Author T.M. Witko

Kariwase was destined to be a healer, but that changed when he encountered a strange creature. One that was able to kill his friends by draining their blood. With help from the spirits he survived, but soon realized he was becoming what he had killed. Feeling desolate and alone he lives a life of solitude, praying for death to take him. Throughout the years, he meets several people that change his path in life, some for the good, and some for the bad, but through it all he begins to see that an eternity does not need to be spent alone, and with love, anything is possible.

1 First Contact

Near Hudson River, 1683

The forest was busy with activity. He noticed that the animals were restless. Instinctively, he reached into the quiver, pulling an arrow out. Raising his bow, he walked carefully around the fallen tree branches. Stopping as he approached the familiar creek. The water brushed over the small rocks, singing its song for those able to hear it. He lowered his bow, and kneeled, touching the palm of his hand on the soft soil.

“What do you hear?” Kó:r asked.

“Nothing,” he replied, rising to his feet.

Atená:ti scuffed. “You always hear something.”

Kariwase ignored his friends as his eyes scanned the environment. They liked to tease him because he was cautious; always listening to what orenda was trying to tell him. He was one of the few in his village who could hear the spiritual force that flowed through all things, Kitchie Manitou. It had saved him on many occasions. He had been told that he would be a healer, but he liked to hunt. He wanted to be a warrior. Maybe one day, he would study under the medicine men, but for now, he would simply enjoy the hunt.

He looked between his friends. “Something feels off but I cannot figure out what it is.”

“It’s nothing,” Atená:ti told him, starting to take a few steps away from them. “Come, we must get moving if we are to be back by sundown.”

Kariwase nodded but turned back towards the creek. He stared across the water towards the trees. He felt as if he were being watched; but felt no spirit flowing from where he was looking. That was wrong. He should be able to sense the birds and squirrels who make their homes in there. Something definitely was not right. Every bone in his body felt this.

“Kariwase, catch up!” Kó:r hollered back to him.

He breathed in deeply and turned away from the source of his discomfort. He would need to keep on guard to make sure there was nothing to fear. He needed to protect his people from any threat that came their way. He had already seen his clan nearly extinguished due to illness that he was sure the pale men had brought to the country. He would not see any other harm befall his people.

“I’m coming,” he hollered back.

Kariwase followed his friends further into the forest. They checked some of the traps they had laid, surprised there were no animals in them. They always captured many deer and elk. This was very strange. They continued to walk, looking for signs of deer. After all, that was what they had been tasked to obtain on this hunting trip.

“Where have all the deer gone?” Kó:r asked, looking between the two of them.

“They are probably further inland,” Atená:ti stated assuredly, looking ahead of them.

“It looks as if they were frightened,” Kariwase said, motioning his head towards a scattering of hooves.

“Deer are always frightened. It’s in their nature to always be afraid,” Atená:ti told them both. He walked over and placed his hand on both of their shoulders. “Come on, let’s go find them.”

The men nodded and followed Atená:ti further into the forest. Kariwase found himself wondering if the forest was now quiet because there was a predator in the woods. At this thought, he began to alternate walking backwards, so that he could keep an eye on the rear and any danger that may be approaching. When he turned around to make sure he wasn’t off course, Kó:r was eyeing him with speculation.

“What’s going on with you?” Kó:r asked concerned.

“I don’t know.” He tried to quell the unease that washed over him. “I think we are being hunted.”

This stopped all three men in their tracks. Each of them drew an arrow from their quiver and lined up their bows. They formed a triangle, moving in a clocklike manner to assess for danger. If some unknown predator was indeed hunting them as Kariwase believed, then they must be prepared to fight who or whatever it was.

“I don’t see any tracks by the white men, so it cannot be them,” Kó:r stated as he looked on the ground.

The white men had come to their continent many years ago. At first, they seemed harmless, incapable of surviving in their world. They let them be, but more started to come. They were hunting up and down the river, taking more than what they needed. Some of the people wanted to make contact with them but his clan did not. Instead, they had moved further into the forest.

“Could be a bear,” Atená:ti suggested, lowering his weapon slightly and drawing Kariwase out of his thoughts.

Kariwase nodded reluctantly. “Maybe.”

In truth, he didn’t think it was a bear at all. If it were one, he would feel its spirit, its energy. Instead, he felt nothing. He closed his eyes and tried to focus on the light breeze and the rustle of the leaves. Nothing. It bothered him that he couldn’t feel the energy around him. It was as if every creature was holding his or her breath.

