1626
By Patrick O’Donnell
And when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “Take, eat: this is my body, which is given for you: do this in remembrance of me.”
1 Corinthians 11:24
1626
England
Flames, that is what the Cooks family awoke to on a sleepy Tuesday night. James Cook grabbed his ten-month-old son out of his crib and kicked down the door. “Mary are you there, I can’t see you,” yelled James. The raging inferno’s smoke blinded him as pillars of dark shooting across his line of vision. Mary grabbed his arm with a reassuring squeeze. If James were able to breathe, he would have let out a sigh of relief. At this moment, he had to stifle his cough as they tore down the stairs, the sound of crashing wood and ashen dreams reverberated just behind them.
At last, free of the death trap that once was their home, they stared on as it burned. The smoke smeared an already dark night. The smell of sweet oak, mixed with the burning of animal fat and hides filled the night air. James said a Hail Mary under his breath. He was relieved they had all made it out alive. It seemed as if the good Lord was not done with them yet. Mary held his hand. James held her tightly as if doing so would somehow reverse their fortune. Neither of them was sure what to say. Everything they had was in that house. The last of the money her Father had given them to start a new life, the furniture, the savings. James had never cared for banks, didn’t trust other men to handle his money. It was a decision he was greatly regretting.
The neighbors were starting to come out into the streets to see what was going on and offer support. One neighbor in particular, that the Cooks had grown quite fond of, hobbled over. He had a stout stature and carried himself quite poorly. His body creaked and moaned with his age and poor health. All of that aside, he was a good man. Quick to forgive and nearly impossible to anger. His name was Ezekial. “Shame about your house, I wish I could do something to help you relocate. I see you all made it out alive though. That’s more than most families around here can say. I keep telling the officials, they need to put the fire station closer,” Ezekial said, matter of factly. His face was heavy with concern. It always comforted Mary to see Ezekial, as blunt as he was, Mary knew he cared deeply for them.
James hung his head. He could feel Mary looking at him, digging for hope in his soft brown eyes. “It’s okay Mary, I will check in with my trade connections. I had a surprise for you, I was going to wait until Christmas, but given the recent events, now seems just as good a time as any to tell you. There have been a few deaths in the colonies, the winter has been especially harsh. However, this means that they need good, hardworking men down there. If they have a family, they will pay to relocate. I had signed us up to go. I got the letter just the other day, we have been selected to help colonize the new world,” James said.
Ezekial’s eyes lit up. “What a splendid thing to hear James, I am impressed with your quick aptitude of thinking. Surely, God has bigger plans for you down there then he does in this tiny England village. Now come with me, tonight you shall all sleep at my place. In the morning we can work out your travel arrangements, “ Ezekial said. He led them back to his flat. Mary was hesitant to leave at first. Her heart pined for the house she was losing. The thought of the new world was exciting, but exciting doesn’t always mean better. The fact that people had died there, the thought of it chilled her to the bone.
Three Weeks Later
Maryland
The trip to America had been miserable. Between young Daniel’s crying and the sea sickness, it seemed as if they would never reach their new home. Yet, here they were. James has a fire going. The flames spit and crack, licking the cold air that intrudes in the cabin. “I hate fire, I hate the way it consumes everything. It reminds me too, of the desires of wicked men,” James mused. Mary was sitting off in a nearby corner nursing young Daniel. She did not converse much, she never had, but after the fire, it was much worse. The wind howled outside as if it spoke for her. James prodded the fire, taunting it, the boldness of the flames made him nervous. “I wish we didn’t have to use this damned fire. That somehow God himself could be enough to keep us warm,” said James.
Mary continued to rock, the sound of her chair creaking was comforting. James looked at her lovingly. He wanted so badly to assure her that everything was going to be fine. “James, I want you to be careful. There is a darkness on your soul, I can feel it. I know it is hard right now. We must not lose track of our faith. We must not lose God.” James looked at Mary and saw an intensity that startled him. When Mary spoke, he knew to listen and to head her words. James pondered what could have come over his meek wife as he prepared himself for bed. That night James dreamed of hellfire, he dreamed of loss and of a soul consumed, the dream was enough to make him feel as if he was going mad.
Awaking early the next morning, James quietly prepared himself for the hunt ahead. It was time for him to go out and check his traps. The trade ships would be coming soon to collect and return to England. James wanted to make sure that his furs were on there. The ground was covered in snow, much to Jame’s disdain. It would make it harder for him to do his job, now that he would have to trudge through the ice and snow. He bundled up tightly, feeling his body restrained and hugged by heavy fabrics. With a soft moan and a prayer, he was off. The snow caved and crunched on the weight of his steps. He was grateful at least that any new animals would be easier to track. He just prayed he would be quick enough to catch them.
