The Mountain Protector
by Melanie B. Bradford, part 2
Fictional story based on the surrounding areas and native myths

Catherine was Jacob's youngest child. She had inherited Jacob's love and respect for nature and combined it with the study of history, literature, archaeology and specifically, anthropology. Catherine was fascinated by cultures. She wanted to know why each society adopted its own traditions and practices. She enjoyed learning about the customs, beliefs and traditions of other places. Jacob didn't care about other cultures. In fact, he really was only interested in his own area, but he had to admit that Catherine's Indian studies were interesting. Not to the point he wanted to hear her talk about them too much, but enough that he wanted to know a little bit about the people who lived in the area before his family.

Catherine's theory about the cove rested on the fact that Indians had lived on the other side of the mountain in a large cave that was scientifically dated back over 8,000 years. According to archaeological data, the cave had been continuously used by groups of about 10 to 20 people. Because of its depth of archaeological information the cave was a national monument operated by the National Park Service.

From working with park officials Catherine knew that thousands of artifacts had been recovered. She also knew the entire area on that side of the mountain was literally saturated with artifacts. Yet, not one artifact had ever been found from the top of the mountain, where her family's land joined the national park, down into the cove. Over 2,000 acres of land and not one artifact. Catherine was sure there had to be a good, solid explanation. Ancient peoples must have walked over the mountain and into her family's cove. Archaeological evidence had been found literally in all directions around the cove, but never inside it. It was as if the ancients had placed an invisible barrier around the cove and no one was allowed to live or hunt there.

To Catherine this was a strange and fascinating mystery. Why had no evidence of human occupation been found in the cove? The area was bountiful with caves, natural springs, plentiful supplies of flint, and abundant plants for food or medicine. In fact, the area seemed more abundant in these items than where the Indians were known to live. Did they stay away because it was a sacred burial ground? If so, no burial ground had ever been found. Was it because the ancients considered the place evil? Catherine didn't believe so. Nothing evil or bad was associated with the area. The landscape didn't even suggest scary, supernatural places. No, Catherine was beginning to believe the ancients considered the area a religious place. Maybe they revered the area as a type of Mount Olympus, believing their gods to actually live in the confines of that area. Or possibly their religious shamans lived in the area apart from the rest of the tribe. Catherine thought it logical for the shamans to do this. Not only would living apart from the tribe give them the opportunity to use fear of the supernatural to maintain greater power over the people, but they would be living near the plants they required for their medicines.

Catherine really had no way of knowing the truth. There was no way to test her ideas since very little was known about archaic Indian religion. In other parts of the state objects and symbols had been found that were believed to be religious symbols, but no one really knew for sure. Without actually finding evidence that people had been in the area, it was only possible to imagine. Regardless of proof, Catherine believed the cove did play some significant part in ancient ways of life; and to a certain degree, she was glad there was no way to test her ideas. She enjoyed thinking about the mystery and really did not want her ideas disputed.

Jacob mulled over Catherine's beliefs and ideas about the cove as he neared home. "Yes," he thought, "I know it really doesn't matter, but it is a nice thought that the cove may have been special to many different people and that it still exists almost as then. That I can look at things people looked at long ago and maybe feel the same wonder they did." Jacob sighed as he turned into his driveway, "Well, I hope progress doesn't change it too much. I'd like to know that future generations of Chattans will be able to see it."

Two days later Ray met Curtis at Curtis' home. Curtis was inside a run-down tool shed, pouring gasoline into old, yellow milk jugs. As Ray walked inside the shed Curtis asked him if everything was on schedule. Ray answered him reluctantly, "Yeah, I reckon it's on schedule. All we have to do is put those jugs in one of these plastic storage crates I swiped from home. I've already got the ropes soaking in gasoline in the other crate. I'll tie the crates to the back of the four-wheelers and help you load them onto the trucks."

