatoes and I fell to ground again heavily, producing even louder guffaws.

I had never been more humiliated in my life. Each effort to stand resulted in failure, causing me to flop around like a dying fish. The sheer joy the assholes seemed to get out of my predicament brought tears to my eyes, but I fought them back. I was not going to let them see me break down. “Fuck you!” I yelled, flinging a handful of turkey, gravy, and stuffing at the nearest boy. It landed with a loud plop on his left pant leg.

“Fuck you,” he mocked my speech impediment before standing over me. “What the hell did you just do?” He scraped the mess off his jeans and patted my head, grinding it into my hair.

I swung my cane, connecting with his thigh. I didn’t have enough room to get a lot of leverage, so my effort only produced a derisive snort.

“What are you going to do? Sic a Waldgeist on me?” He laughed, then shoved me down. I lay on my back as he placed his foot on my chest. “I dare you to, freak.”

“Lass ihn in Ruhe! (Leave him alone!) Oder fühl den Zorn des Waldgeistes! (or feel the waldgeist’s wrath!) Ich werde ihn auf dich hetzen! (I will set them on you!)” Isaiah shouted, then shoved the other boy off me.

One of the boy’s friends grabbed his arm and attempted to pull him away. “C’mon, Brian. It’s not worth it.”

Brian stood his ground and shrugged his arm free. “I’m not afraid of them. The legend is just a story. Those forest spooks aren’t real.”

Isaiah reached down and helped me to my feet. I was seething with rage and embarrassment. “Let’s get out of here, Matthew.”

“You freaks should stick to your own! Go back to the woods!” Brian yelled.

Isaiah put his arm around my shoulders and guided me toward the cafeteria’s exit. I wanted to beat the smirk off Brian’s face, but Isaiah propelled me out the doors and into the hallway. “We can go get your gym clothes and you can take a shower.”

“I thought you said they left you alone? What the hell was that about?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Brian’s an asshole. Guess he wants to test us.”

It didn’t take long for us to reach the locker room. Luckily, it was empty. Everyone was still eating lunch.

“Where’s your locker?”

“I don’t have one. I’m exempt from gym. Sorry. I was too mad to think when you suggested this. I don’t have any clothes to change into.”

“That’s OK. We’re about the same size. You can borrow mine.”

I smiled. “Thanks.”

“I’ll grab them while you take your shower.”

I nodded, then froze as I realized that meant I’d have to get naked in front of Isaiah. My body was riddled with scars from the accident, and I was too embarrassed to have my friend see them. So far he hadn’t asked about my leg. One day, I would tell him, but I didn’t feel ready yet.

“It’s OK. I understand,” Isaiah said. He turned around and raised his shirt long enough for me to see the raised scars crisscrossing his back. My stomach roiled at the thought of someone hurting my sweet friend. Those marks were not made by accident. I wanted to know what monster did such a thing, but Isaiah deserved the same amount of privacy that I did; he would tell me when he was ready. When he turned around, our eyes met, and I nodded in understanding. I felt like we had turned a corner in our friendship.

“Thanks,” I said quietly.

I showered quickly, and when I returned to the lockers, Isaiah had set out a pair of sweatpants and a tee-shirt. I dressed and headed to my next class, lost in thoughts about what could have happened to my friend.

*****

On Saturday, my aunt and uncle told me more of the history of the markwarden and chiristowarden. They repeated a lot of what Isaiah had told me and filled in some of the blanks. The chiristowarden were big on discipline. They believed that living a virtuous and strict life would set an example for sinners to follow and lead to a rewarding afterlife. That explained the schedule and sparse nature of the house and clothing.

While the markwarden and chiristowarden worked together to protect the forest, that’s where their similarities ended. The chiristowarden went to church every Sunday and lived outside of the forest. The markwarden lived inside the forest and went into town as little as possible. They worked in harmony with the Waldgeister to protect Treehaven Woods—casting protection spells and misdirecting anyone who happened to get too close to their dwellings.

