Okay, this is a true story and I am glad to finally have a chance to tell it even if it is very embarrassing on many levels. My name is jonji and when I was 19 years old I had a crush on my brother's best friend Danny. He was 17 so I never was going to do anything about it. One day my brother Tom said, "Jonji do you want to go camping with me and Danny this week end? " Well we always did stuff together because I had a job and a car. I had a white convertible with red upholstery and they both loved to drive it.
I was really happy when Tom asked me to go so I said,"Sure, you know I love camping. Where are we going?"
Tom kind of looked down and mumbled,"Danny wants to go see Black Bow Point because he has heard so much about it."
I just stared at him and a shiver ran up my spine."That is sacred land Tommy, you know that. Grandpa has told us that for years."Tommy looked up at me and sneered,"What? Are you too scared to go?"
I was afraid but I really wanted to be close to Danny . he was so cute with curly black hair and gorgeous blue eyes.The day before I had ironed his hair for him because he hated the curls but I loved it just the way it was. I had no friends because I was so shy and I spent my time day dreaming about kissing Danny Jones. I sat down on the front steps and gazed out at the river that ran past our house. Tommy looked down at me waiting for my answer. He was caught in the glow of the setting sun and as always I marveled at how handsome he was. His dark auburn hair caught the sunlight with glints of copper and his eyes seemed like warm chocolate as he looked at me. Nobody ever believed I was his sister because we were so different. He looked like a young Elvis and I looked like Shrek except for the green part. I was short, fat and pizza faced .
"I do want to go even though I am a little scared,"I said "How are we getting down in there?"
The Point was 3 miles back down in deep woods but it was worth the trek. "Tom kicked some dirt on my white sneakers and laughed when I kicked at him. "Mama will drive us as far as she can and then we will walk the rest of the way in. Then she will pick us up in the morning."
I thought about how Danny had been looking at me lately and a surge of pure love came over me . Could he possibly see past my exterior and care about the person I was inside? It seemed impossible. I had no self esteem. My mother's younger brother had molested me as far back as I could remember but I never told anyone. I have scoliosis and had to wear special shoes to help with that too. Somehow Danny with his tall lanky ways always seemed to care about what I was feeling.
I stood up and looked around at the front lawn where five cars were parked haphazardly. My parents were having a party tonight and that was always terrible. "I can pack us some food . When do we leave?, I asked."
Tommy pulled my hair and said,"Hah, I knew you would come. You like Danny don't you?"
"Danny is too young for me Tommy, you know that. he is still in high school."
Tommy threw a rock in the river and said,"Whatever, be sure and bring some sandwiches."
I was really glad to be getting away from the house tonight because my bad uncle Jack was there and he always got very drunk. Then he would ask Mama if I could drive him to get more beer just to get me alone.Last week he said,"I'm not your uncle anymore, I'm your lover now." I have been trying to set him up with an in law of a cousin just to distract him and I think it is working but I need a little more time. He always smells like beer and cigars and Juicy Fruit gum and also Ivory soap. All things I have avoided seriously because of him. He has a smashed nose and terrible flatulence but he is my Mother's favorite. I can't tell her.
Anyway, Danny showed up and we all got in Mama's old Ford . Danny sat in the back with me and reached over and put his hand over mine. I had to hold back a gasp. I had never even been kissed or touched by anybody except my uncle and I was so thrilled to know that Danny felt something for me of all people.
Danny lived with his mother and step father and he hated them. he was always sad and I just wanted to hold him and comfort him . Then we gazed at each other and I had to remind myself that he was just a school kid and this couldn't really go anywhere.
We got out at the end of the road where the salt water met the fresh water of the river. Cold currents swirled around the bend of a white shell beach. We loaded up our packs and headed into the woods ,laughing and joking around. Mama waved but she was already so drunk I wondered if she would come back for us. It took us an hour to slash trough the underbrush. Nobody came there because of superstitions and snakes, bugs and heat. Florida can be pretty tough in the summer.
The guys each had their 22 rifles in case of rattlers because my brother got bit by one when he was 10 and almost died.
Finally the terrain opened out into a spring fed pool surrounded by lilies and ferns. It was breath taking. Danny took my hand and led me down to the edge of the pool where we sat on a log. Tommy stayed back a bit and started setting up camp. Danny had a little tent but Tom and I just had sleeping bags. Danny moved closer and put his arm around my shoulders,"Are you cold,?" he asked as I shivered. I just smiled and enjoyed the closeness. Was this really happening? I could hardly believe it.