“We should head back,” Kó:r stated nervously. “This isn’t right. Something is wrong.”

Atená:ti stared at him, shaking his head disapprovingly. “Now, he has you spooked too, eh?”

“Shh,” Kariwase told them.

Kariwase felt a shift in the energy of the forest. A cold breeze swirled around them. That was unusual for this time of year. He breathed in slowly. Sometimes the spirits came to him in that way, but what was happening now didn’t feel like the spirits. This was something else. His heart dropped as realization hit.

“Something’s coming,” he whispered.

Before any of them could respond, a man emerged from the trees. He moved swiftly, faster than any human could move. This could not be possible. Kariwase quickly shot an arrow in its direction, but it was swatted away before reaching its mark.

“Run,” Kariwase screamed, trying to release his friends from their frozen posture.

The man snatched up both of his friends. It held onto Kó:r as it bit Atená:ti on the neck. It then turned and bit Kó:r as well. Before Kariwase could comprehend what was happening, the man grabbed him, biting him as well. Kariwase fell to the ground. His body became limp. He could see what was happening but was unable to move.

He watched in horror as the man went back to Atená:ti. It was then that he realized it wasn’t a man after all. It was as he feared. It was a wendigo, coming for them. Why though? The three of them had done nothing to warrant a wendigo. He tried to remember what he was supposed to do in a situation as this but he was distracted by the sounds coming from where the creature was. It sounded like a bear feeding. His friend became pale as if all the blood had been drained from his body. The creature dropped him to the ground and went to Kó:r.

The creature didn’t look as he imagined a wendigo would look. It looked more man than beast and was not emaciated as he had always seen in drawings. He was sure it was one though. What else could it be? He knew he needed to move. He needed to kill this creature before it made its way to the village.

“Great Spirit, watch over my people. If I am to die here, keep this vile creature from them.” He could hear the words but knew that were only in his head.

A light shone brightly around him. He saw figures emerging, but the figures had no distinguishable shape. They approached him, lifting him up. One blew into his face, which awoke his body from its paralysis. His eyes blinked and his legs moved. He nodded at the spirits as they retreated, and the light slowly evaporated.

He reached for his knife and snuck up on the creature. He knew that when an animal was feeding, they didn’t pay attention to anything else around them. He hoped that this would be the same. Kariwase jumped on the wendigo, spearing him with his knife right at the base of the neck. He thought that might be a weak point as it was with all other beings. If he could sever the spinal cord, perhaps, he could immobilize it, so it could be killed.

The creature screeched into the night. The piercing sound caused all the animals in the forest to yelp in terror. Birds flew from their nests, squirrels scattered from their trees, and the sound of hooves thundered across the ground, as animals scurried to safety.

The wendigo turned swiftly. Fresh blood dripped from its mouth. The creature hissed at him, showing its sharpened teeth. Kariwase was momentarily shocked. Now that he was up close to the creature, he could see that this was not a Wendigo after all. What was it? Its face was clearly a man’s face but with eyes as red as the berries that grew in the summer. What kind of man hunted in this way? He had never heard of anything like this. There were no legends or stories that he could remember that spoke of men who drank the blood of other men.

These thoughts passed in a split second before he went into action again. The spirits had awakened him. They had heard his prayer and wanted him to protect his tribe from this creature and he would do that even if it killed him. As the creature approached him, he pulled out his other knife and ran towards him, jumping in the air, startling it. He rammed one knife in the creature’s spine, and the other through his chest.

The creature appeared surprised by this and let out another hiss as Kariwase pushed the knives inside the creature even further. The creature’s skin was thick, thicker than any animal he had encountered. The strength of the ancestors flowed through him, allowing him to hold on to the thrashing being, until it no longer was able to move.

“Kó:r, Atená:ti,” he called to his friends.

He moved away from the creature to his friend. Kó:r was not moving. He touched his face and set his ear on his chest. He could not feel or hear or hear the beats from his heart. He quickly moved over to Atená:ti. It was as he had suspected. He was dead.

“No,” he cried.

He scooted away and drew his hands to his face. He felt overwhelmed with sadness. He had known them his entire life. They had shared many nights laughing and enjoying each other’s company. It was why they worked well as a hunting party. They could anticipate each other’s moves, knew when to be serious, and when it was okay to laugh.

“I must take you back home.” Kariwase wiped his face of tears and stood up. “I will not leave you out here.”

He stared at the creature that lay motionless on the ground. The knives were still wedged inside of it. He wanted to pull them out but was afraid too. What if he did that and it somehow came back to life? He shook his head at that dismal thought. No, he would not take any chances. He walked to his friend.

