Shantago III: The Rock of Tahguhl

by Penn, Nicholas

  Jordan also noticed that the trees wore many shades of colors such as blue, green, purple, and red. Even the bark on the trees didn’t have the traditional tint of brown like what you’d imagine in your typical back country. Jordan could already tell that this was not a normal forest.

  Yes, something very peculiar was going on out here in the sticks. Jordan, on the other hand, had no time for any toggle shenanigans. He was bound and determined to make his way through, so he pressed on.

  There were many colorful shrubs and bushes that gave off a luminous and vibrant glow, almost like a night light. The brilliant display of colors reminded him of walking the streets of Willoughby Woods and the bright lights of the city. Their slogan was Always Open for Business. Jordan knew from frequenting the bars with his friends, especially in his college years, that they were true to their word.

  Once Jordan made his way through some thick shrubbery and vines, he noticed a wide- open space hidden deep in the woods. He guessed that this stretch of clearing had a circumference of several hundred feet. Perhaps a logging company had been removing the timber, he thought, possibly clearing it to build another casino.

  The town of Willoughby Woods was best known for their casinos. It wouldn’t surprise me a bit if a casino suddenly popped up along the beaten path. Jordan studied the landscape for a while before determining that something else was definitely going on. The strange thing is that none of the trees were cut down, there’s no evidence of it. Where are all of the logs? They should be stacked up along the sides of the forest. Stumped, Jordan continued to piece together the puzzle as he walked through the open space. It’s almost like they were moved, or better yet they simply walked away.

  Jordan’s heart raced as an eerie feeling once again overcame him. Off to the side were several ogling eyes, which were now focused intently on him. Just off in the distance he heard a strong and forceful rustling. A loud timbering noise followed close behind. It sounded like leaves and trees were being pushed off to the sides as fury headed his way. Whatever it was, the force was definitely moving closer.

  Jordan hurriedly braced himself for the collision when all of a sudden, the thunderous rustling quieted, and all of the piercing eyes blinked no more. For a quick moment he had a sense of relief once he heard the wave of commotion had come to a grinding halt.

  Jordan’s pulse quickened as he felt something latch hard onto his left leg, then his right. As he quickly glanced down, he saw that two roots from a tree had locked tightly around his legs. As he struggled to break loose, two more limbs wrapped around his wrists with a force that he couldn’t breach.

  As Jordan continued to struggle, he let out a sudden loud bellow for help, but no one answered his call. The abrupt shriek he gave must have upset the roots because they tried to cover his mouth, only this time Jordan bit down hard on the rotten seedlings. Right away Jordan tasted the roots, which were surprisingly soft and stringy like noodles.

  With a loud moan, the giant tree let go of Jordan’s wrists, allowing him to break free from his wooden restraints. Jordan quickly did the same with his legs, bending down and chomping fast like a beaver until the roots were as tiny as toothpicks. The soggy twigs immediately retreated from the woodlands, rustling their way back through the trees and leaves and out of sight.

  Jordan couldn’t believe what just took place. Yes, the hills are alive, he thought as he tried to catch his breath. He suddenly had an old memory of Gramps giving a stern warning to all the kids playing too deep in the woods, especially at dusk. Beware of the forest roots, because they will grab your boots, tie you up, and make you mute. As soon as they do, that will be the end of you. As Jordan continued along his journey, these three words entered his muddled mind: Terrible, timber toggles.

  Terror on the Waters

  Hot and tired, Jordan was in desperate need of some drinking water. He soon came across a rather large, murky swamp, which was hidden deep within the Toggle Forest. As he approached the dismal lagoon with caution, he wondered if it would be safe enough to drink. He scanned for any potential predators before making his way down to the muddy waters.

  Thinking like a true survivalist, this logic entered Jordan’s mind. Perhaps if I make a fire and boil the water for a bit, it should be safe enough to drink. The thought of playing survivor immediately ended once he realized that there wasn’t a pot in sight. Besides, Jordan had never started a fire from scratch before.