Once a month, they held Community meetings at a location on the edge of the forest. The meetings were designed as a time to exchange information, perform blessing ceremonies, and provide any food or amenities that the markwarden might need. One of those meetings was to be held the next day.

My aunt warned me that the meeting could get a little heated, especially once they introduced me. It only occurred me then that I had more family in the area besides my aunt and uncle—I had my mother’s branch of the family, too.

*****

The meeting started at noon following a communal lunch. I sat with my aunt and uncle at a table with four other chiristowarden. There was little conversation and a lot of curious looks exchanged between the different Community members. Many people outright stared at me, which made me lose my appetite, despite the good food.

Isaiah was there, but always surrounded by other markwarden, so I didn’t have a chance to speak to him before the meeting officially started. Two men, one dressed in the black and white clothes of the chiristowarden and the other in light brown pants and a hunter green shirt, stood at a podium facing the tables where we had eaten our meal.

The man in green spoke first. “Welcome, Community members. I would like to start with saying that the Waldgeister reported only two instances of lost hikers last month. They were easily re-directed to the correct trail without suspecting our involvement. There have been multiple sightings of a small group of teenagers gathering near markwarden land, lighting a campfire, and drinking alcoholic beverages. Isaiah has been asked to listen for any talk at the school, and the Waldgeister are keeping an eye on the area. So far, they haven’t shown any interest in the forest beyond their gathering site.

“The markwarden have need of some new cooking pots, so if anyone has some to spare, we would be grateful. In other news, Hannah and Jonas have announced that they are expecting their first child, so congratulations to them. Sister Sarah and Brother Abraham have asked to address the Community, so we will allow them to do so before we continue with our blessing.”

My aunt and uncle stood at the podium while the other two men sat in seats next to it. My uncle addressed the crowd. “Community members, we have both sad and good news to report. Sarah and I received word last month that Anna and Jacob perished in a car accident.”

The news brought a series of gasps, murmurs, and distressed cries from the gathered crowd. A surge of emotion welled through me as I realized that the majority of these people had known my parents. I wondered if I was related to any of them.

“This news led us to the discovery that they had a son—Matthew—who has come to reside with us.” He gestured for me to join them, and I hobbled my way over to stand next to my uncle. He placed a hand on my shoulder.

A woman with long gray hair braided with green ribbon stood, clutching a gray, woolen shawl. The man sitting next to her rose also. He had salt and pepper hair and was dressed similarly to the man who had started the meeting. They made their way to the front of the room, approaching me as they would a strange animal.

They stopped before me, and the woman opened her arms. “Mein Enkel,” she said, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“They are your mother’s parents, Emily and Paul, your grandparents,” Uncle Abraham said.

I moved toward them, and my grandmother enveloped me in her arms, sobbing. I returned her embrace, overcome by the emotion of finding more of my family. After a few minutes, she stood back, holding me at arms’ length.

“What happened to you, boy?” she asked.

“I was in the car with them. I only survived because I was in the back seat,” I replied.

She embraced me again, then I was surrounded by markwarden and whisked away to be introduced to more family members. I was surprised to find out that Isaiah was my cousin. I wondered if he knew before this. I couldn’t read his expression. I’d have to ask him later.

The meeting ended with the Community members forming a large circle and standing hand-in-hand. Two members from each group, one male and one female, lit bundles of herbs and danced around the inner circle as everyone chanted in German. It was one of the strangest things I had seen.

I was overwhelmed by all the new people I met and ready to leave when my aunt and uncle approached me. My grandmother stood in front of me and scowled at them. “What gave you the right to keep this hidden and take him in? He is as much Smith as he is Cooke!”

“I don’t want him corrupted by your ways,” my aunt stated. “I won’t have him ending up like his parents, or Isaiah.”