“I must borrow this, Atená:ti,” he told him, as he reached for the knife he carried.

He then went to Kó:r and reached for his knife as well. He got to work quickly; making a stretcher out of branches that he tied together with vines. He tugged on the vines. They were secure. He had made these types of carriers before. Usually, it was to bring back large game like caribou. It should be strong enough to do what he wants it to. Working on the carrier had given him focus, but thinking about dragging his friends back to the village brought the tears back.

“Stop now,” he scolded himself. “You need to get moving before you lose daylight.

He carefully lifted his two friends, placing them on the stretcher. He then walked over to the unknown creature and examined it further. The blood that oozed from the two holes was jet black. He knew that sometimes blood turned dark in the air, but he’d never seen that on a man before.

“What are you?” he asked the creature.

There was no answer because the creature was dead. He hesitantly reached down and touched its skin. The texture felt leather-like, but it was harder than he anticipated. Human skin, even in death does not feel this way. He realized that the spirits were with him earlier, as he could not imagine being able to penetrate the skin otherwise.

“You’re dead, right?” He said and then shook his head at the bizarreness of his question.

He was still hesitant. He worried that removing the knives might awaken the creature. He briefly thought he should just leave them. After all, he could make more knives. However, the knowledge that they killed this seemingly un-killable creature made him want them. Perhaps the spirits had blessed the knives.

“I need my knives back.”

He breathed in deeply and placed his hand on one of the handles. He tugged, frowning when it didn’t move. He grabbed the handle with two hands and braced himself. He pulled with all his strength, but the knife didn’t budge. He stared angrily at the creature and tried with the other one, getting the same result.

“Fine, keep them!”

He stepped away and moved immediately to his friends. He stretched his back for a moment and then gripped the two long tree branches, placing one at each hip. He breathed out and took a step. It was a long way home. It would take most of the day to get back. At least in the time it took to get there, he could try and sort out what had happened.

2 Search Party

Mohegan Camp, 1638

Kariwase stopped just short of the village. He was exhausted. He needed to rest but he could feel the energy of his people. They were so much smaller than they used to be. Once the colonizers came to this land, they brought death to his people. There are too many to count. Some of his people wanted to help them, to work with them. Not Kariwase. He knew they would be the destruction of his people. He had seen it in a dream, and the elders had confirmed his dream had been a premonition.

He looked over his shoulder at his friends. They both looked like they were sleeping. His heart hurt with an ache he doubted would ever be healed. He couldn’t believe they were dead. His neck started to throb, which drew his attention away from his friends. He set the poles down and touched his skin around the marks. It was cold to the touch. He had almost forgotten the moment of paralysis before the spirits had helped him defeat the creature. Was this a remnant of the creature?

“Calm down,” he told himself.

He took a couple of deep breaths to settle his mind and body. Once he felt calm again, he picked up the poles. He couldn’t think of his fear of what might happen. He needed to get his friends back home. Some ceremonies needed to take place to ensure they had a safe journey to the ancestors. He would seek the assistance of their shaman when the situation with his friends was taken care of.

“Kariwase, what happened?” His mother asked with concern, the minute she laid eyes on him.

“We were attacked,” he responded sadly.

“Come, we must meet with the chief.”

He turned and called several people to take Kó:r and Atená:ti. He followed his mother. She led him to their great chief, a man with great wisdom. He hoped he would know what to do. The chief, Odeserun, was waiting for them. His expression could not hide the fear and worry he carried. Beside him stood his second, and their spiritual leader, the medicine man Simeon. They all looked concerned, especially Simeon. Not that Kariwase blamed him. This situation was dire.

“What has happened?” Odeserun asked, drawing Kariwase out of his wayward thoughts.

Kariwase cleared his throat before he began to speak. “A creature attacked us. I killed it before it could kill me, but not before it had killed Kó:r and Atená:ti,” Kariwase stated, leaving out the details about how the creature had drained his friends of their blood.

Odeserun watched him carefully, a stern expression on his weathered face. Kariwase knew that the chief could tell that he had left out important details. In truth, he wasn’t sure why he had left those details out. Perhaps it was because of how unexplainable it was. At some point, he would need to explain further.

“How did the creature kill them?” Odeserun asked.

Apparently now was the time to explain, he thought to himself and looked between the two men. “The creature looked like a man but was taller than any man I’d seen before. He came out of nowhere and attacked us. He was stronger than any man I’ve encountered. His skin was hard, and his teeth razor sharp, like an animal.”

