The Reaping Willow

The Reaping Willow

They should've called it the 'reaping willow' instead of the weeping willow. The weeping stops, eventually. But the reaping doesn't. I knew a couple of people that the reaping willow has snatched up, but I never knew it would happen to me. To be honest I never knew I would live to tell the tale, but...here I am. Me and my family just moved into this old, brick house in Georgia. The door was brown and the bricks were worn. The windows were a little smudged, but regardless of its ancient features, it was beautiful. As we were moving boxes inside the house, I saw a weeping willow out in our backyard. It was a big, beautiful, Golden Curls Weeping Willow. I thought it was just some random old tree, but apparently, there was a story behind it. Legend says, that at night, you could hear the weeping of the many victims who were snatched from the...what legend calls it...Reaping Willow. Legend also says that you could hear an eerie voice coming from the tree calling out your name, but to do everything in your power to not go near the tree. And if you do, the vines from the tree will snatch you up and squeeze you to death, and will steal your soul. It did scare me a little bit hearing about the Reaping Willow, but I didn't let it bother me. After all, it was just a legend...right? A couple of nights I thought I heard my name being called, but I think that was just nerves. Maybe my mind was playing tricks on me. I have to admit, I was a little curious about what I was hearing, but I always fought off my curiosity. Just in case. But one night, I couldn't contain it any longer. I had to see for myself. I was in bed about to close my eyes when suddenly, I heard an eerie voice calling out my name. I ignored it and closed my eyes to go to sleep. I heard it again. This time, getting louder. I opened my eyes, my curiosity increasing. It couldn't be...could it? Thoughts kept racing through my mind. Should I see what it is? Or should I just stay in bed? After a few minutes of debating what I should do, I decided to go see what it is.The voice became increasingly louder with every step I took. Before I knew it I was outside, and there stood the Reaping Willow. As eerie as ever. Just as legend said, I heard an overpowering noise of people crying. I felt as still as a statue. I didn't think I could take another step. But I did...as if I was being pulled in, I took the extra few steps until I was right in front of the tree. A few seconds passed by and nothing happened. Then suddenly, I saw the vines rise into the pitch black sky, without a star in sight. My jaw dropped and my heart stopped. I couldn't move. Then, as the vines came towards me, it was like it snapped me out of it because I ran straight to the house. But it was too late...the vines caught me by the legs and dropped me right onto the ground. I struggled for what felt like forever but I finally broke free and tried for a second time to get into the house. But I didn't even get the chance to get up before it got me once again. This time...it got me into the tree. It was a horrible sight. All I saw were bodies of children, teenagers, adults, people of all ages wrapped in vines, to their necks down to their feet. But they weren't dead. At least...I didn't think so. Now I know where the crying is coming from...I can still see the tears rolling down their cheeks. The vines tightened around my neck like a noose. They wrapped around my body like a snake, and squeezed me till I was blue. I thought it was the end...because I didn't feel my heart beating any more. But then...something amazing happened. I was awoken by this small bright light. But it kept moving. Left and right. Left and right. I opened my eyes, and saw these three doctors looking down at me. I could barely talk, and I could see why. I looked down and saw a huge gash across my neck. It was pretty deep, but it didn't look infected. I went to open my mouth to speak but one of the doctors said "no, no, you shouldn't speak a lot for a while, that gash on your neck is pretty deep and could cause some damage if you talk too much". I immediately closed my mouth. Once I was put in a hospital bed I was given one of those mini chalk boards and a stick of white chalk. Then came the millions of questions. Do you remember what happened? Are you feeling okay? Etcetera, etcetera. I tried to write as fast as I can but the questions just seemed to keep coming. Once they got their answers, they left. They didn't really tell me anything else. Not even when I'm supposed to be leaving. I tried to close my eyes and go to sleep but every time I did, a doctor or a nurse would come in and bother me. After the fourth time I just stopped trying. Finally, one of the doctors that I saw once I woke up came in and told me that I needed surgery to stitch up the gashes all over my body. I agreed, and he sent me right off to surgery an hour later. An hour passed and I'm about to go into the surgery room. I'm so excited, yet nervous. I'm happy I'm going to feel better again but I'm nervous because I'm going to have these huge, hideous scars all over my body. Not to mention my neck, where it'll be the most noticeable! But I guess I can't complain. At least I'm alive.

Hours later I'm finally out of surgery. I'm a little loopy from the gas they gave me but from what I see, the scars don't look so bad. Hopefully when I can see straight they'll still look halfway decent. A week later I finally got to go home. And once I got home I was greeted by my wonderful family. My mum and dad, and my older brother. But I told them I wasn't strong enough to celebrate, they understood, and sent me off to bed. I slept for hours, and once I woke up I gave my whole family a big hug. Regardless the pain. Because the only pain that I truly feel, is the pain of having to go through all of that, to appreciate the life I have been given.