  He hung his recently acquired majestic robe on a tree branch as thirst promptly gave way to common sense. Remembering the warning given in the handbook about the Indo-zilladile Super-Stroggle, Jordan was reluctant to lay down his bag of possessions, which included his gun and the Toggle Handbook.

  He didn’t want to be suddenly caught off guard by anymore nasty toggles. After the feeling of hesitation passed, Jordan laid the satchel full of protection by a rather large tree. After weighing both the pros and cons, he headed down to the swampy water to take a drink.

  Jordan first waded knee-deep into the cloudy reservoir. Before he knew it, the murky water was up to his waist. The water’s coolness felt good to the touch on his newly opened sores, and he took a moment to splash around in the muddy wetlands.

  He realized that he had an even fifty-fifty chance that the waters were contaminated with bacteria that could soon make him very ill. After all that he had endured, Jordan didn’t need any extra sickness to overcome him. There simply wasn’t any time for that. Although, if he didn’t find drinking water he would continue to suffer, so he rolled the dice and took a drink.

  The cloudy water had a peculiar taste to it once it hit his tongue. He couldn’t quite place the sensation that splashed in his mouth. His taste buds were working overtime, trying to decipher the liquid that was swashing around inside. As Jordan took another big slurp, he decided that the water tasted like a mix between fizzy sodas combined with battery acid, with just a hint of sweetness, like honey.

  Unbeknownst to Jordan, there was in fact a massive predator lurking deep within the shadows. The evil creature, which could walk upright through the forest, always hungered for some type of flesh to eat. This cunning behemoth often slithered into the waters after more prey to feast upon.

  This prehistoric carnivore had large, bloodshot eyes and a rather long snout, like a crocodile. The savage beast weighed thousands of pounds, and he was always looking for his next meal. Smelling a new aroma in the air, he quietly made his way, slinking deep into the shallow water.

  The scales of this monster were wide and sharp. The beast had a large fin, like a sail, protruding down his spine. He had pointy ears that functioned like gills and allowed him to breathe both in water and on land. On the other side of the swamp, the predator slithered through the darkened water, with a quiet ripple being the only sign that death was imminent.

  Everything was going smoothly for Jordan as he splashed deeper and a little farther into the swamplands. That, of course, was all about to change. He stopped swimming once he felt and heard something, without warning, take his breath. A sudden ripple made its way through the murky water when Jordan first heard a bone-chilling bellow coming from below. He felt something brush against his foot as he floated in the blue waters. “Probably just a fish,” Jordan thought as panic quickly sunk in. A single bubble would be the monster’s only showing of its presence at the moment.

  Jordan started searching frantically on top of the water, first glancing east, then west, down into the deep, and then back towards the shoreline, but he didn’t spot anything. He sensed that it was time to exit the marsh and return to shore.

  Snap! That’s when the ancient beast attacked, taking Jordan by surprise. He grabbed Jordan by the leg as he dove deep into the waters, twisting wildly and thrashing around with pure brute force. The aquatic monster began an instinctive death roll, trouncing and spinning Jordan to and fro. The primal beast’s massive pressure built up in his jaws as he clenched down hard against Jordan’s leg. The pain administered by the behemoth was almost too mu
ch to bear as Jordan let out a bubbly shriek, deep below the blue surface.

  Jordan didn’t know what hit him when he was forcefully pulled under. He didn’t have time to take a deep breath, and his lungs were already stinging, begging, longing for oxygen. That’s when he first laid eyes on the apex predator that took him far below.

  The monster continued barreling down on his body, pulling him deeper and deeper, tighter and tighter, every time Jordan tried to free himself. The large lizard’s sharp teeth prevented his escape. It won’t be long now, he thought as his lungs were begging for relief.

  Jordan began to feel a tingling sensation run through his body as his head felt prickly and light. He struggled desperately not to inhale, as his thoughts became fuzzy and distorted. That’s when he first saw a vision of Piper, who was swimming right towards him.

  Jordan’s soul hungered to be reunited with his love. He reached out for her hand, but she immediately spun away. For that specific moment in time, Jordan didn’t understand. In disbelief, he let go while the monster yanked him down deeper as he watched Piper smoothly float towards the top.