“How were you able to ward this creature off?” Odeserun questioned, his eyes fixed on Kariwase.

He glanced at Simeon and took a deep breath before looking back at his chief. “I called on the spirits to fight this creature. They gave me the strength to wield my weapons against him.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that Simeon smiled slightly and nodded his appreciation of the gift the spirits had provided. Everyone was quiet as Odeserun contemplated their next move. Obviously, something had to be done but Kariwase wasn’t sure what that was. He was sure the creature was dead but then again, how could one be truly sure of anything as it related to a creature like that.

“Take some men with you,” Odeserun ordered. “Make sure there are no more of these creatures that may endanger our village.”

Kariwase nodded. He had a suspicion this was the decision that would be coming. He left the home of Odeserun and stepped towards a group of men who had gathered near his friends, their friends. All of them looked ready to go to battle. Kó:r and Atená:ti were loved by all. They did not deserve the fate that had become of them. Kariwase motioned his hand to the growing crowd of warriors.

“Follow me,” he told them with a fierceness they rarely heard from one training to be a holy man.

Kariwase moved quickly. He knew where he was going and was anxious to get there. He felt a strange energy in the forest, something that wasn’t there before. At first, he thought perhaps it were other creatures like the one he had killed, but the energy felt different. It wasn’t like anything he had felt before. He stopped moving and listened.

“What is it?” one of the younger men asked.

“Shhh, let him listen,” another man said in an agitated tone.

Kariwase could hear several people behind him, which was making it hard to concentrate. “Be still everyone.”

Everyone quieted down. Kariwase closed his eyes and tried to focus on the strange energy he felt. He could pick up the sounds of creatures scurrying along the tree branches, and a deer or elk, walking towards the creek. However, he knew their energy as he knew his own, but that was not what he had felt. Suddenly, the energy disappeared. Kariwase stood straight up, looking around confused. Things in the woods felt normal again, but how could that be. He knew what he had felt.

“Everything okay?” one of the men asked.

“Yes, I believe so. I felt something odd, but it appears to be gone now,” he replied, as he started moving again.

They walked carefully for several miles until they arrived at where the attack had taken place. To his surprise, there was nothing there. That wasn’t entirely true. There was a pile of ash on the ground. The creature was gone. He walked over to the pile and kneeled, drawing some of the ash in his hand. He brought it to his nose and sniffed softly. It was not wood or any animal that he knew of.

“I believe this is the creature,” Kariwase told them.

“How can that be?” one of the men asked.

“I do not know,” he stated glancing around. “I only know that this is where it happened. Of this, I am sure.”

He dropped the ash back on the pile. He moved some of it around hoping to find his knives as proof that this was where the attack had happened, but they were not there, which he found to be strange. If this was indeed the creature, his knives would be there as well. How could they simply disappear into thin air? It made no sense to him. He looked to where his friends had died.

“If you look right there, you can still see their impressions in the ground, and over there,” he motioned to another spot, “is where I drug them away from here.”

“Everyone, spread out,” one of the warriors ordered. “Let’s make sure there are no more of these creatures in the area.”

That thought made Kariwase’s stomach turn into knots. He had assumed the creature was an isolated incident, but what if it wasn’t. What if there were more of them nearby? He closed his eyes and took a few steady breaths, as he tried to focus on the forest. Were the animals moving about? He distinctly remembered that everything seemed to go silent when the strange creature appeared.

“Kariwase, what do you hear?” one of his friends asked with evident concern.

He blew out his breath. “I hear scurrying in the trees. The animals haven’t left the area, so it is likely clear.”

“Better to be safe,” another one stated.

“Yes, it is,” Kariwase agreed. “We must search as far as we can, in every direction, to ensure the safety of our people.”

“Spread out,” one of the more seasoned warriors announced, as he directed groups of people into various directions.

Kariwase and the others spent several hours patrolling the area, looking for any signs of the creature or its kin. Thankfully, they had found nothing to indicate the attack wasn’t an isolated incident. The walk back to camp was slow and quiet. At least for Kariwase. He was still wrestling with the loss of his best friends at the hand of what could only be called a monster. Now he would need to explain to Simeon how he had called the spirits, and he hoped that Simeon would be able to explain why he had been saved while his friends were not.

“What did you find?” Chief Odeserun asked, when the men approached him.

“Nothing,” Kariwase said woefully. “The creature turned to ash. There was no trace of it.”

“Were there any signs of other creatures like it?” he questioned further.

Kariwase shook his head. “Not that we could find.”