"Good," said Curtis, "we have just enough time to git the trucks over to the old Wagner place. We'll leave them there and take the four-wheelers over that side of the mountain and onto Chattan's land. After that, I figure it'll be right about dark. From there we'll split up. We'll both go down the mountain and into the cove. You'll take the side with the main road and I'll take the edge of the woods. We'll stretch out the ropes down both sides of the cove and meet up near that old house. Don't forget, to make sure the gasoline doesn't evaporate before we finish, we need to pour out a trail of gasoline beside the ropes. Then we'll drive further up into the cove, across the creeks and head up that old logging road. Once we git back on top, we'll set that gas to blazing. Then we'll head back. Now, what do ya think of that?" Curtis laughingly asked Ray as he turned to start tying the crates onto the 4-wheelers.

"Sounds OK to me," gulped Ray. "I guess you figure we got enough gas to make a trail that long?"

Curtis stopped, turned around to face Ray and with a hateful look and sarcastically said, "Well, if it isn't then you can use some of that brew you bought from old man Cratern because you're going to carry it so we can celebrate after we set the place to burning."

Jacob finished eating his dinner and Louise, his wife, prepared desert for the two of them. Jacob told her he hoped there wouldn't be anymore trouble in the cove. "Jacob, you know as well as I do that people are always going to try to tear that gate down. They know they can get in by driving over the mountain on other people, but they mess with the gate locks for meanness," she said as she handed Jacob a large slice of pecan pie. Jacob took his pie and began eating as he thought about the situation.

In a minute he answered Louise, "I know it. That's why I'm going to have to get everyone to help me put up cables and signs over every possible road or trail people might use. That still won't stop them, but that's about all we can do."

Meanwhile, Curtis and Ray finished laying the gasoline trails down both sides of the valley. They reached the old house at the same time. Both men grinned at each other and gave each other the thumbs up sign. With that they started off down the creek rock road going further into the depths of the cove.

Ray followed Curtis' four-wheeler. The moon shone, so bright that they could still see the road in front of them even through the dense shadows of the trees. Ray watched Curtis. He could tell Curtis was feeling full of himself for what he was about to do, but Ray had a very bad feeling something was wrong. Yes, Ray was afraid. He was afraid of a lot of things. He was afraid the law would catch them, and it probably would be more than the local law. If the fire raged just right, it could destroy the National Park Service land. He wasn't quite sure what that would mean for them if they were caught, but he figured whatever the national government did, it would be much worse than what the local officials would do. But Ray was afraid of something more although he wasn't quite sure what it was. He just had a nagging feeling something was wrong, very wrong. The moon was shining too brightly; and the cool night breeze, together with the shadows pulled the two men further into the depths of the cove.

Curtis stopped abruptly. Ray swerved off the road and into a mass of dying hydrangea to avoid hitting him. Ignoring Ray's irritated look, Curtis pointed up ahead said, "We're almost up to the old logging road. When we git to the top of it, we'll start the fires."

"I know," said Ray, "Let's just hurry up. I want to git out of here."

Curtis looked at Ray mockingly and asked, "Oh, so he's gitting a little scared now? Afraid the devil's going to jump out at him. Ha-Ha. There ain't no devil around here but me, so shut up your whining and let's go." Curtis revved up him four-wheeler and took off leaving Ray in a cloud of leaves. Ray quickly got his four-wheeler back on the road and followed him. He didn't like Curtis; but he didn't want to be left out in these woods by himself, especially when Curtis might set fire to the woods before Ray reached safety.

Right before they reached the old logging road, Ray suddenly realized that the wind was blowing harder. It was pushing him from behind. In fact, the wind was lifting him off the four-wheeler. Ray screamed at Curtis to drive faster. Curtis noticed the wind and was scared himself. It didn't matter. Neither of them could drive fast enough. At that moment the wind picked both men up and carried them farther into the depths of the cove. Ray and Curtis screamed, cursed and prayed all at the same time. They didn't know what was happening, but it seemed the devil had indeed jumped out at them. As the wind carried them through the woods, the trees and bushes ripped and tore at their skin. The wind merged with the shadows and they were carried by evil fiends. The trees and bushes appeared to be alive. Ray and Curtis believed the trees were shrieking at them, "Punish them! Punish them! Punish them!" faster and faster until it became an horrendous, throbbing beat.

Suddenly, with one final lunge upwards, the wind dropped them. Ray and Curtis fell with a bone-breaking thud, their bodies rolled downhill several feet and stopped. Both men were so terrified they could only cry and beg for mercy. For several minutes whatever had taken the two men vanished, but as they sat up and looked around what they saw instantly washed the remaining color from their faces.