  Confused, Jordan couldn’t wrap his mind around the thought of Piper abandoning him in his time of need. The only thought that kept crossing his mind was, why? He felt empty and forsaken as he wondered how much longer he could or should hold his breath.

  As the monster pulled him deeper and deeper into the abyss, Jordan glanced up once again at Piper, this time with dejection. His heart pounded uncontrollably as his body craved for air. He was at the brink of giving up when Piper abruptly motioned for him to follow her to the top.

  In his tortured mind, he thought that this very second meant life or death for him. Jordan sharply pulled it all together as he flared his arms forcefully about, trying to break free from the evil monster’s grasp, but there was just no use. It had Jordan’s leg firmly pressed tight within its powerful jaws.

  Jordan’s mind raced on as panic set in. What else could he do in this life-or-death moment but die? That’s when it hit him–life or death, L or D? This sudden memory fueled his adrenaline rush.

  Not knowing even if the death medicine would have any effect on the enormous monster, Jordan quickly reached in his pocket for the syringe, removed the cap, and jammed it deep into the large carnivore’s side. The poison immediately took its effect as the beast instantly cried out with an enormous caterwaul, bellowing loudly from deep within its soul. The creature released Jordan from its grasp as it fell far below, thundering down to the rocky floor and deep into its watery grave.

  Jordan immediately floated to the top of the water. He blacked out for a few seconds due to the lack of oxygen and the sudden rise in pressure. When he came around, he quickly snapped into action. Jordan desperately inhaled much-needed oxygen once he reached the top of the surface.

  With his eyes burning, he suddenly spotted the shoreline several hundred feet away. It was difficult for Jordan to swim because of the shortage of air for such a long time. It took him awhile to get his body going in the right direction.

  Once he made it to the shore, he began to intensely heave, expelling the remaining water from his battered lungs. For the next several minutes Jordan lay there on the beach, inhaling and exhaling, huffing and spewing out the burn from his aching body.

  Jordan sat deathly quiet in the sand and mud for several minutes, still in disbelief that he was alive. A crackling, swishy sound rang out in his waterlogged ears as he continued to dry in the late-day sun. Jordan wondered why he was miraculously saved, and what his vision of Piper meant. There was still some doubt left in his heart as he laid there in the sand, quiet and still, thinking about Piper.

  Only one question remained. Why didn’t she help me? The more he thought about it, the more confused he became.

  Jordan eventually reached the conclusion that it was just a vision. After cleaning up his damaged leg and crafting a make-do splint, he realized his delusion probably didn’t mean anything. Jordan was more determined than ever to make his way to the Rock of Tahguhl and bring back his long-lost love.

  Octavious Branch

  Jordan made his way back to the tall tree to retrieve his satchel and his robe, but he found out quickly that they were both missing. After several minutes of searching, he sat down by the tree, stumped as to where his possessions might be. “I know I placed my satchel by the tree with the face, and I hung my robe on the branch. Where could they have gone?”

  Without warning, Jordan heard a loud voice coming from behind him. “Look up.” Jordan quickly made it to his feet. “Who said that?” He glared east, then west, and no one was in sight.

  That’s when he heard the olden voice again. “Look up.” Jordan remained puzzled. He had no idea where the voice was coming from. The only thing that he could do was look up, so he did. Affixed way high in the branches, Jordan saw his satchel and robe. This infuriated Jordan to no end. Since he now had a bum leg, climbing the tree was not an option. “Who did this? Show yourself right now, before I really get mad!”

  That’s when Jordan heard a cunning yet whimsical laugh coming from the tree in front of him. “Sir, I’m standing right here out in the open.” Snickering even more, the knot head exclaimed, “I’m pretty sure I am already showing myself, wouldn’t you agree?”

  Jordan frowned once he realized that he was tricked by the tree. “What is your name?”

  With a commanding boss sound he cried, “I think you know my name. I’m Octavious Branch, the master of riddles.”

