I was almost eleven, and it was my birthday. I was excited about getting my first sword. It was an angelic sword, with an emerald in the hilt and a black horn on the pommel. Dad said it was a gift from the angels in charge of security, so I believed him. A good warrior should never question his gifts.
We have a farm west of their little village, and we grow wheat, barley and corn. It’s good work and lets us survive. We don’t have the best land and growing anything but vegetables is tough, but it’s enough to sustain a family. We are very self sufficient. Mom has a big vegetable garden and Dad has a small orchard near the house. The rest of the land was turned over to grain.
Mom has been worried lately. She doesn’t say anything, but I notice. She’s been fearful. Dad doesn’t notice because he’s busy fussing over the garden. With the heat, it’s been taking most of his time, but thankfully, we have a great deal of rain this time of the year.
Dad said the angels are coming soon and we’ll have the best harvest ever. I think he’s right. The crop is strong. I think the angels will be proud of us. Mom sends me to the garden to pick some fruit. I can get them a week before we eat them, and they’ll be fresh.
The trees were just coming into full bloom. Mom grows strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. She has carnations, daisies and roses, too.
I feel guilty for taking my sword. They gave it to me, and now it’s mine. I disobey, and I know it, so I walk carefully. I’m not being paranoid, I know that. Mom is afraid and all her attention is focused on the angels. Dad won’t let the angels come. He said they want us to grow greener and grow more, but Mom is afraid.
I’m afraid, too. Mom is quiet, but it’s an angry, fearful silence. Dad is frustrated. Things look like they’re falling down, including their relationship. I choose the path of least resistance and keep to myself. I don’t want to get involved.
Only I can get in trouble no matter what. If I don’t obey, they’ll be mad at me and I don’t want to make Mom feel worse. I guess that’s why I disobey and take my sword.
I’m walking to the garden when I see it. From a distance it just looks like a tree. I’m curious and I want to get a closer look. I want to ask them about it, but I don’t dare. When I get close, I can see the bark is black, and not growing on the tree at all. I’m not sure what that means.
I’m not the only person here. Mom told me to keep an eye on the house while she was picking the fruit. She asked me to tell Dad what I see, but I’m not sure exactly where she sent me. It doesn’t matter.
Whatever it is, it’s huge. It’s that big. I’m so glad I’m not alone when I see it. On the tree it looks more like a column, with a hole up from the ground. I’ve only seen columns on pictures, but this is real. My first thought is that the “column” is a dead tree and there is a house hidden in the hollow section.
There is a sound, like the rustling of leaves. At first I think it’s the wind, but I can hear something moving. I look around and down at the ground. The grass is swaying gently and I can see a stain on the ground, darker than the grass.
There are several of them. I’ve only seen them in pictures before, but I’ve never seen one in person. The pictures were big, depicting huge, muscular creatures. They were too big to fit real.
The creatures are standing around the tree I saw earlier. They’re strange looking, like a horse with a lion’s face and a snake for a tail. I’ve never seen anything like them.
I drop my basket and retreat a few steps, then I hear a scream. It’s a weird sound, different from a normal human scream. It’s more like a metal screeching. As I look back and run, I see them looking up at the tree. I’m glad someone else saw them, because I didn’t.
I climb the four pillars, which remind me of columns on a temple and hurried to the spot where I saw the fruit. My basket is still there. I think I can hear the birds, but I can’t be sure. The fruit is perfect, the smell is delicious. I take a mouthful, then another and another.
I can hear another scream and someone is running, on the streets below. I jump down as fast as I can. There are creatures on the way toward me. They look like the ones by the tree, but there are six of them. When they’re close enough, they seem to be in pain. All of them are trying to scratch their faces.
I run into the house and jump out the back door. I know they won’t follow me. They can’t go into my house. I’ve never heard of anyone ever coming in. It’s a rule. They have to stay outside, but I think that’s why they’re so angry. I’m safe.
I don’t know where I am, but I know I’m safe.
