What did it look like?

It was high, very high, it stood nearly sixty feet in the air. The main trunk reached that height, but at the top, the stem bent toward earth, and the left branch sprouted from the middle, and rose nearly as high as the stem, but it bent toward earth too, at it's highest point. And the other, the branch on the right came from just a hair lower of the middle, and it too bent toward earth. This thing could not stand against the sky or the light. Its black grayish skin never saw a leaf, nor bud of spring, or green of summer, or the brownishred hue of autumn. This freak of nature lived year round in winter.

What did it do that was so bad? asked Dorothy whose attention span had rose to levels of high concentration, shown only by the widening of her eyes and the quietness of her position. She did not fidget, nor move one degree or the other from her seated perch. Dorothy was all ears! Nothing not even the smell of food, nor anger from Janes mouth erupting forth with the breathless curses of a woman on the edge could break her mindset.

It was known throughout the villages that this natures orphan had mystical powers, had the knowledge of life and death, and of the laws of the universe, all stored up in its image, some said it was evil, and others said no, how could it be. It was made like all of us. The children in the village would come almost everyday and sit and or kneel by its trunk. People would ask favors and every wish would be granted, new toys, new clothes, a freedom from sickness who ever chooses this life. At Christmas, the children would hang red balls from its branches, one on each branch totaling only three ornaments.

That's not so bad!

But there was always something demanded in return for it's wishes.

What?

Loyalty! Obedience! Worship!

And what if you didnt go along?

Then you would suffer the punishment for not obeying, thats why the people in the village called it DEMON! His hand came down on Dorothys shoulder and she jumped up from the floor, and went to the side of the bed.

What was the punishment? said Mary Alice.

The old man looked up, and smiled, For all eternity, for all the life you have on this earth, you will be haunted, in the day, in the night, awake, and when you are sleeping. You would have no peace in this life or the next. This is true, for I knew people that bargained with this freak, and have regretted it ever since. He coughed, and then fell back onto the side of the bed board. Im alright, just a little exhausted!

Oh, there goes another spooky story! said Jane who had positioned herself behind Mary Alice. However, Mary Alice was now engulfed in the story as much as Dorothy and listened attentively to every word coming from Stephens cracked and growling voice.

It will never get me, Im too tough, me and teddy will give it one big blow, and it will be gone!

You never know about these things, it might not be just folk lure! said Mary Alice.

Oh sure, like that thing out back. It never did me any harm! said Jane. In fact, I kind of like it. I dont know why, I guess because its so different. It survived where the other trees rotted and died. Its a fighter like me. The tree has attitude.

??

??

??

??