“That is very good,” he said with a sharp nod. “Now we must prepare our brothers to meet their ancestors,” Odeserun said, looking towards the medicine man.

The warriors dispersed and a lot of movement ensued after that. There were several ceremonies that needed to happen to prepare the bodies for their journey. Kariwase followed the medicine man, and quietly prepared. He listened as the old man talked about the spirit world and that this wasn’t the end, that we would meet our loved ones when we walked with the ancestors.

“What troubles you, Kariwase?” Simeon asked in his gentle tone.

“I’m saddened about their death,” he replied, looking upon his friends. Their death had been needless.

“It seems more than that,” the man stated, as he covered the two young men.

“I keep wondering why I was saved,” he sat down, contemplating. “Why did the spirits save me and not them?” he asked looking up to his mentor and spiritual guide.

The old man grunted as he sat on the ground beside him. “Perhaps it is because there are things you must do.”

Kariwase furrowed his brow angrily. “And Atená:ti and Kó:r did not? They were invaluable to our people.”

The old man nodded and gave him a warm smile. “It is not for us, to try and decipher the mysteries of the world. We think on it, we try to explain it, but in the end, it is the ancestors, and the spirits, that decide our fate in this world.”

“I feel they made a mistake saving me,” Kariwase replied, burying his face in his hands, to cover his tears.

“It was no mistake, my dear child. If you had not killed that creature, we may have all died.” He grunted again, as he carefully rose to his feet. “Stay and say your goodbyes before we must begin.”

Kariwase watched the man leave and then stood up. He walked between his two friends and laid his hand on each of their shoulders. Their bodies still carried some warmth, but Kariwase felt cold. He closed his eyes, wanting to remember how they were when they were alive. Their laughter was infectious, and he already missed them greatly. He sighed as he opened his eyes and looked between the two of them.

“I will miss you, from now until the day I die. Whatever it takes, I will figure out what happened to you,” he stated determinedly.

He heard people gathering outside and took a deep breath before exiting to greet people. The rest of the evening felt like a blur. He knew people were talking to him, but the words did not sink in. Eventually people let him be. As the evening slowed and his friends were taken care of, he walked to the edge of camp. He wanted to be alone, away from people.

“Why me?” he whispered into the night.

Of course, there was no answer. Why would there be. From this day forward, he would likely question his own existence. There was nothing special about him to warrant his survival, yet here he was, alive when his friends were not. He started to rise, when a sudden pain ripped through him. He dropped back to the ground, writhing in an agony he had never felt before. It was as if he were dying.

3 Medicine Society

Mohegan Camp, 1638

Kariwase awoke to find himself lying splayed upon the soft grass. He sat up gingerly, not sure how long he’d been there, or what had happened. The last he remembered was falling to the ground in the most excruciating pain he had ever experienced. He looked at his body, examining for any signs of distress. He saw nothing obvious. He stood without effort; in fact, he had never felt as invigorated as he is now. He suddenly felt as if he were being watched.

“Is there someone out there?” he called out, almost afraid someone would respond.

He rose to his feet and looked around. He walked towards the wooded terrain and closed his eyes. He tried to sense if there was a presence around him but felt nothing. In fact, he didn’t even sense the movement of the birds or critters that are normally in motion. This was not good. It was the same thing that had happened before he and his friends were attacked by that vile creature. He did not have the chance to contemplate this any further, as the stillness was suddenly gone. He was now able to hear and feel the woods come alive.

“I must get home,” he told himself.

He started to run, amazed at how fast he was going. It seemed surreal. How could his legs be moving so quickly? The world whizzed by him in a blur. He stopped abruptly before he reached the camp. As he approached, people turned to him. He could see the confusion on their faces. Soon he saw the Chief, Odeserun, walking up to him quickly, followed by the medicine man, Simeon.

“What happened, Kariwase?” Odeserun asked. There was an urgency in his voice.

“I needed to get away to think,” Kariwase answered honestly. “Everything felt like it was closing in around me.”

Odeserun glanced at Simeon who turned back to Kariwase. “You’ve been gone for five nights?”

“That is not possible,” Kariwase stated in complete shock. How could he have slept that long? He stepped back panicked. “I felt sick and woke only a few moments ago.”

“Do you still feel sick?” The chief asked concerned.

Kariwase recognized the look. They had seen lots of illness since the settlers had come to this land. “No, I don’t feel as I did before. I feel very good right now.”

