Shivers: A Ghastly Shade of Green

Chapter 13

"But I don't understand, Snake-eye! That doesn't make any sense," I protested. "Why would the plants take revenge on Tannin? He didn't hurt anything."

"No telling, sonny. Maybe he was ripping up plants with his paws or chewing things up bad out in the woods. Can't really say 'cause I wasn't there when the tree got him," Snake-eye answered. " 'Course, I still ain't sure I really want to give that ol' Indian legend no heed. I hate to think the trees and bushes out here is alive enough to kill folks! No, I'm just telling you the story 'cause it does seem kinda strange, with the curled palm frond an all."

To call it "kinda strange didn't seem strong enough to me. Kinda bizarre, maybe.

Kinda terrifying, for sure.

As we walked back through the thick jungle toward the cabin, I tried to put the legend of "procoharim" out of my thoughts. It was just a silly old story made up to scare Seminole braves, I told myself.

"Revenge of the plants," indeed.

But somehow, I couldn't believe it was only a tall tale.

Somehow, I felt the Indian legend told a very disturbing truth.

And that made me extremely nervous as we pushed through the deep green forest of plant leaves.

Maybe the plants wanted revenge on me, too.

My arm got caught in a snarled mass of hanging vines as I truded behind Snake-eye. I felt sure the plants were after me!

I shouted for Snake-eye, frantically trying to free myself from the tangle of thick, rope-like vines.

He turned around and carefully worked my arm loose.

"Relax, sonny! You worry too much!" Snake-eye said. "Them plants wasn't out to strangle you or nothing. Just watch where you're going next time. You got to keep your eyes open real wide in the jungle, boy!"

After that, I opened my eyes wide as I could, staring at everything around me and following just one step behind my guide.

Finally, we walked from the dark cover of woods into the sunlight again.

What a wonderful feeling! What an incredible relief!

Even though the humidity and heat were worse than ever, I felt as though I could breathe again. I had survived this untamed forest at the edge of the Everglades.

Once more, Snake-eye had saved my life.

"Well, sonny. Here's your cabin. You OK now?" he asked.

"Yes, Snake-eye, I'm fine now. Thanks very, very much! You really saved me in that jungle," I replied. "Do you want to come by the cabin for a glass of lemonade? We can talk some more if you want to."

"Thanks, sonny. Maybe I'll drop by tomorrow and take you up on that. But I got some fishing to do this afternoon. Probably should head along on my way," Snake-eye said. "You be careful now, though, you hear me? I'm going out in the 'Glades in my canoe. I won't be around to watch over you none this afternoon."

"I'll be careful, believe me, Snake-eye. Very careful!" I promised. "Thanks again! For everything!"

I watched the old man walk slowly along the edge of the swamp, his hatchet dangling from his belt. I even waved good-bye to him once, but he didn't see me.

I hurried to the cabin, hoping I would not have to clean up some mess my little brother had made. It had been a long time since Timmy had visited the outhouse – after all, I had ordered him to wait for me inside the cabin.

I dreaded taking off his sticky pants. Yuck!

"Timmy, I'm back," I said, bounding up the cabin steps. "Timmy, where are you?"

I looked around the living room. My brother wasn't there.

Only his crayons and coloring books remained where I had last seen him.

I raced through the cabin, calling his name, looking into every corner of every room. I couldn't find him.

I panicked.

It was bad enough when Tannin had disappeared – but this was a hundred times more frightening.

This was Timmy! This was my kid brother!

I ran everywhere at once. Outside and inside. To the outhouse and back to the bedroom. To the porch and back to the bedroom. To the porch and to the edge of the huge swamp.

I screamed for him at the top of my lungs.

"Tiiiiimmmy!" I bellowed.

He was nowhere.

Had he drowned in the Everglades? Had an alligator eaten him? Had he wandered into the jungle after me?

I remembered the fate of Tannin and shuddered.

Not Timmy, too!

I flew back inside the cabin for maybe the tenth time, praying Timmy would somehow be magically waiting for me.

But he wasn't.

Then I looked carefully at his coloring books and noticed something I hadn't seen before.

It was bright green, and it stuck out from between two pages of the book Timmy had been working on. I spread apart those pages and gasped, horrified beyond all words.

It was part of a tropical tree, the curled tip of a single palm frond!