It wasn’t long before James realized he wasn’t sure where he was. The landmarks he had been using to familiarize himself with the land have all been covered in snow. James felt his heartbeat rise. If he could not figure out which direction he had come from, he risked dying out in the cold. James began to curse his luck, he had only a small chunk of bread for nourishment, nothing that could really satiate his hunger. Trying not to panic, James sat in the snow and prayed. “Lord, guide me home, guide me back to safety by thine hand.” The forest was oddly quiet. It made James feel humbled to be in the presence of it. The snow covered the trees like blankets of frost, wintery robes meant to hide their nakedness.
James decided that he would keep walking and pray that he stumbled upon something familiar. That’s when he first started to hear the voice. It was quiet at first, like a soft whisper from a party downwind of you. He could make out the distinct sound of a human, but to who the voice belonged was not clear. Cupping his hands around his mouth to amplify the noise he shouted: “Hello, is anybody out there?” The sound rippled and echoed through the frozen woods. James waited for a response, his breathing paused so he could best make use of his faculties of perception. When no reply came, he continued back in on his journey.
A few hours later and the voice began to intensify. It sounded as if someone was coming closer to him, as the pitch began to rise. James could make out words now, it spoke clearly and steadily telling him, “Soon, you will be with us, soon you will join us in the snow, in the frost.” James stopped dead in his tracks. With hands that could barely move he motioned the sign of the cross on his chest. “Get behind me Satan, I want no part of your ways.” James felt assured that it would stop now.
The sun was going down, but James was relieved that the voice had stopped. Soon though it would be dark. James was no closer to finding his way home then he had been hours ago. HIs thoughts went out to Mary. He knew she would be terrified, alone in their new house. He stopped and looked up, attempting to figure out his position based on the stars. The night was an oily black, no stars, not even the moon shone across it. James began to feel uneasy. It no longer felt like the Lord was with him, but something darker and more menacing. His mind raced back to the letter that had allowed their stay.
Dear James,
We appreciate your interest in helping us to harvest resources from the new world. Fortunately for you, the men that once took up residence in the colony have met a curious death. The men had gone out hunting only one returned unscathed. He says there are spirits in the woods. Since he did not wish to return to his post he has been sent home and will be dealt with accordingly. Seeing as you are a good upstanding Catholic man, you know there is no spirit other than the Holy Spirit and thus we have nothing to fear. Please send way with when you plan on shipping out so we may be ready for you. Since you have a wife and child, you will be paid for relocating. Surely, you're strong faith and devoted wife will make your stay much more profitable than those men before. Not to speak ill of the dead, I have it on great authority that the men in question were all terrible drunks. Let the wife know that if she feels uneasy about the prospect of their deaths.
Peace be with you always,
Nathan Tucket
Of course, he hadn’t told Mary about the spirits in the woods. Mary was devout, as devout as himself. Since both of them had been baptized in the faith, he knew they had nothing to fear. However, cloistered virtue is not a true virtue, neither is faith true faith until it has been tested. What he saw next, his words could not describe. Not that it was a sight without description, it was only that James had never had to assemble words in a way that could explain what he saw. There, hanging from the trees, were rabbits skinned of most of their fur. Not in the way a trapper does, with a smooth and steady hand. No, this had been done quickly, messily, bits of fur still clinging to the moist and red bodies. James felt himself buckle at the knees. The smell alone was enough to turn his stomach.
James gingerly touched one of the hanging rabbits. Its body swayed from side to side like a pendulum. “Who would do this, are those teeth marks in its flesh?” James was horrified to notice, on closer inspection, that there were teeth marks deep in the muscle and fat of the rabbits. In some places, chunks big enough to reveal bone were visible. “God is not in this place,” James remarked. He stepped away slowly. Looking up he saw that the light was almost completely gone. He took flint and some cloth out of his bag and made himself a makeshift torch with some of the dried sticks. The flames lit up the night, casting ominous shadows over the forest.
Feeling uneasy, and rightfully so, James continued his walk. His only goal now was to find shelter from the cold, and from whatever had done that to the rabbits. His imagination filled with all manner of hell beasts that could have possibly done it. That is when the voice came back. This time, it was whispering directly into his ear. He could hear it clear as day. The seductive calling. “You are ready now, we need new people, new recruits join us and live forever.” James tried to cover his ears. The flame was not helping his imagination, as the shadows danced, and peppered the world around him.
