Francis M. Martinez

Cursed Forest

Cursed Forest

The year is 1870. Deep in a green Montana pine forest, a shirtless Jonah chops wood, and splits a log outside his cabin. His muscles glisten in the sunlight.

Elizabeth, a gorgeous young woman in a skirt, and blouse walks through the door, and yells, “Breakfast!”

Jonah shouts back, “I’ll be right there!”

He hears a horse whiny, and turns to see three U.S. Cavalry soldiers approach him at a gallop. Suddenly, the lead horse tumbles, and sends the rider to the ground.

Jonah yells, “Elizabeth, go inside!” He drops the axe, and runs to the rider.

Jonah sees the men stand around a dead horse and rider.

“His neck is broke, Sergeant,” says Abraham.

Benjamin barks, “It’s the curse Lieutenant!”

“Can I help?” asks Jonah as he approaches the men.

"We’re looking for Jonah,” says Abraham. “Do you know him?” He glances at him.

Jonah smiles, then says, “That would be me.”

Abraham hands him a letter, and says, “Fort Benson orders, scout for us!”

“No, not interested. I’m retired,” says Jonah and draws away.

Abraham says, “We have to protect settlers from the Indian attacks.”

Jonah backs away.

Benjamin says, “Look Sarge, he's chicken!”

Later that night after supper, Elizabeth whispers in Jonah’s ear, "Stay, don’t go,” as she tenderly caresses Jonah.

Jonah says, “I won’t go,” and gently kisses Elizabeth.

Suddenly, a great force rips the front door from the hinges. A large, hairy Werewolf jumps through the door. His sharp teeth set in a wrinkled snout and large glowing yellow eyes. The werewolf backhands Jonah and sends him across the room.

Jonah falls writhing on the floor. The werewolf reaches for Elizabeth. She screams. The werewolf flips the kitchen table over. Elizabeth screeches, “Don’t touch me!”

The werewolf grabs Elizabeth by the waist and lifts her over his back then quickly runs away.

Early in the morning, Jonah painfully rides a horse into a forest. He wears a dirty slouch hat and a knife tucked in a boot. There is a Remington pistol in his holster and a sheathed Winchester rifle hangs on the side of the saddle.

Suddenly, the horse rears. Jonah falls off. The horse gallops away. Jonah grabs the rifle and ducks behind a tree. A werewolf stands behind him. Jonah breathes heavily, “Oh, shit,” as he trembles to lift the rifle, carefully aims, and fires. POM. POM. POM.

Bullets soar out of the barrel, twist, and hit the werewolf, but nothing happens. Behind the werewolf, a young woman stretches her hand outwards, grabs a lightning bolt from the air, whipping the werewolf with the bolt of lightning, and knocking him down.

Jonah carefully looks around the tree and says, “Thanks.”

The woman purrs, “You’re welcome.” She lovingly stretches her hands out for Jonah.

She says, “Come.”

They walk in the forest until they reach a pond. They kneel at beside a spring in a bright clearing.

The woman stamps Jonah’s naked body with red hand prints.

Amazed, Jonah says, “Who are you?”

Softly, she says, “I’m White Dove?”

Jonah asks, “What are you doing to me?”

She says, “You’re becoming a great warrior.”

Jonah melodically, “Thank you. I...”

Suddenly, the woman disappears. Distracted, Jonah walks out of the forest, and he sees a dust cloud in the distant horizon. “Cavalry!” He says.

Jerimiah approaches Jonah atop a horse. He leans over his horse, and says in a southern drawl, “Decided to join me, did you?”

Jonah, huskily says, “Yes sir.”

Jerimiah shouts, “Where’s your horse?”

Jonah says, “Threw me in the forest?”

Jerimiah hisses, “Hop in the supply wagon beside the Gatlin' gun!”

Later that day, atop his horse and overlooking a valley Jerimiah says, “Gentlemen, below is the Snake River.” Jerimiah continues, “Timothy, go upriver. Attack the village! I’ll be to your right. Abraham, support the rear in case we retreat. Benjamin, you're with the wagons; behind Abraham. Jonah, what did you find out?”

Jonah says, “They’re a mile ahead, could be an ambush. We should wait?”

Raging, Jerimiah says, “If your weren’t the best scout in the territory, I’d have your scalp!”

