Once upon a long ago....

No Halloween would be complete without a spooky tale or two...
my second piece for Dash of Sunny's
"A Million Years Howl When Voices Whisper Among the Trees"

Here is a story for your delight.

To read aloud by candle light.

Of Floral Fiends on Darkest night.

Let's see who's best at "Fight or Flight"

MWAHAhahahahaha.....

Moon Daisies pt9 : The Story of Dead Man's Wood.

Abigail's question was greeted with a very excited chiming from the blanket of Bluebells that had gathered to see the new "cousins".

"Story...story..tell the story..." they all sang in unison.

"Well...if you insist?" said the tallest flower, his mellow tone lulling the crowd into silence.

"Are we all settled?" he enquired of the trio.

"Suppose so.." replied Stewie, looking to the others for confirmation, but getting shrugs and bemused looks in return.

"Then I shall begin...

Once upon a long ago, the Woodland was busy with life, thronging with birdsong and snuffling animals. All the Flora and Fauna got along wonderfully..."

"If you call eating each other 'getting along' " sniggered Stewie.

A stern glance from the Storyteller quickly silenced him.

"...all got along WONDERFULLY..." he repeated with great emphasis.

"Until one morning when the MAN arrived."

(a barely audible "du du duuuuuum..." came from a group of young Bells hiding in the shadow of an old Birch tree, and Mavis had to suppress a rising giggle)

"THE MAN..." he continued "decided this land would make a good home for himself and his family.

He CUT down the trees....(gasps of dismay echoed around the glade)...HACKING and CHOPPING with metal tools...(the gasps turned to fearful sobs)...until there was a clearing big enough to build his house in. He showed no remorse for the slaughter he had caused, families torn apart...LITERALLY!"

(A pack of Dog Violets that had wandered by to see what all the commotion was started to howl their distress)

A shiver began to creep down Abigail's back...she wasn't sure she wanted to hear the rest of this story. 

"The Woodland became very angry with the Man. He didn't even seem to understand that by destroying the trees he was creating an apocalyptic event for the other creatures that lived there. Or maybe he just didn't care! MILLIONS of lives were lost that season, eggs broken before young could hatch...(more sobbing came from the branches above them)...ENTIRE communities , scurrying to safety TRAMPLED under foot...OH THE CARNAGE!!!"

By this point the glade was in uproar, wailing and sobbing could be heard in every direction.

"THE MAN WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR HIS CRIMES!!!"

A hush settled over the audience...Mavis and Abigail looked at each other nervously...Stewie looked for the nearest exit route...

"By the time the Woodland and it's inhabitants had recovered from their loss all life in the clearing had moved on. No matter what he tried, no flower would grow and no birds came to feed. The land had become Cursed!

The Man's family were very unhappy...especially his young daughter. She longed to smell the flowers and to hear the insects buzzing...and so...she began to wander passed the tree line...ALONE!!!"

"Oh my goodness" whispered Abigail "you don't think...."

"Yes I do...." replied Mavis

"I think we need to leave...quietly" added Stewie

"On that fateful evening long ago, the Manchild found a clump of Daisies growing next to a rotting tree stump...like her father she showed no concern for the last stand of a decimated community...she reached down her BIG PINK HAND.....and YANKED the youngest Daisy from it's mossy bed!"

(the assembled crowd now sobbed uncontrollably)

" 'NO MORE!!!' screamed the eldest remaining Daisy 'NO MORE WILL WE GIVE OF OURSELVES FOR YOUR PLEASURE, YOU VILE CREATURE!!!' Such was the Daisy's rage that the Spirit of the Land felt her grief, and granted her wish for revenge.

The Daisies began to multiply and rapidly surrounded the unfortunate child.

It wasn't until after darkness fell that the Man found his child...lifeless and blood streaked...on a bed of Moon Daisies,"

(a few cheers were quickly stifled by the general populous, and the crowd fell into silence once again)  

"This was not the justice that the Woodland folk had wanted, but it was too late. The Daisies were ostracised and hence forth grew only on the cursed land, to which they had bound themselves with the spilling of innocent blood.

The Man in his anguish, wandered the woods looking for the beast that had killed his child, but never once suspected the pretty Daisies that suddenly sprouted as if in remembrance."

"O....M....G..!!!" gasped Abigail.

"And so the story ends." said the tallest Bluebell.

"WAIT!...That can't be the end?" sad Abigail. "That would make it 'Dead Girl's Wood' not 'Dead MAN's Wood'."

The Bluebells giggled at Abigail's stupidity...

"No dear...it's definitely 'Dead MAN's Wood'....it belongs to the Dead Man who still wanders at night...looking for is child's killer." He said, so matter of factly that they almost laughed...

"STILL wanders..." repeated Abigail

"...at NIGHT...." joined Mavis

"BACK TO THE HOUSE I THINK !" shouted back Stewie as he sprinted across the lawn once more.

.....

Sleep well Manchildren...don't let the Daisies bite

...mwahahahahaha...:D