His walking had become more of a sprint. His tired legs were threatening collapse, propelled only by the adrenaline and self-preservation. At last, James saw a light, it was a bonfire. The sounds of people talking and eating and drinking were filling his senses. He could not see more than the tip of an orange glow, but it was enough to keep him moving. As he got to a better viewpoint, he could see it all clearly. Men, drinking red wine and eating sweet-smelling meat. Their boisterous laughter filling the night air. James could not believe his luck, he approached with his hands visible to show he meant no harm. The men paused, their stares were cold and icy, a contrast to the warmth their voices were emitting. “Would you like to come and eat with us? You have never had meat like this before.,” one of the men said. James collapsed in front of them. They scooped him up and sat him on a bench. “Drink this, it will warm you up,” another man said. James did not complain, he grabbed the goblet and nursed on it like a baby at a breast. The red liquid made him cough, it was not wine. The taste of it was copper and the smell was staggeringly musty and earthy.
Next, they handed him meat. James greedily began to eat it. The skin of the meat tore off in his mouth. He was so eager to devour his food, to nourish his body, that he hadn’t even remembered to bless his food. “What are you all doing out here?” James asked. The men started to laugh again, their bellowing cackles shaking the trees. “We live out here, and when the moon goes down and the stars don’t shine we feast, it is the only time we are able to consume meat and drink,” another man said.
James wanted to clarify, it was starting to make him feel nervous. “What do you mean, you live out here? Like you live nearby?” The men began to laugh harder, it was beginning to make James feel uncomfortable. “Why are you all laughing, what’s so funny?” James wanted to press harder, but they began to hand him more drink and meat. “Enjoy this feast, eat of it, and drink of it, and forget your troubles,” they chanted. James was starting to feel light headed.
“What is in this meat? It truly is not like anything I have ever tasted. This drink also, it is deep and red like wine, yet it does not lead to being drunk.” The men became somber. “James, you are one of us now. Did you not hear the voice calling you to here? Did you not see the sacrifice of rabbits meant to sway you to our presence? You have drank the blood and eaten of the flesh of mortal man, now your soul will be trapped here like ours forever.”
Stumbling backward James tries his best not to shriek. The words of Mary come floating back to him. He had not headed her words, not allowed the Lord to keep his heart. Now he had eaten of the dark feast. “Your soul now belongs with us. You will never feel the relief of heat and the warmth of comfort. If only you had more steadily prepared your heart against the siren’s call.” James saw it now, how he had been weakened. His last thoughts as he was dragged off into the dark was how he wished he was with Mary and Daniel one last time. Then the darkness envelopes him. He is one of them now, the immortal spirits.
One week later
When James had not returned, Mary had reasonably become quite worried. The food they had was close to running out and she was frightful of the life of young Daniel, as well as her own. Not knowing what to do, Mary bundled herself and young Daniel from the cold and headed to the local church. It was Saturday, so the priest was in the sanctuary cleaning and preparing the church for Sunday mass. Mary was relieved to see a friendly face. “Father, I need your help, my husband had gone out to check the traps, but he has not returned in a week and I grow low on supplies and hope.” Father Brian came down from the altar and looked Mary over.
“Let me get the men together, we shall go out and look for your husband. Hopefully, all is well.” Mary thanked him profusely. The next day the men gathered together to search the forest. As they went they whispered to each other of the superstitions that they had heard. This hadn’t been the first time something like this had happened, but they prayed it would be the last. The snow had covered any tracks James had left behind. Their eyes began to blur from all the plain and white surroundings. The men were growing tired and weary. They all had hard work ahead of them, and finding this man was not a top priority. They were about to give up when they came to a clearing. Laying in the middle of it was James. His body frozen on the ground. Blood and bits of fur smeared across his face. The corpses of several rabbits littered around him. His eyes held a blank stare, glossed over and grey. He had gone mad, they figured, and froze to death.
They brought the body back to the colony and gave him a good Catholic burial. Being a widow now, Mary became a steward of the church and received her help through the contributions of the congregation. Mary doesn’t talk much still. However, at night, when all is quiet, she can hear the sound of James calling. It sounds some nights like he is apologizing. Other nights it sounds like he is calling for her to join him. Mary fears that one night she may join him, that she may leave this mortal coil in such an unholy way. But for now, she just tries to sleep and prays for the morning.
