The Hanging Tree

Every state, city, county, or town has a story about a place you never go. Normal people want to be left alone when trouble strikes. They just want to wait it out and let it run its course without something else happening. This one isn't my story, but it was told to me to share with anyone who would like to read.

 "It was a cold night in December. I had just gotten home from college and was looking forward to my mom's home cooking. That woman could cook anything and make it taste like Heaven.

I was coming back from visiting a friend's place when I had car trouble. All I know is the knocking and white smoke was not normal. I pulled over to the side of 321 and waited for a tow truck. I had checked in with everyone to let them know I was safe when Dad took the phone. He wanted to know exactly where I was.

I told him where I assumed and I could hear the concern in his voice. He told me "Son, no matter what you hear, stay at your car." All I could say was "OK?" Before we hung up, Dad announced he was going to come get me.

I waited in the cold for a while. The car was entirely dead. My fingers and toes were frozen. All I wanted was sleep and a hot meal. The tow truck guy said he would take about 30 minutes to get to me.

I waited in the car with the door shut. I know you shouldn't, but I was off the highway far enough that only a freak accident would run into me. I was almost asleep when I heard a thud against the roof.

I sat too afraid to do anything. I heard it again. A rhythmic thud danced on the roof. I thought I was sitting through one of Mom's beloved river dance videos. I opened the door slowly and was about to stick my head out when I heard a crunch on the passenger's side.

I look over, slowly closing the door back and locking it, when I notice a tree trunk up against the door. I could count the wrinkles in the bark. I was beginning to understand why Dad was so worried.

​I sat in silence staring at the bark. I could see the woods beyond about 100 yards away. The way the tree was leaning, I should have done a massive amount of damage to my door. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes again. The tow truck and Dad should be arriving soon.

I was maybe unconscious for 5 minutes when I heard the dancing on the roof again. I opened one eye and looked at feet barely touching the hood of the car. My heart froze mid-beat. My blood stopped flowing in my veins. A dozen feet were playing patty cake with the hood of my car.

I let out a shaky breath and tried to call Dad to find out where he was. The phone was static when he tried to pick up. I couldn't help but stare at the feet. So many people.

Headlights lit them up. Either Dad beat the tow truck or I was going to have to pay the ferryman. A loud car horn blew behind me and I looked in the mirror. Dad got out of his car and was yelling my name. I leaped from my car and ran to him. He grabbed me by the arm and shoved me into his car.

We watched the tree shake with corpses and fade into memory. I felt ill. How could such a thing exist? I looked over at Dad. He looked how I felt. I dared not ask the question, I didn't want it coming back.

He looked at me with a fear I have never seen in such a man. All he said was "Don't tell your mother." He cranked up the heat to warm me up.

Shortly after the tree disappeared, the tow truck arrived. The next day we went to get the car. The mechanics could not find anything wrong with the engine. They replaced a drained battery and I got a lecture on being young and leaving the lights on. I got a lecture about letting people walk on my hood and roof, how it could damage the car. If they only knew.

We haven't spoken of it since that night. Its a silent agreement among the men in my family."