by Nathan Jay
Chapter 12: The House
“Wake up, boy.”
Wilson woke up and looked around the car. His Grandmother smiled at him.
“Time to get your bags,” she said as she leaned into the car and rubbed his head. Wilson wiped the saliva from his mouth and opened the car door.
“Be careful. Let your brother sleep a little more,” Wilson’s father yelled from the opposite side of the car. Wilson looked over at his brother sleeping in the back seat.
“I should wake him up,” he whispered. After all, Wilson would be the one sweating through chores while his brother played video games. Tempted to wake up his little brother rudely as he continued sleeping in the car, Wilson decided against it and got his bags from the trunk. As soon as he started carrying the bags to the house, his grandmother stopped him.
“What are you doing?”
“Taking my bags to the house.”
“No. You and Michael are going to stay in Nana Ama’s house.”
Wilson dropped his bags on the lawn.
“What?”
Grandma Noya started smiling while Wilson’s father burst into laughter.
“You’re joking, right?”
The smile disappeared from the old woman’s face.
“No. I’m not joking. It’s time for you boys to learn how to take care of yourselves.”
“But…”
“Why do you think I was making you do all those chores? It was to teach you how to be independent.”
Wilson nervously stared at the old house across the street.
“Couldn’t you teach us another way? Nana Ama died in that house.”
A frown came over the woman’s face, and she lowered her head.
“I know, Mom,” whispered Wilson’s father. He tapped her gently on the arm as she moved towards the bags.
“Your Nana will be happy to see you,” said Grandma Noya.
Wilson shot a scared look at his dad.
“Her ghost?”
“If you want to use those words.”
“I’m afraid of ghosts.”
Wilson was lying. Ever since he discovered his new powers, there was truly little that made him afraid. Still, the possibility of a run-in with his Great Grandmother’s spirit made him nervous.
Grandma Noya lifted the bag and carried it onto the porch. Wilson’s dad walked over to him and slapped him on the back.
“Is that what makes you afraid? Ghosts?”
“I mean…yeah. Aren’t you?”
“What do you think happens when you die?”
“I don’t know.”
“I’ll be sure to tell your Grandmother to explain life and death to you. She explained it to me when I was your age. It’s cool.”
“But…the house. I don’t want to stay there.”
“Michael will be with you. It’ll be an adventure.”
Michael walked up behind Wilson and Dustin as they talked.
“What’s going on?”
“You and your brother will be staying in Nana Ama’s house on this visit.”
“Really? Alone?”
“Your Grandmother will be staying with you for a night or two. But mostly, it’ll be just you and Wilson.”
The boy took the news much differently than Wilson.
“Cool! That’s awesome!”
He ran into the house and left his father and brother in the yard.
“Don’t worry. You and your brother will probably like the freedom.”
“I don’t think so.”
“You do realize it’s not permanently dark in that house, right? You guys get to be men away from your parents. Mom will bring you food and stay out of your way. I did it when I was a kid.”
“You did?”
“Sure. Your grandmother isn’t a fool. I learned how to be a man in that house.”
“Was Nana Ama there with you?”
“Sure, she was—just me and her. We sat up talking and joking all night. It was fun.”
“You joked with Nana Ama? I never saw her smile.”
“That was years ago when I was a kid. She became more serious over time. I guess old age changed her a bit. I know she’s gone now, but you don’t need to fear her absence. If anything, you should feel safe. She loved all of us and would never let anything bad happen. Trust me. Nana Ama’s spirit loves you.”
As the two walked into the house, Wilson looked nervously at his father. He had his doubts.
Wilson, Michael, and Grandma Noya walked to the edge of the driveway and watched until Dustin’s car disappeared in the morning sun. Although his father had stayed the night with them, Wilson wished his Dad had stayed longer. He knew his father’s heart would break as soon as he returned home to find Wilson’s mother gone.
“Cheer up, boys,” said Grandma Noya. “Today is the day.”
“For what?” asked Michael.