The gathered crowd all turned to look at Isaiah, who blushed and ducked his head. My grandmother narrowed her eyes. “We will talk when we get home, young man.” She leveled her glare at my aunt. “You can’t keep him from us. We have just as much right to see him as you do!”

Shouts of agreement followed my grandmother’s words, until the two men who started the meeting intervened.

“This is a highly unusual situation which requires the input of the Council. The boy stays with Sarah and Abraham until a decision is reached.” The markwarden’s tone of voice left no room for discussion.

*****

The Council was scheduled to meet two weeks later to decide my fate. Meeting my family had raised a lot of questions, but my aunt and uncle weren’t very forthcoming with answers. Isaiah hadn’t returned to school, which allowed the bullies free rein to torment me.

One day, I missed the bus and ended up having to walk home. Thankfully, my leg had adjusted to my new routine, so I hobbled along at a fairly good pace with minimal pain. I slowed as I approached the park where I had my talk with Isaiah. I missed my only friend and hoped he was OK. I wondered if I was the cause of his absence.

I briefly debated taking the shortcut through the woods but decided against it. The route Isaiah had taken contained so many turns I would be lost in no time. I sighed and trudged on, thinking about all the changes I had experienced and having a major pity party for myself. I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I didn’t realize I was being followed until it was too late.

Brian’s mocking laughter sent a chill down my spine. He stepped in front of me and three of his friends surrounded me.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here? A freak with no one to protect him.”

I scowled. “I don’t need anyone to protect me. I can fight my own battles.”

Brian scoffed. “Like a cripple’s any match for me.” He shoved me, and I had to take several steps backward to keep my balance. The crony behind me shoved me forward in a game of human ping pong.

“So you’re proud of picking on a disabled person? Nice, asshole.” I knew I should keep my mouth shut, but I couldn’t help myself. I glanced at the woods, wishing that Isaiah was near. My words were a lot braver than I felt.

“Where’s your Waldgeist?” Brian said the word with mocking emphasis. “Oh, that’s right… they’re not real!” He shoved me again, and this time I reacted.

I swung my cane and connected with his leg, toppling him to the ground. I ran for the woods while Brian’s friends gathered around him. It didn’t take long for them to follow me, and I heard them hesitate at the entrance to the woods.

“I dunno about this, Bri. He’s part of the Community. We’ve been warned about staying away from them from the time we can talk.”

“I’m so sick of hearing about this bullshit. That fucker made me bleed, so he has to pay.”

The sounds of pursuit resumed and panic flooded through me. I couldn’t outrun them, so I needed another plan. A loud screech right above my head almost made me pee myself. I looked up to see a large eagle sitting in a tree branch above me. We made brief eye contact before it flew off. I approached a fork in the trail and my instinct screamed at me to go left, so I did.

Rustling leaves, snapping twigs, and the sound of heavy breathing behind me spurred me on. It was only a matter of time before my enemies caught me. I almost fell when a black housecat appeared almost under my feet. I gasped when I looked into its bright, yellow eyes—it was the cat from the dream I had after my accident.

The cat bounded into the trees to my left, and I followed without hesitation. After a few minutes, I realized that I couldn’t hear Brian or his friends anymore, and I slowed down, knowing I was safe. The cat trotted into a clearing in the woods, then sat and licked its paw. I trembled as I entered the bright space. Would I see the boy I encountered in my dream? I shook my head. I was losing it.

The cat stretched, blinked at me, then bounded into the forest. I wondered what I should do. I decided to sit and rest. My leg was throbbing from the chase. I laid down in the soft grass, basking in the heat of the sun that streamed into the clearing. It felt like only a moment had passed before I woke to someone shaking me.

“Matthew! Are you all right?”

I sat up. “Isaiah! Where you have been? Yeah, I’m fine. Just sore.”

“What happened?”

“Brian and his asshole friends were going to beat me up. I followed a cat here.”

He nodded. “That was Kater. Avid told him where to guide you.”

