I walked upon the old cobblestone walkway, its surface cracked into small specks of rock and dust. Looking up at the house it looked like usual. Paint peeling from the siding, mold and vines overtook the walls almost as if it was being swallowed by the Earth. The windows provided no function as they were cracked edge to edge. Dark pines pierced their way in front of the bleeding sun that dripped into the horizon. Father locked himself away in his study when he wasn’t chopping wood or hunting. Mother was young, and never home. She spent her time frolicking in the forest coming back only to eat and sleep. We didn’t talk much, so I had little idea of what she did, but she was always overly nice. I felt like it made father jealous, the way she treated me. They never argued, but mother seems to be scared of him, like they’re bond had withered thin. Pushing open the door, it released a fairly unpleasant crack. The hinges had been worn from everytime father slammed it shut. The day always ended with one of them slamming the poor door. I set my bag on the dusty wooden boards that we so generously called a floor. I hung my school coat on the hook next to my mothers. Three tags labeled each Joseph, Neo, and Marry. Grabbing the longer overcoat I headed back through the doorway skipping down to the river bed. I didn't really know how to skip, so it appeared much more like a limp. 

I continued on the trail I had made by stomping down the switchgrass. Some stems were much sharper than others and would cause the occasional cut. Little drops of scarlet blood would land in the dirt watering the evil weeds. Dead oaks seemed to blanket the length of the river. They felt connected to the monstrous pines in the distance, like spindly hands that guarded the dense forest. The woods' presence never frightened me, it felt more like home than that decrepit house on the hill. Maybe that’s why mother always came down here to feel safe, to feel at home. The stream appeared stagnant, moving slower than the eye could perceive. The tangerine sky reflected in it’s glassy waters. A faint cry echoed off the bark bouncing from tree to tree. It was so quiet I could barely make it out from the natural ambiance. Instead of heading towards the mouth which flowed into the lake, I followed a vein where I thought the sound came from. 

The few minutes I traveled I could tell those same oak trees were grasping tighter to each other, blocking out the fading light of the day. Looking ahead I could see the silhouette of a woman. The eastern moon's twilight glow peaked its way through the thick overhead branches. It was difficult to make out what I was looking at, the figure seemed almost incandescent in the spotlight. Pushing closer, I saw the stream's color begin to morph. Thick red liquid swirled with the mirroring sky creating the most beautiful galaxy in the water. Observing the woman in more detail I caught the glimpse of a thin shiny object in her right hand. The stream's color further shifted to a darker crimson. The woman wore a white dress torn at the sleeves and hem, dirtied by the mud of the forest. From the chest down, the radiant dress was stained with the same crimson of the stream. Eventually the object in her hand dropped to the watery abyss. She crept further down as I secretly pursued her. Wind blew from against my back almost as if it was pushing me forward. Arriving near the shiny object, I dipped my hand in to pick up whatever it was. Pulling it from the muck that collected at the bottom, I realized it was an ornate blade. The handle was a shimmery gold, crystals of some sort speckled throughout. The blade was chrome, reflecting light from it’s delicate bevel. I tucked the dagger into my waistband, making sure it slipped between two layers, so it didn’t cut my skin. I glanced ahead to another bend in the river, the woman almost disappearing from sight behind the dark trees. 

I attempted to catch up, but there was no path to follow. I pushed through thick grass far taller than me. Spider webs stretched from stem to stem catching on my black hair as I brushed past. As I reached the exit of the weedy jungle I saw a beautiful, blue pool that the stream flowed from. A waterfall stood high, raining into the gleaming depths. There stood the woman staring at the moon above. Its light focused through the branches just as before, almost as if it followed the woman. I tiptoed around the detritus that littered the forest floor, eventually crushing a twig beneath my boot. The woman turned her head with an unnatural twitch. We locked eyes and that's when I realized it was Mother. I didn’t have to observe her other features, her glowing blue eyes, like that of the moon's light, was enough to know it was her. She beckoned me to come closer, her ghastly pale hand wavering in the distance. Once I was near her she pulled me close, comforting me. Her motherly tone could calm even the restless trees. Her cool breath made the hairs on my neck stand up. She held me in her arms, exclaiming how strong I was and how everything was just perfect. I felt warm drops sliding down my face. I thought it was tears but remembered the vermillion stain that streaked down her white dress. She stood me up straight and raised herself high. Again she held out her hand, its posture reminding me of the oak trees. At first I didn't understand what she wanted, but then I remembered the blade. Pulling it from my waistband I handed it back to her. She caught it by the edge slicing her hand. Leaning over she whispered something in my ear before turning the knife on herself. She slashed across her already injured throat. Blood sprayed like a hose from the severed arteries, coating my face and the surrounding bushes. She fell backwards into the pond, the water swirling with red and blue. Her body sank quickly to the abyss as it was overtaken by the kelp. Soon even the glow of her eyes would diminish. 