“Today is the day you learn about the elders,” she replied.
Wilson was confused.
“You mean Nana Ama?”
“Yes, she’s a large part of that lesson. But you can’t learn about your Nana without knowing Wilson Jones. Their spirits are one.”
“I thought you told us to never speak of Great Grandfather Wilson.”
“You were too young at the time. But now things have changed. You are older. Wiser. It is time.”
Grandma Noya walked back towards the house.
“We’ll eat a good breakfast before we start our journey.”
Wilson and Michael looked at one another.
“Journey?” asked Wilson.
“Yes. Today we visit your Great Grandfather.”
Chapter 13: The History Lesson
After breakfast, Grandma Noya washed the dishes and changed from her everyday skirt into some jeans and a large sunhat. After the boys changed from shorts into jeans, they marveled at their grandmother’s appearance. They’d become accustomed to seeing her dressed in her usual bland “Grandmother” attire. It never occurred to them that she was more than they knew.
“Okay. Are you boys ready?” she asked as she walked down the steps of the front porch.
“Yes,” the boys replied while following her.
“You boys are going to have to keep up. The weeds are thick, and the forest is dark. Wilson, be sure to hold Michael’s hand.”
As the group neared the edge of the front yard, Grandma Noya made a turn to go around the house. Wilson spoke up.
“I thought we were going to Nana Ama’s house.”
“No. We’ll go there tonight. But today we need to visit your Great Grandfather’s house. He stays in the forest behind our house.”
As the group pushed through the weeds past Grandma Noya’s pigpen, all the pigs moved to the trough expecting food. The stench of mud, spoiled food, and pig excrement began choking the boys, and they both pinched their noses.
“Shoooo…” Grandma Noya said in a high voice to calm the pigs. As the group moved past the pigpen, the weeds started to become taller. Grandma Noya noticed a group of blackbirds circling up above and swung her arms in the air to scare them away.
“They think I’m bringing food to the pigs. No food today.”
Grandma Noya stepped through the weeds like she was a giant. Every step she took, Wilson and Michael had to take two to keep up with her. It wasn’t long before the boys lost sight of her. They could hear her pushing steadily through the weeds, but they could no longer see her. After a while, they yelled out to her.
“Grandma! Grandma! Slow down!”
Still, they couldn’t see her.
“Where did she go?” asked Michael, clinging to his brother’s hand. Wilson yelled again.
“Grandma! Hey!”
Just as they pushed through the next set of tall weeds, Wilson ran into his grandmother’s stomach, and both boys tumbled to the ground.
“City kids,” she grumbled. “I’ll move a little slower, but you need to keep up. We’re almost in the forest.”
The group walked on for a
few steps more and stopped. Wilson and Michael wiped the sweat from the brows and froze. The edge of the forest looked like a massive fortress of trees, vines, and bushes climbing up into the sky.
“Whoa,” exclaimed Michael. “We’re going in there?”
Grandma Noya walked to an opening beside a large tree.
“This way. Keep up.”
Just as Wilson took the first step, a large snake slid across his path.
“Snake! Snake!” he yelled and pulled his brother back. Michael peered from behind his brother at the creature.
“It’s huge!” he exclaimed.
Grandma Noya stepped out from the forest and walked over to the snake. Calmly, she lifted the creature and tossed him into the weeds. The boys looked at their Grandmother in astonishment.
“Why are you afraid? There is too much of the city in you. Now let’s go.”
As soon as he entered the forest, Wilson took a deep breath. It was as if he walked into another world. All the sounds he’d heard in the weeds disappeared. Stepping inside the forest was like roaming inside a large empty container of milk. Other than the occasional hoot from an owl, there was nothing. It was as if something had swallowed all the sound of the world. The forest floor had thousands of black pine needles. The trees' bark had been singed and looked as if someone dipped them in ink.
“Was there a fire here?” asked Wilson. His Grandmother turned to look at him before continuing to walk into the darkness.