  “Well, Octavious Branch, master of riddles, how do you suppose I get my stuff out of the tree? I’ve grown very fond of both my robe and the satchel, you know, and I would hate to get physical just to get my things back.”

  Octavious chuckled a bit at Jordan’s last statement. “I saw the attack from the swamp monster and what he did to your leg. You are certainly not a threat.” Octavious Branch shook his limbs a bit, hinting that he might be a little frustrated with Jordan.

  Jordan tried reasoning with the tree. “So, Mr. Branch, it seems that we are at a stalemate. You are too tall for me to climb; therefore, I cannot reach my robe and satchel. It seems that you have me ‘up the creek,’ so to speak. Could you find it in your wooden heart to toss my things down? If so––I promise to be on my way.”

  Octavious smiled once he heard Jordan admit to him that he needed his help. “Well, I hadn’t thought of it that way. Usually when people are ‘up the creek without a paddle,’ there is no one to assist them. Fortunately for you, I can provide you with all the paddles you need.” Octavious tossed a tree limb down to Jordan as he laughed. “I’ve got plenty more where that came from.”

  Jordan didn’t like the trees sense of humor. He knew his time was limited so he said back to the tree, “What can I do to get my stuff from your limbs?”

  The tree answered. “Well, there’s not a lot that I can do, but I know some terrible critters that may be able to help you.” Suddenly Jordan saw twelve sets of eyes staring back at him. These eyes were the same beady little ones that had been following him through the forest his entire trip.

  Without notice, twelve small, bushy-like toggles came out from behind the tree and started hopping all around Jordan. These toggles were brushy and cute as they popped up and down, jumping and giggling. He was surprised by the adorable onslaught of toggles hanging onto his leg and grabbing at his clothes. “Tree, could you please tell me what’s happening?”

  Octavious spoke in a grim tone, “Don’t get too close; they have razor-sharp teeth, and they have the ability to devour you in less than thirty seconds, or your money back.”

  Jordan laughed, thinking there was no way that these little creatures could ever be any harm to him. That’s when he watched one of the little monsters saw his way through a neighboring bush in about five seconds with his razor-sharp teeth. “What did I tell you? They are quick and deadly.”

  Jordan took the little guys more seriously as he began to pull them off his clothes. “They seem a bit to
o clingy.” A pink toggle with big eyebrows tugged on Jordan’s pants leg as she said, “Come dance with me.” Jordan seemed somewhat confused, as one of the tiny green monsters came up to him holding a small sign which read, “Come dance with me.” Soon, all twelve of the monsters were jumping up and down, and shouting out loud: “Come dance with me! Come dance with me!”

  “So they talk. Nice. Just what are these little guys called anyways?” Jordan asked as he continued gently pushing them away, hoping not to upset one of them in the process. Octavious, on the other hand, displayed a gruff look. “What do you think a good name would be? They dance. They are toggles.” Octavious seemed irked as he shot back. “They are dancing toggles, and they will rip your face off, given the chance.”

  Jordan seemed a little more convinced once he saw another teeny toggle make a toothpick out of a neighboring shrub. “So why don’t they attack you?” The tree laughed. “They are my children. I shelter them from storms and feed them boggle boe-nonos from my branches. When they get out of line, I discipline them, but they typically do as they are told.”

  ************************************

  Thinking about it for a bit, Octavious Branch gave Jordan an ultimatum. “So, here’s what I will do for you. Since I am the king of complexity, I will make this very simple. Answer my riddle correctly and I will have my children retrieve your items so you can be on your way. Guess the wrong answer, and my minions will dance their little hearts out, while they quickly eat yours. What do you say then, do we have a deal?”

  Jordan didn’t have to think about it since he really didn’t have any choice in the matter. He still needed the Toggle Handbook, which was in his satchel. “Okay, deal. So what’s the riddle?”

  Without hesitation, the tree spoke up. “You are lost and alone in the woods when you stumble across an old cabin and decide to stay for the night. Wishing for some heat and light, you search the cabin until you find an old oil lamp and wood burning stove. Checking your pocket, you only have one match left. Which one should you light first, the lamp or the stove?”