Jerimiah lifts his sabre in the air, and says, “Charge!”

The Cavalry Troop charges on horseback. Timothy pulls out his rifle and fires at a female werewolf in a village. The werewolf drops the baby. Timothy gallops and tramples the baby under the horses’ hooves.

Elizabeth runs out of a tent.

Jonah notices her, and says, “Liz! God no!” He looks on in horror as Timothy chases Elizabeth down. He fires at Elizabeth. The rifle jams. He throws the rifle and unsheathes his sword, swings the blade, and decapitates her.

Jonah says, “No!” runs to Elizabeth, and lifts her lifeless head, and he tries to reattach the head to the body. Jonah kneels beside her body and sobs.

He shouts, “Elizabeth!” He gently sets her down, and draws his gun.

Jonah sees Timothy in the middle of the village waving his sword in the air over his head in victory as he says, “We have them!”

Jonah lifts his revolver and sees Timothy in his sights.

Click. Clack. Jerimiah pushes an iron pistol barrel at the base of Jonah’s skull, and says, “Don’t even think it, sir.”

Jonah freezes. He sees that werewolves swarm the soldiers and yank them off their horses.

Timothy shouts, “Fall back across the river!”

Jerimiah says, “I’ll deal with you later. Right now I need you to ride to Abraham’s position! Tell him to bring his men!”

Jonah gets on his horse, and gallops to Abraham’s position in the rear. He says, “Captain needs help! Bring the Gatlin' gun and reinforcements!”

Abraham crouches behind a wagon and says, “No, I’m waiting for Timothy!”

Jonah says, “Now!”

Abraham says, “Tell the Captain we’ll send bullets when Benjamin catches up!”

Jonah gallops back into the forest. Jerimiah looks at Jonah, “The reinforcements?”

Jonah says, “We’re alone.”

Jerimiah says, “Damn him!”

Jerimiah stands in the center of a swirling mass of carnage. The werewolves tear the soldiers apart pulling away limbs from their bodies.

Jerimiah shouts to his men, “No...stay together!”

A werewolf pushes Jonah off his horse. Jonah punches the creature away. Another werewolf jumps on top of Jonah.

Jonah says, “No, it’s not my time!” Jonah pulls a knife from his boot and stabs the werewolf through the heart. Jonah falls back, exhausted. He looks up to see that Jerimiah stands among piles of dead soldiers.

A werewolf charges Jerimiah. Jerimiah lifts the Remington revolver, aims, and, squeezes the trigger; Click.

Jerimiah says, “Damn!” The werewolf jumps on Jerimiah, and digs his sharp claws into Jerimiah’s skull.

Jonah draws away as werewolves approach him and surround him.

White Dove pushes through the werewolves and reaches Jonah. She kneels beside him.

Jonah says, “White Dove!”

She looks at the werewolves and in a soothing voice says, “Do no harm.”

Suddenly, a werewolf transforms to the shape of a Shaman, and says, “You speak for this one?”

She says, “Blood is not on his hands.”

The Shaman says, “They kill their own...his woman!”

Tears well up in Jonah’s eyes.

The Shaman turns to Jonah, and says, “You fought bravely, stay among us great warrior.”

Jonah anxiously says, “I’m grateful great chief, but I must go home.”

The Shaman thunders a response, “Your own people will destroy you. They kill their young. They think they are better than you. Among us, you are our equal.”

Jonah sadly replies, “That is where I belong.”

Annoyed, the Shaman says, “If you go, you cannot return. If you do return, it will be as an enemy.”

Jonah stands and walks away.

White Dove says, “I will go with him.” She exchanges glances with Shaman.

Shaman whispers, “White Dove, you are the last of your kind.”

She says, “I know, but I’m sure.”

She quietly walks behind Jonah. They reach the cabin.

Jonah says, “I have sad memories in this place.”

“You do not want me here with you?”

“I need to be alone.”

“I must stay.”

“Go, leave me for a day.”

“You are sure?”

“Yes.”

“Farewell.”

She saunters away, disappearing among the trees.

Jonah takes steps and falls to the ground.

Jonah says in a raspy voice, “Ahh...” as he struggles to stand, rolling over on his back.

Jonah moans, “No, no, no!” He lifts his skeletal, decomposing hands to his eyes.

Copyright © 2014 by Francisco M. Martinez