“Yes. We burn the forest every two years to prevent forest fires.”
“Who? You and Uncle Charlie?”
“Me, your uncle, and a few neighbors from town. It’s better than having lightning strike a tree and sparking a fire.”
Michael stopped walking and looked around.
“You hear that, Wilson?” he asked. Wilson listened.
“Crickets,” he responded. “I never heard them in the middle of the day.”
Grandma Noya chimed in.
“Do you think life stops when the sun sets? No. Life must continue.”
“How much longer do we need to walk?” complained Michael. Grandma Noya stopped.
“Wilson, how much do you know about your Great Grandfather?”
“Not much because you told us not to talk about him.”
Grandma Noya started walking again.
“Your Great Grandfather’s family were freed slaves turned sharecroppers. Do you boys know what a sharecropper is?”
“No,” the two boys responded.
“Well, a long time ago, America allowed slavery. Michael, you know what slavery is, right?”
“I think so.”
This time Wilson spoke up.
“We studied it in social studies. It’s when someone takes away your freedom and forces you to work for them.”
“That’s right. Now, when slavery ended, sharecropping was a way for landowners to continue to have their fields worked. Instead of slaves, they allowed workers to live on the land and split a portion of the owner's wages. Understand?”
“Like partners, right?”
“Yes and no. In theory, it was supposed to be like that. But the reality of the arrangement was much different. Outlawing slavery didn’t mean that everyone immediately stopped practicing oppression. There were a lot of broken promises, abuse, and exploitation. For years, the Jones family worked on two plantations: the Smith Plantation and the Pervis Plantation. Things were okay until a worker at the Smith Plantation was beaten to death by the owner over a bad tobacco crop. Paul, your Great Grandfather Wilson’s father, decided to leave and work exclusively at the Pervis Plantation. Mr. Pervis was a friendly owner, but more importantly, he was fair to the six families that lived on his property. And for Paul, fairness was a rare thing in the South. The pay was above average, and the owner didn’t interfere too much in the workers' daily lives. It was a fairly good set up for Wilson and his family. They stayed and tried to make a life for themselves.”
Grandma Noya stopped talking. The group arrived in a grassy clearing full of sunshine and birds.
“We can rest here for a bit.”
Grateful for the rest, both boys flopped down on the grass and wiped the sweat from their brows. Grandma Noya took a sip from her canteen and passed it to her grandsons. They each drank from the canteen as if they hadn’t had water in days.
“You boys need to get more exercise. Too many video games.”
At that moment, a large brown deer entered the clearing and stared at the group resting on the grass.
“Wow. A deer!” exclaimed Michael.
“Quiet child,” whispered Grandma Noya. “She’s not alone.”
Seconds later, a spotted fawn emerged from the dark forest. The small animal looked at the group curiously before following its mother into the woods. Grandma Noya continued her story.
“Anyway, like I was saying, your Great Grandfather Wilson and his family spent many years at the Pervis Plantation. But one day, Mr. Pervis disappeared. An evil man named Mr. Green took his place and started bossing the workers around. He set up men with guns around the property's perimeter and held the workers against their will. Anyone attempting to leave was taken to the center of the property and killed for all to witness. He took away the free time that the workers had for their families and made them work unreasonable hours. Mr. Green treated families like animals.”
Grandma Noya stood and slung the canteen onto her shoulder.
“Okay, boys. Only a little further to go.”
Grandma Noya led the boys through the forest for a half mile before they emerged in a field. Wilson stopped and looked around. He had seen the area before. Perched sitting at the far end of the field was an old house.
“I’ve seen this place,” whispered Wilson. Grandma Noya nodded towards the house. “Your Great Grandfather is buried behind that house.”
As the three walked across the field, Grandma Noya continued her story.