The chief stared at him for a moment and looked towards the medicine man. Three other men had walked up as well and were conversing with Simeon. They were the medicine society, a group of spiritual leaders. It was his path to join them as a member of society. Of course, that was before his encounter with the strange creature. Now, he wondered if that future was fading away or if he had any future at all. He needed to stop thinking of the worst possible outcome. The spirits saved him before and would know what to do now.

 “Go with Simeon,” Odeserun said firmly, bringing Kariwase out of his thoughts.

Kariwase nodded and followed the medicine society to the ceremony house. He had spent much time there. It was a place where he felt most in touch with the orenda. He needed answers to the changes that were happening to him. This was the best place he could be. As he walked inside, he could hear the words of the tribal members that had gathered outside of the house. They were afraid he had contracted some illness from the monster he had battled. It surprised him that he could still hear them, but he didn’t question it. He felt a restlessness inside of him as he pondered the thought of what would become of him.

“What’s happening to me?” he asked Simeon, his mentor and spiritual guide.

“Do not worry, Kariwase,” he told him softly. “We shall call on the spirits for guidance.”

Kariwase nodded as he stepped to the middle of the room and laid on the rug on the ground. It was a bit odd to be here in this position. Usually, he was one of the helpers, now he was the one that needed help. He closed his eyes as the medicine men chanted and asking for the spirits to come and guide them. They began to blow medicinal smoke all around him while singing songs for the spirits and ancestors. He kept himself perfectly still, concentrating on the words that were being spoken around him. It didn’t take long before he felt the presence of the spirits around him.

“They’re here,” he thought to himself.

“We ask for help for this young man,” Simeon spoke with reverence.

“He has been touched by something unnatural,” he heard the whispered voice say.

“This is what he has told us as well, but how can we help him heal,” Simeon begged.

“It was a sacrifice he made for the people to survive,” the whispered voice continued. “But the infection will consume him.”

“Will death follow,” Simeon asked with great sadness.

Kariwase felt a coldness wash over him. He knew this was the orenda, moving in and out of him. He had felt this before when in ceremony. Simeon had told him that they were drawn to him, which is what would help him become a great healer for the people. He steadied his breathing, until he was in a trance-like setting.

“You must be strong, young Kariwase for you are losing this battle,” he heard the voice say inside his head.

“How do I fight this?” he responded to them silently.

The coldness left his body, leaving him shivering from the experience. He tried to calm himself. He knew that if he could remain in balance that he could control his body temperature, until it got back to normal. With one last steadying breath, he felt himself return to his previous state of being. He felt the presence of the spirits still in the room but sensed they were hovering above him now.

“It is unclear what awaits him,” the whispered voice said aloud.  “We have never seen this type of infection before, and do not know what may become of him.”

“Can we do anything to stop the infection from spreading?” Simeon asked with an urgency he rarely showed.

There was silence for a moment and then the spirits spoke, “There is nothing that can be done to stop this.”

This was it. He would succumb to this infection and die. He didn’t mind that at all. If it meant that his people were safe from that vile creature, he would die a hundred times. This was his fate. A sacrifice he would willing make for the safety of others. 

“How long before the infection spreads?” Simeon asked defeated.

“Not much longer for we can barely sense him anymore. He will be fully infected soon.”

Kariwase felt the cold air rush out of the room and knew that the spirits had left the ceremony house. He wanted to run out of there as well but had to wait until he was dismissed. He felt Simeon’s hand on his shoulder and sat up slowly. He stared into the troubled eyes of a man he knew cared about him deeply.

“Did you understand what was said?”

Kariwase nodded solemnly. “There is nothing that can be done for me now.”

His mentor closed his eyes for a moment and then squeezed his shoulder gently. “I must meet with the chiefs to talk about what was told to me and what we should do.”

“I know,” Kariwase replied softly, doing his best to not give away the fact that he already knew what must be done. “What do you think their decision will be?”

“It is not up to me.” He looked at the other members of the medicine society and then back at Kariwase. “Rest, I will come back to get you when I have answers.”

Kariwase grabbed his arm before he could leave. “Thank you, for all you have taught me.”

Simeon’s eyes watered before he offered him a hopeful smile. “Do not worry. Everything will be as it should.”

He watched him hurry out to tell the chiefs the bad news with the others following close behind. Kariwase would not wait for an answer; he would banish himself for the safety of everyone else. Whatever sickness he now carried; he would not put it upon his people. Otherwise, his sacrifice was pointless.

Kariwase quickly went to get a few of his things. He didn’t have a lot he needed to bring, but gathered clothes, a blanket, a few mementos including a shining rock he had found in the stream, and finally some dried meat he had. He could hear sounds outside his wigwam but they did not come inside. When the voices dissipated, he snuck out before anyone saw him. He had always been stealthy but now it seemed enhanced. Everything about him felt heightened. He slipped out of the encampment and headed deep into the woods.