I didn’t know what to feel. I may have been in shock, but whatever had just occurred didn’t feel real. My family wasn’t close, we didn’t talk, we barely even ever saw each other. Even with how nice mother was if I were to be true with myself, then… I felt nothing. I took another look into the pond to see if she was still there, but she had already sunk too deep. The moon’s light began to fade and the neon waters lost their shimmer. The layer of blood dried to my skin making it feel crisp and tight. I began to make my way back to the house. The shadow of the pines grew larger over the forest. The mass of trees became an absent void. Following the flow of the stream I arrived back at the river bend. The beaten down path I had made was thickened by the presence of new weeds. I hurried through cutting up my calves and ankles. My uniform was covered in burs and dried fluids. Running up from the river bed into the yard I heard my father yelling. I was stunned with shock as a gunshot went off striking the ground left of me. I heard him load another shell before I yelled out his name. Peeking over the hill he gave me the same dead stare and walked back from where he came. Once I went to the top I avoided the rickety patio, it’s boards were consumed by the same roots that overtook the house. Near my father I began to open my mouth revealing what had happened in the woods. I was scared enough already each time he sank the rusty axe into the tree stump, splitting logs one by one. After all I was always told to never enter those woods by father. I continued telling him of the events that took place, but he refused to even acknowledge me. Until I mentioned mother, about her in the woods, about what she did. 

At that moment it was almost as if the fog faded from his eyes and that thousand yard stare was centered on the world around him. He looked at me, his eyes began to water. He turned back towards the axe ripping it from the stump. Placing another log he swang at it defeatedly. I sat there just watching as he split the logs. He seemed to be talking to himself, but it was too quiet to understand. After what had to have been ten more swings he let the axe sway to his side. He just stood there. His whimpers grew louder, repeatedly crying the words no no no. His left fist clenched and unclenched. The veins and muscles in his neck pulsated as he continued to whine. A frigid breeze blew out from the woods, it’s wind barely rustling the leaves. I could see the hairs stand up on his neck as did mine. His cries became angry as he screamed no no no, but the winds muffled his call. I called out his name causing him to turn. A crazed look infected his eye. He grasped the axe now with both hands. Another gust of wind pushed past us. He yelled again telling the heavens how they will not take him. My poor father sounded delirious, like all the years of silence had broken his psyche and now the truth could flow free. He motioned towards me, exclaiming how he was going nowhere. I maneuvered him slipping in the mud below me. My uniform was now caked in the earth's blood as well. He came at me again, however I was already up and running back towards the river bank. Dropping the axe he picked up his shotgun firing at me. The shot ricocheted off the trees, a few pellets striking me in the shoulder. I ran deeper into the woods following the path I previously cleared. 

The ancient trees that towered over me. They felt protective, like arms reaching out to save me. Their grasp was tight, each branch was like a shield hiding my presence. The moon beamed through monstrous pines in the distance. Like eyes they watched over the land.  A storm broke out blanketing the forest. The runoff flowed into the river quickening it’s once stagnant flow. The waters rushed high tearing away at the muddy sides of the bank. I heard another yell from my father, he screamed calls for mercy as the storm grew harder. I thought I caught a glimpse of his hobbling figure between two oaks, but it was too dark to tell. Even while running at a full pace it seemed as if the winds guided me through the maze. Eventually more shots were fired, their booming echo bounced off the trees. As his temper grew so did the thunder. Lighting streaked the sky with each blast of his gun. Sneaking around those woods I happened to step on another branch. It split with a deafening snap. Soon enough father was back on my tail. I saw no other way of escaping so I threw my body into the river. It’s icy waters stung my skin as I tried paddling across the stream. My limbs tensed as my muscles grew frigid. I heard his calls rip through the switchgrass. The storm's intensity blasted through the sky, rain flooding the previously dry soil. Thunder rumbled in the clouds louder and louder until a gleaming neon light shot from the sky. A crack like a thousand whips reverberated the floor. The bolt struck only a few yards behind me, it shattered the branches that contained the forest. I sat there drenched and cold, I had a feeling father was… gone, but I was almost too nervous to check.

Pushing through the tide I stumbled upon the shore, my hands sank in the gravel. The mud hugged my skin clogging the pores. I pulled with my shoulders releasing my hands and continued back from which I came. Each drop of rain felt warm as if it bled from the heavens' eyes. Getting closer I could see the copper flames as they scorched the ground. Leaves and twigs scorched to cinders. Black smoke whirled around the trees. The smell of charred flesh wafted through the air. There my father lied, skin melted from the bone as it fused with the burnt clothes. His head fell forward, its mangled gaze fell upon me. He tried to speak, but only choked out sounds of pain. Shuffling my foot forward I tripped, looking down I saw the gun he had chased me with. A gust of wind blew against my face, the hairs on my neck stood up as the raindrops chilled upon my skin. The wind blew against my arms, wafting up from the ground, it gave me strength to carry the hefty gun. I walked closer and raised it to the dying corpse. The weapon was weightless, almost as if those monsters oaks were holding it for me. I looked up and those glowing blue eyes emerged from nothingness. The ones that reflected like the moon's glow in the stream's waters, looked down at me. Suddenly her hands covered my own bracing the gun. Mother whispered in my ear once again. I looked back at my father, my finger twitched, firing the gun which splattered his head in a scarlet haze across the forest floor. Looking back up at mother she pulled me close telling me the same empty reverence. She asked if I’d follow her back to the house, begged me to stay. Weirdly I felt I had no choice. Her words held power over me, they clouded my judgement. After all these years mothers' affection felt more than just empty gratitude, now it was all I could feel. The horrific events seemed to glaze through her eyes, like they were natural. She looked me deep in the eyes and told me that now everything was okay, now she could go back home. She held out her hand, I hesitated to grab it, yet I did anyway. Her grip was rough and rigid like the bark. My veins stretched thin like roots through my body. The shadow of the ancient pines darkened the sky and soon all I could see was the glow of her eyes, the glow of the moon.