“One day, Paul was in the fields cutting tobacco when he came upon the first owner’s body. Mr. Pervis had been shot and buried in a shallow grave amongst the tobacco. Paul went back to the families and told everyone what he had found. Word got back to Mr. Green, and he beat Paul and dropped him in an old dry well in his backyard. Mr. Green kept him there for weeks. He threw rotten food down to him and forced him to eat it. He made the guards take turns urinating on him. They threw rocks at him and cursed him.”
“When they finally pulled Paul out of the hole, he had so many maggots on him that the worms seemed to be a part of his skin. But the abuse didn’t stop there. Mr. Green assaulted the Jones family by beating your Great Grandfather and his mother with whips in front of the community.”
Finally, the group arrived in front of the house. Michael moved close to his grandmother and stared at the home.
“That house is spooky,” he whispered.
“You need to be strong,” she replied. “The only spirits here are of your family. Your blood. There’s nothing to be afraid of on this land.”
Grandma Noya grabbed Michael’s hand and began walking around the side of the house to the backyard. Michael looked back at his brother.
“Come on, Wilson,” Michael yelled. “Why are you just standing there?”
But Wilson was frozen in fear. Standing on the front porch was a ghost, a shirtless black man covered in blood. His face was grotesque, swollen with deep gashes on his forehead. One of his eyes was missing, the eye socket teaming with thick white maggots.
Grandma Noya looked back at Wilson and paused. After a few seconds, she pulled Michael ahead.
“Don’t worry about your brother. He has to take his path for himself,” she said.
As the two disappeared around the house's corner, Wilson remained standing in front of the house, unable to move. Slowly, the ghost descended the stairs and began walking to him.
“Protect the family…” the ghost whispered.
Wilson took a step back. Still, the ghost continued forward.
“He appr
oaches. The Evil One. You must protect the family.”
Wilson turned around to run across the field but stopped in his tracks. There were dozens of ghosts standing in front of him, all of them with their hands outstretched.
“Protect your family. He approaches,” they all said. Wilson’s heart was pounding. There were children, women, and men. Young and old. All of them wearing the stench of death, their flesh gray and decaying.
“Grandma!” yelled Wilson. But she didn’t hear him. Suddenly, Wilson felt a tugging on his arm. He looked down to see a Native American little girl pulling on his arm.
“Agowatiha!” she whispered. “Seeeeee….”
Suddenly Wilson was surrounded by darkness. After a few moments, his eyes adjusted to the light. He was at the bottom of a deep hole. The dull glow of the moon was the only light he had to see.
“Grandma! Michael!” he yelled. “Help! I’m trapped.”
Wilson heard whispering above him. There was shuffling and more whispering.
“Hey! Is anybody up there?”
A loud evil laugh rang out. Suddenly a white man’s face appeared over the hole.
“Are you hungry, boy?”
“Please, can you help me get out of here?” pleaded Wilson.
The man ignored him.
“Too bad, you missed supper. No worries. I saved some vittles for you.”
Suddenly Wilson’s body was drenched in a milky substance that smelled like vomit. He looked on the ground around him and saw chicken bones, rotting meat, and other spoiled food items all around him. Vomit shot out of Wilson’s mouth, and he fell back against the wall of the well.
“Hahahaha…how do you like your dinner?” laughed the voice from above.
“Fuck you!” Wilson cursed as he brushed the slop out of his hair. The man above the well continued laughing and then stopped. Wilson moved close to the wall and reached up for a hold of something to climb out. As soon as he placed his hand on the concrete, he felt something cold crawling on his skin. He held up his hand for inspection and saw a large maggot crawling up his arm.
“Aaaaaahhh!”
Wilson screamed and fell on his back in the rotten food. Suddenly maggots were all over his body. As he tried to brush them off, more and more appeared. Soon he couldn’t move his body anymore. The rotten food became a deep pool of filth pulling on his body like a suction. The maggots were overwhelming. One by one, he felt the creatures crawl up his neck, to his face, and into his eye. Wilson felt one of the insects on his eyelid. When it touched his eyeball, a jolt of pain shot through Wilson’s head, and he saw a blinding light.