“How far have I gone?” He asked himself, looking around, trying to gauge the distance from his people.

He didn’t recognize the terrain, which was odd to him, as he had hunted in these mountains for years. Well, he would need to find shelter soon. He quickly went to work, gathering branches to make a shelter for the evening. He would decide in the morning what his next steps should be. Once his shelter was built, he smiled proudly.

“Not bad,” he said aloud.

He took a seat on the soft grass and pulled out the pouch with the dried meat mixture called pemmican. His grandmother had taught him how to make it when he was a young boy. She taught him many things before she succumbed to illness. He missed her greatly and wondered what she would think about the situation he now found himself in. Would she be proud of his sacrifice or would she beg him to stay with his people. He would never truly know but he hoped she would have thought the best of him.

He looked up into the sky, wondering if she was watching him. “I hope you are not angry at …”

His head shifted up as he stopped talking. He listened carefully. His hearing had always been good, but it was now exceptional. He set his pouch down and picked up his bow and arrow. He stepped away from his campsite and pointed his arrow, rotating directions. He could have sworn he had heard something not far from him. The strange energy he had felt when he had awoken appeared to be back.

“Whoever you are, show yourself for I am not afraid,” Kariwase stated with fervor.

There was a quick swish of air to the left of him. He turned in that direction following the intruder. If it was indeed another one of those creatures, he would defend his people from it. He already knew he was able to do that as he had done it before. This creature would not get away from him. He ran as fast as he could and then stopped abruptly, not feeling the energy signature anymore.

“Where are you?” he questioned, angry that he had not been able to catch it.

He sighed and looked behind him. He had traveled a great distance to be thwarted by this monster. He shook his head angrily and started to run again, this time, back to his campsite. He may not have caught it this time, but perhaps he had scared it away from his people. It was a thought that brought him immense satisfaction. It did not take him long to reach his camp, perhaps the distance was not as far as he imagined.

“I wonder how long I have before the infection completely takes me over?” he wondered aloud.

He had so many questions that he wished he had asked the orenda, but at the time he couldn’t, and now, well, now he was accepting of his fate, and it didn’t matter. There was only a small part of him, the human piece he imagined that wanted the details he would likely never have the chance to receive.

4 The Sorcerer

Near Mohegan Camp, 1638

It had been a week since Kariwase left his village. He found that sleep no longer came to him. Instead, he stared into the sky, wondering how long he could go before he lost his mind. As the days went on, he wondered if the infection had run its course. Was it safe to return home? He wouldn’t take the chance. He would wait a while longer.

He grimaced. “Whatever you are, show yourself, for I am too weak to chase you down.”

He had felt the sensation of being watched, yet again. It was nearly daily now. He had tried to catch whoever or whatever it was many times, but no matter what it would always return. He wished it would show itself to him and get it over with. His body had grown weak, and at this point, he would welcome death.

“I am Thaddeus, the preeminent sorcerer of these lands,” the man said with authority.

Kariwase stared, his mouth agape. The man was very tall. He wore strange garments and shoes. He had seen the settlers before, but they did not dress in this way. He had layers upon layers, with ruffles and pants that poofed out at the sides. His long hair flowed down his back and over his chest, in soft waves and what Kariwase could only describe as curls. His voice was strong and there was an air of superiority about the way he stood that told Kariwase that he must be a man of importance.

“Where did you come from?” Kariwase finally said.

He carefully brushed down his coat. “I have lived in many places, but this land is now my home.”

“How do you understand my people’s language,” he asked.

“Ah, well, being the preeminent sorcerer of these lands, I know the language of all its inhabitants,” Thaddeus stated smugly.

Kariwase furrowed his brows. “How is that possible?”

“I’m a powerful sorcerer.”

“Yes, you have stated that many times already,” Kariwase responded with a shake of his head.

“Well, you seem to be having trouble grasping that idea,” Thaddeus replied angrily.

There was a pause. Hoping to change the subject, Kariwase then asked the strange man, “Why are you dressed that way?”

Thaddeus looked at his attire and grinned mischievously. “I’d like you to know that this is piqued fashion all across Europe.”

“You came here with the settlers?”

“Oh, goodness no,” he said aghast.

“Why have you been following me?”

“Because my dear boy, you fascinate me,” he stated excitedly. “How did you kill my creature, with only these ordinary knives.” He pulled out Kariwase’s knives and fiddled with them. “I have examined them and cannot fathom how you could have achieved such a feat.”