Standing behind Isaiah was the strangest looking boy I had ever seen. He had long, white hair and wore a brown shirt and pants that reminded me of feathers. The effect was actually pretty cool. His yellow eyes seemed somehow familiar, although I’d most definitely remember seeing someone like him before.

He held out his hand. “Hi, I’m Avid. How are you?” He looked at Isaiah. “Did I do that right?”

Isaiah laughed. “Yeah, that was perfect.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Uh, I’m Matthew. I’m fine, I guess.”

“Avid is a Waldgeist. He’s been working on his social skills. I told him all about you. He was on watch this afternoon and saw that you were in trouble, so sent Kater to help you, and then flew to me.”

I smiled when I saw how close they stood to each other. “So is Kater like Avid? Does he have a human form, too?”

“He’s Waldgeist, so yes.”

“Cool. So why haven’t you been in school? I miss you.”

Isaiah and Avid exchanged looks. Avid grabbed the other boy’s hand. “They’re worried the chiristowarden will try another cleansing. You can’t tell your aunt and uncle you saw me with Avid!”

“I won’t tell them anything. What’s a cleansing?”

Isaiah embraced Avid. The eagle-boy rubbed his hands along his back. “The chiristowarden don’t approve of our relationship. They tried to beat him until he renounced his ties with the Waldgeister. It didn’t work.”

“Oh my God… so that’s what the scars are from?” I was horrified.

Avid wiped the tears that streamed down Isaiah’s cheeks.

“The cleansing ritual is performed when a member of the Community is determined to have gone against its interests. It is something that is not done lightly—with many Council meetings and discussions between the markwarden and chiristowarden. When I was… cleansed… it was done behind the markwardens’ back. I was kidnapped and brought to the chiristowarden church, where they beat me with sticks and whips until I was found by Avid and Henrik, the markwarden leader. It almost resulted in permanent split between us, but we need each other in order to protect the Waldgeister.”

“How awful,” I said. I was beginning to like the chiristowarden less and less. “It looks like it didn’t work, though. You guys seem really in love.”

Isaiah smiled and looked into Avid’s golden eyes. “Yeah, we are. I can’t imagine my life without him.”

“I’m so happy for you.”

Avid drew Isaiah into a kiss that was so steamy, I had to look away.

“Sorry… Avid’s still learning human ways.”

I smiled. “It’s OK.”

I jumped when a form emerged from the woods. A black-haired boy wearing dark clothing looked at me shyly. His golden eyes slowly closed then opened. I felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest, and it wasn’t from fear. I had only felt these feelings once before—for Jordan—and even so, I wasn’t prepared for the depth of the connection I felt with the beautiful creature standing before me. “Kater?”

He nodded. His movements were fluid and graceful and the slight upturn of his mouth fascinated me. I wanted to kiss it and run my hands through his silky hair. He sat next to me, close enough that our legs touched. Even though it was so long ago, I knew immediately that this was the boy from my dream. “Thank you for saving me,” I whispered.

“How could I not? You are my Traumfreund, Matthew.”

“Your what?” I asked.

“Dream-friend,” he replied. He slid his hand into my own. The warmth drew me to him, and I leaned into his embrace.

“I remember,” I murmured into his side. I couldn’t explain the feelings that suddenly coursed through me, threatening to overwhelm me. Kater kissed the top of my head, and I tilted toward him, inviting him into a far more intimate position. His lips briefly grazed mine, taking me back to the dream I had so many months ago. “I won’t go back,” I said. “I belong here.”

Kater nodded and ran his hand along my face. I swore I could feel him purring. I inhaled, then let my breath out slowly. “You know… I don’t think I care what the Council says. Don’t I have a say in where I live?”

Isaiah nodded. “You have the right to address the Council.”

“Good. I’m going to tell them I want to stay with my markwarden family.”

Kater grinned and drew me even closer to him. I was home.