Old Ancestors

Royce sat on a boulder and looked down at the forest of naked oak trees. The trees looked dark and knotty with their ragged branches sticking out in all directions, some even looked like they were intertwined together.  He hated this town of Live Oak. He especially hated this time of year. It all started the first of the month when his mother would cut that stupid persimmon seed. This year was different though, because he was thirteen now and would have to part-take in the rituals. This made him hate all the superstitious bull shit that went on here too.

On the first of the month his mother would split a persimmon seed and whether from an old wives’ tale or just something silly this little town did, he didn’t know. In years past his family would watch and wait and see just how the persimmon seed’s prediction would turn out, some of the time it was right on, others it was the complete opposite.

This year the permission seed held the shape of a knife, which meant this winter would be extremely cold with strong cutting winds. So far, it had been colder than normal, and the wind came early and chased all the autumn colored leaves off the oaks, and this is what he looked at now. 

Tonight, was the ritual, Royce grew increasingly nervous as the day passed, he would have to make it back home and leave with his family to the middle of that daunting forest. All young males who turned thirteen in the past year would all be put in a circle and the winner would be sacrificed. He’d known friends in the past who would try to get out of participating in the ritual, in the end, they would die of some horrible accident. Royce thought about running away, but he really didn’t want to die. His father and brother bother survived the ritual and he was hoping he would be the third lucky male in his family.

Royce returned home and saw his family there waiting. “Hurry up son, or we’ll be late.” His mother said as soon as he came into the house. Sure, he thought, I’m the one being put up for sacrifice and you’re worried about being late. Whatever. “Make sure you wash everywhere.” His mother yelled.

He cleaned himself and then donned the white robe. He met his family in the living room and they were on the way.

The dusk air had a chill to it and smelled of burning leaves. He followed his family down a make shift trail into the woods until they arrived at the ritual site. He couldn’t tell if it was foggy or smoky from the fire or a combination of both. He had his virginal white robe on and he still felt the icy cold wind but he was burning up with fear.

There were eight sacrificial boys this year, and they too look scared.

Royce was shivering now.

‘May we have all the ritual participants in the middle please?” the pastor announced.

Oh now, I’m a ritual participant, why don’t you just call me what I am, a sacrifice, Royce thought. His mother tried to explain, that he wasn’t called that because not all the participants would “win” that right.

The eight boys were herded into a circle around the bon fire and each one blind folded. Before the blind fold went over his eyes, the last thing Royce saw was the forest full of trees.

The ritual was to march around the fire three times and then the pastor would chant….

These are the young boys turning to men

One will lose; and others will win

Take this participant and forgive our sins

So that we may see our ancestors again.

After the chant, the pastor would come by each participant and they would draw a stone from a brown leather pouch. If the stone selected was white you would be a winner. No one knew what color the losing stone was, all he knew is he wanted to see a white stone.

Once every participant had their stone, they were turned toward the forest. Then and only then would the blind fold be removed. Whoever had the colored stone would be sent into the forest. The forest would receive the “sacrifice” and return past ancestors who had previously died and been buried in the ground.

Royce’s heart was pounding out of his chest, he didn’t like the forest, he hated it and couldn’t imagine just walking right into it, to the end of your life. His hands were sweaty as the pastor came up to him.

“Are you ready? Once I lift your blind fold, check the color of your rock. If it is any color besides white you must walk into the forest. Do you understand?” the pastor asked him.

Royce nodded.

His blind fold was removed and before he could look and see what color it was, he already knew he was safe, because another participant had removed his blind fold and walked into the forest. Royce didn’t know who, but he did see the three old ancestors coming out of the forest.