Ray and Curtis sat in a cave entrance deep in the corners of a crevice. When Ray and Curtis had rolled downhill, they rolled right into the narrow entrance. With their backs to the cave and facing the woods they saw an enormous gathering of animals circling the cave entrance. All of the animals and insects in the forest were gathered. There were bobcat, coyotes, deer, chipmunks, skunks, hornets, yellowjackets, wasps, and spiders. There were even wolves and bears, animals no longer common to the area. The animals were so close the men could feel their breath, but the animals did not move, not even to blink. They merely stared at the men.

Afraid to look away from the animals, but hearing something behind them in the cave, Ray and Curtis looked around. A strange eerie, red glow lit the cave. The cave seemed to twist and turn deep into the earth. Suddenly, the wind began to blow strongly and the animals struck up a continuous chorus of calls and howls. A shadow appeared deep in the cave. Ray's and Curtis's eyes were riveted to that shadow. They were absolutely petrified with fear. Within seconds the shadow loomed even larger and closer. Finally, the shadow reached the men. As the men watched the shadow continuously changed shape. One second it was a dogwood tree, the next second a raccoon, and the next second a bear. With a echoing shriek everything became silent again. All eyes, animal and human, were fixed on the shadow.

The shadow continued to change shapes, appearing as a rattlesnake, a butterfly and then a rock. Ray and Curtis watched in horror and awe. The shadow then took the form of a rushing waterfall and began to speak. "You," the shadow roared, "have dared to enter the forest with the intention of destroying it. You thought nothing of this land that has been here since the beginning of time. You sought to destroy the woods, the animals and everything here because of your wicked, ignorant nature and now you will answer for your actions." The animals called and howled again as if applauding the shadow. They quickly stopped as the voice boomed again, "I am the voice of all nature. In me you see the spirits of all creation. I was invited here by the ancients long ago to protect this land. They were wise and knew this should be the sacred place for the guardian of the land. I am not evil. No, I am the nurturer of the forest. I am not man's enemy. I have watched over many people who have wandered through these woods, but they respected the land. You do not. You seek to destroy. I will not permit it!" The shadow suddenly changed its form. Ray and Curtis saw an enormous whirlwind spinning in front of them. The shadow, now deafening in its roar, continued, "In front of you are the animals that live in these mountains. You will learn respect for this land, and it will be as terrible as what you wished to do to this place!" With that the shadow whirled even faster and screamed to the multitude of animals, "NOW!" At once the entire circle swarmed upon Ray and Curtis. The cry of the animals as they stamped and tore at the men muffled the men's screams.

At last, the animals stood back. Only a dusty spot on the cave floor marked where the two men had sat. The cave was now dark. The eerie, red light and the shadow were gone. Slowly, the animals drifted off into the darkness.

The next morning Jacob and the sheriff were looking at two overturned four-wheelers. It was obvious to them by the ropes and the smell of the gasoline what had happened last night. "I don't understand it, Jacob," said the sheriff, "they laid a trail plumb around the valley. They were going to set the entire place on fire and they stopped. Why would someone go to all that trouble and not finish the job?"

"I don't know, Jerry," answered Jacob, "but what I can't understand is since they didn't do it, why did they leave their 4-wheelers? Don't they know you can use the four-wheelers to track them down? And, how did they leave if they didn't ride out? Something must have scared them but I don't know what could have possibly scared them that bad." "Well, we'll get to the bottom of this Jacob, don't you worry," said Jerry.

Jacob didn't answer, he was looking around at the site around the four-wheelers. The day had never been more beautiful. Squirrels could be seen in the distance fighting over hickory nuts, the birds were singing and everything seemed joyfully alive. Jacob let out a sigh of relief and said, "Jerry, all I know is that I'm glad they stopped, whatever the reason was, I'm glad they stopped,"

Jerry nodded and said, "I agree with you, Jacob, this place just seems too pretty to harm."

Jacob shook his head and grinned, "Well, you know, Catherine is always telling me this place may have been sacred to the Indians. Maybe some spirit whisked those people up." Jacob laughed at the thought of it. "Oh well, let's start looking for the real reason those people left."

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