We watched Tommy bring out his fishing rod and cast into the fast moving stream. Soon we were all fishing and catching our dinner. Five fat Bream were quickly cleaned and stuck on sticks over the fire. It was dark and we sat around the fire drinking iced tea and eating bits of fresh cooked fish when Danny jerked away from me and turned his pale eyes on the river. "What did you say?" he asked.
I looked at him and said, "I didn't say anything Danny." He stared at me then with terror in his eyes and started backing away towards his tent. He went inside and closed the flap and Tommy said,"What just happened?"
"I don't know," I said ,"But something scared him. You better go in there and see what's wrong."
He did that and all was silent except the crackling of the fire. I sat there for long minutes getting more and more frightened and worried.
Just as I was about to call out to them ,they erupted from the tent with their guns in their hands. "There is something evil here," Danny said in a husky whisper and he started shooting at the trees around us. It was crazy!
Tommy grabbed his arm and said ,"Come on let's go to bed and then we can get out of here early in the morning. "
Danny had a wild look in his eyes but he slowly settled down when I went over and hugged him close."What is it Danny? What do you hear?" I whispered. He seemed to come back to himself with my nearness and he ran his hand through my hair and tried to smile down at me. "I heard you say you were going to kill me," he said.
I stroked his soft cheek and said, "I would never hurt you Danny." He kissed my hand and turned and went inside his tent leaving me standing in the moonlight with Tommy. Tommy said, "Go ahead in with Danny where you can be warm and safe."
He had a sneaky smile on his face and it hit me that this was a set up. He never wanted to take me camping with him before. This was to get me and Danny together. Was Danny in on it? Danny was only 17 years old. At 19 I had a job, a car and a conscience. I watched Tommy crawl into his sleeping bag and I felt sick. I didn't know what to think or what to do.
I went to sit back by the fire when a powerful wind whipped up and began screaming through the pines. At that moment a human heartbeat began throbbing around us. Danny rushed out and started shooting again and screaming for it to stop. Tommy started shooting in a circle around us as though invisible intruders were attacking. I yelled at them to stop and they stared at me and then came by the fire and stood still as though they were frozen . The heartbeat throbbed louder and louder until we had to cover our ears. Tommy screamed in pain and started running away down the slashed out trail. Danny and I followed right behind him. We ran until we hit the hard road and then we stopped to breathe and kept on running.Danny held my hand as we ran but Tommy was way ahead of us. He never cared about anyone but himself.
We ran off and on for the three miles back home. When we got down by the river house we saw that all the five cars were still there. That meant they were passed out drunk inside there. We stood together in a huddle gasping for breath and not sure what to do. "Tommy said,"I'm going to sleep in the boat house until they wake up. Uncle jack will kick our asses if we wake them up now."He took off because he only thinks of himself.
Danny and I stood there under the cedar tree and he said, "Can we go sit in one of the cars?" Nobody ever locked up down by our river house. "I just nodded and he pulled me by the hand over to a big old Buick and we got inside. We held each other close and I whispered,"What was that Danny?"
He tilted my face up and pushed my hair back out of my eyes,"It was the Windigo Jonji and it wants you."
"How do you know,?" I gasped. "Because you told me so when we were by the fire but I want you more. I won't let it get you Jonji. I love you too much." He bent down then and gave me the first kiss I ever got. I forgot my terror with the rush of wonder in that moment. Uncle jack had used me to give him what he wanted but had never thought of me as a feeling human being. With that kiss I became somebody. There on that Halloween night I could face my fears no matter what might happen. I was loved!
We never spoke of the Windigo again but I looked it up. Here's what I found out
The wendigo is a mythological creature or evil spirit from the folklore of the First Nations Algonquin tribes based in the northern forests of Nova Scotia, the East Coast of Canada, and Great Lakes Region of Canada and in Wisconsin, United States. Wikipedia
Region: Canada; United States
I waited for Danny to finish school and then we got married. We have three children and Danny is a wilderness survival guide. There is only one place he won't take you, and that is Black Bow Point. My brother went back there the next year and we never saw him again. I believe in the Windigo.
In real life Jonji told Danny she loved him but he was too young. When she grew old she wrote this poem of regret.
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I walked on by in search of she
who looks out at the world for me
A tendril wound around my mind
and said go back, you're sure to find
black orchids sprouting mystic jewels
but I was sick and old and cruel
choosing there to close my soul
remaining half instead of whole.
The End
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