Tales of the monsters Rougarou have been passed down from one generation to the other. The Rougarou, is something of a werewolf type creature that is said to stalk the underbrush of Big Cypress Swamp, searching for its favorite prey, a careless hunter, trapper or fisherman. It's also said to prey on household pets when the picking is lean. It's said to favor cats more than dogs. Its also said to make the many hidden hollows and vales that dot the thickly covered area the locals call “Haunted Hollow” its home.
I was raised in “Haunted Hollow” , an area just fifteen miles south of Benton. Now, the township of Benton is surrounded by a half ring of hills the locals have given the colorful nickname of “Haunted Hollow” too. And if you look at the map, Benton itself is kind of sandwiched between this half ring of hills to the North and and by the Big Black River to the South.
Anyway my name is Cerridwen Circe Whitethorn and I'm an apprentice witch. My mom, Pandora Whitethorn is a herbalist and practitioner of herbal medicines. Now part of my apprenticeship is learning how to identify various types of healing herbs and plants that grow in the hills, swamps and marshes of this region. I'm also tasked with collecting them and bringing them back to mom so she can make her potions as she calls them. It was on such an expedition that I know I came very close to being the Rougarou's lunch.
It was late July and the weather was hot and sultry. The Dog Days of summer were upon us, I started out that morning dressed in a light cotton dress, a broad straw hat with a pink ribbon tied around it. A pair of leather saddles, an old leather bag that held a bottle of water, clippers, and a pair of leather work gloves and finally an old basket. Mom had gone into town to buy a few odds and ends and had instructed me to go out and look for some herbs that should be coming into bloom. And with my gear in hand and my marching orders pocketed, I started out on my quest.
The woods that surround our house are rich in herbs, finding them is not a problem, the problem is getting to where they grow, they grow deep in the woods, so find them one will have to traverse through thorn bushes, over creeks and brooks, up hills and down hollows. And in summer, the forest can become a lush, green hell. Timber Rattlers and Copperheads love the forest and often lay ready to strike from the shadows. One bite from those and you might as well say you're prayers. Beside snakes there's also ticks, leeches, gnats, black flies and mosquitoes.
Anyway returning to my story, I had been hiking for about three hours and I was drenched with sweat, my dress clung to my body and I had just guzzled down the last bottle of water I had brought with me. It had to be pushing close to a hundred and ten that day. I had only filled my basket half full with roots, berries, and herbs, enough to last my mom a few days I was sure. And so with the sun high in the sky, and sweat stinging my eyes I turned toward home.
I was almost home when a powerful thirst overtook me, I became light headed and dizzy and I started to crave water, I needed water, knowing I was still a good mile and a half from home, I decided to bend down and fill my water bottle from one of the many creeks, brooks and streams dot our woods. The water is pure, mom and I have visited the sources of these creeks, brooks and streams many times, and all the water for moms potions come from them, I'm pretty sure there safe to drink. With my plastic bottle in hand, I bent down and caught some of the fresh, flowing water, being spring water it was frigid despite the heat and the minute I lifted the bottle to my lips was the minute I felt blissful relief from the heat.
I quickly swallowed that little bit of water and bent down to fill up my bottle again when I heard a low growling sound fill the air. I looked up and there on a low rising hill I saw it. A beast that stood as tall as a man, it was covered in matted black fur, its paws were the size of tractor tires and his muzzle was black as tar. The beast threw its head back and released a howl that caused my blood to run cold. Then, it started to run down the hill and to my horror it was running right at me!
I don't know why, but I bent down and picked up a small rock that was laying at my foot, I picked the rock up and tossed it with all my strength, then went sailing through the air before smashing into the face of the beast. The beast was stunned and for a moment paused its advance. This pause allowed me to find another sizable rock and once more I tossed it, this time aiming for the head of the beast. The rock smashed into the head of the beast.. And this time it howled in pain. Its eyes became red and it pulled back its lips to revel row upon row of sharp, white fangs.
And for a good long minute we stood there, facing each other down, then sniffed the air and howled once more vanished into the woods. I then took off running, I ran faster than I had ever ran before. I did not stop running till I reached the front porch of my house. Mom at this point had returned from running around.
“Mommy” I cried as I dropped my basket on the ground and rushed toward my mother, I quickly threw my arms around her and squeezed her sides and buried my face into her blouse, I could feel hot tears running down my cheeks.. I was so scared, I thought the thing was going to eat me! And we'll be safe and sound and in my mother's arms. It was a relief let me tell you.
What happened then? I told my mom about it, she listened and made notes, she also told me to go into my room and to use my best penmanship to write down everything that happened, and I mean she stressed everything, I was told to leave nothing out. Once I had finished writing my report, she ordered me to get into the bathtub and bath. She said a nice, warm, bubble bath would help. She even drew the bath water herself, and she went a step further and washed my back and hair for me. After that she fixed me a light dinner of chicken tenders and french fries. After dinner she brought me a mug of chamomile tea and tucked me in. Tired from the days events, I quickly fell asleep in the cool darkness of my room.
I woke up around midnight to we'll make water, once I had finished I returned to my room. The moon was full that night and not a cloud could be seen in the sky. The stars shimmed like millions of fairy lights in the darkness. But then, in the garden below I saw something that made my blood run cold, the same beast before was standing near daddies tool shed. And the beast was peering right up at me, my blood turned to ice water as it tossed its head back and once more howled its howl before vanishing into the woods.
The End.
