Too often we want to hear from our departed loved ones, but when we do…
we don’t believe it . . . especially if it is contrary to what we want to do.
Gina was spending more time with her friends after the passig of her mother. Her father was working longer hours, having a difficult time coming home after the passing of his wife . . . not realizing Gina needed him as much, if not more than before.
The woods had a deep attraction to Gina and her friends. Although she was warned more than once to stay out of them, Gina would go . . . with or without her friends.
There was an old “witch” or “gypsy woman” who lived in a small cabin near the lake. She told Gina on more than one occasion not to go into the woods at night. There were strange things that came out of the lake . . . there were stories . . . perhaps an urban legend that Gina and her friends didn’t heed.
The old woman, on more than one occasion was brought in by the police for questioning about the disappearance of teens who dared camp in the woods. These missing persons would return . . . well, parts of them . . . something attacked them and it wasn’t the old woman.
One night Gina’s mother came to her while she slept. She told of a time when she and Gina’s father went out in the woods to camp. They were spared, but she received the fright of her life.
Something did come out of the lake. It was almost human, but not completely. The rage and anger made him as wild as an animal. You see, urban legends don’t have to be all that old. It seemed that a former boyfriend of her mother’s was taken out to the lake by some high school kids. They had some kind of argument with him about trying out for the football team. He was big and fast. He was good and other team members were afraid he would show them up. It was considered a “hate crime,” not that the term was used . . . but also racial to a degree . . . he was of Asian dissent . . . he was big, fast and also smart. He showed up these jocks in more areas than just on the athletic field.
These young athletes brutally attacked him and left him for dead in the lake. Now, legend has it that there was something about that lake, but no one really explained beyond that . . . some thought there were healing qualities and there were various variations, even that the old woman “witch” or “gypsy” had something to do with it.
Gina’s mother told her that she did come face to face with the monster that handsome, smart, talented young man became after he was beaten up at the lake. Her heart went out to him at that moment of remembrance. They were friends, but not boyfriend/girlfriend. He still wore the medallion she had given him. She never returned to the lake after that and had warned Gina about it over and over again.
Those young athletics were never charged in the death of the young Asian athlete, but they did suffer . . . it was a suitable revenge, but Gina’s mother didn’t know if he had anything to do with it or it was the old woman’s doing or perhaps it was the lake . . .
Gina did seek out the old woman in the woods. She told her of her experience with her mother’s warning and what she shared. The old woman only nodded, but added no insight into the matter other than saying, “The young man who was brutally attacked had so much more going for him than athletics. His future was bright in the business world. He would succeed at anything he put his mind to. But those other boys . . . they were only good for nothing.”
Yes, Gina was warned by the old woman to stay out of the woods, but they could meet and talk from time to time as Gina had the need to do so.
Things changed with her father after that. Gina no longer hung out with her friends, but studied harder and focused on her school work and future. Her father spent more time at home with Gina in the evenings and waited up for her when she went out on dates. The whole atmosphere in the house changed. Since her mother had died of cancer at home in the little room off of the kitchen, the memories of her care and suffering were no longer in the forefront of Gina’s and her father’s mind. They could see the future . . . Gina’s future and the future her father would share with her.
I do believe Gina’s mother made a difference in their lives . . . and maybe the old woman did, too.
Until next time 🙂
Sharon