With great effort, Kariwase rose and reached his hand out to the strange man before him. “Those are mine. I’d like them back.”

Thaddeus grinned at the seriousness on Kariwase’s face. “You may have them.”

“Thank you,” he replied, placing the knives in their sheaths. “You said that creature that killed my friends was yours?”

“Yes, indeed,” Thaddeus removed his gloves and sighed. “He was not the brightest of the lot, but I never expected him to stray so far away from everyone else.”

“You mean there are more of them?” Kariwase stated frightened. He immediately grabbed his bow. “I must protect my people from them before someone else dies.”

Thaddeus laughed. “My, my, aren’t you heroic.”

“I must protect my people from danger,” Kariwase replied indignantly.

Thaddeus stepped closer to him, which created an uneasiness within Kariwase. “And who shall protect them from you?”

“What do you mean?” Kariwase muttered.

“You are now one of my vampires as well,” Thaddeus replied coolly. “Have you not noticed the changes within you?”

Kariwase stepped back until he felt the tree behind him. He swallowed as he nodded. “I haven’t eaten in days, I run faster, and see and hear everything more acutely than before.”

“Yes, that is a side effect.” Thaddeus tapped his gloves against his hand a few times before slipping them back on. “You are weak because you have not fed yet.”

“I have not been hungry,” Kariwase replied.

Thaddeus chuckled. “Your body graves blood, so go kill someone. You’ll feel a lot better.”

“I cannot do that,” Kariwase replied in shock.

“Why not? There are loads of humans in these parts that serve no purpose. Feed on one of them,” he stated nonchalantly.

Kariwase stood straight, finding the strength he needed. “I shall not do that.”

“Suppose you’ll starve then,” Thaddeus stated indifferently. He looked like he was about to say something else, but his head quirked to the side slightly and with a wave of his hand, he vanished.

Kariwase dropped to his knees in anguish. He had been turned into one of the vile creatures that had killed his friends. Now this sorcerer was telling him he too would need to feed on someone. Fear enveloped him in the thought of his people. He would rather die than hurt any of them. No, he needed another solution.

“I will go further north, far away from my people,” he stated aloud.

With that thought in mind, he gathered his things and cleared away his shelter. He was still weak, but he would manage it for now. He knew he had enough strength to get far enough away that he posed no threat to his community.

~*~

Kariwase had been traveling for several days. He was growing weaker with each passing day. A large part of him welcomed the idea of starving to death. He felt confident that the spirits would understand and appreciate his fortitude. He knew he wasn’t near starvation yet, but if he didn’t feed soon, he felt it would be coming for him sooner than he thought.

He looked up when he heard a scream. “What was that?”

He rose to his feet quickly and ran in the direction the scream came from. He hid behind some bushes to see what was happening. He saw a man draped in fur, standing near the creek. There was a woman on the ground. She wasn’t Mohegan, maybe Pequawket. The man grabbed her arm and jerked her up, raising his hand to strike her once again.

“No!” Kariwase growled.

Without thought, he sped to the man knocking him over. His mouth immediately latched onto his neck and drank. He knew what he was doing but was incapable of stopping. It was as if a frenzy had engulfed him. He had seen animals in this state, now he was an animal. With every ounce of blood he consumed, his strength came back tenfold. When he finished and his thirst was satiated, he rose to his feet.

“I won’t hurt you,” he spoke in his Native tongue.

She watched him carefully and without fear, approached him. “You saved my life,” she said in the language of her people.

“I don’t understand?” he replied.

She looked at the man on the ground, and back to him. She motioned with her hands. “He is my husband,” she said in English.

Kariwase recognized that. He even knew a few words. He and his friends were often sent to spy on the settlers. They had turned out to be more harmful than first imagined. Some of the Confederacy trusted them, but Kariwase did not. He shook the thoughts from his head and focused on the woman before him. She was very beautiful, with long black hair that she kept in a braid. She was wearing a dress made from deer hide, and moccasins that went up half of her leg.

She motioned to the man again and went over to start dragging him from where he lay. Kariwase grabbed the limp man and tossed him over his shoulder like a dead deer. It still amazed him that he now had this type of strength. She led him into the woods until she came upon a small cabin. There were a couple of horses in a small makeshift pen, and a wagon near the edge of a tree line. She motioned for him to stop.

“I’ll be right back,” she stated, although he didn’t understand her.

She ran to the side of the house and grabbed some type of weird-looking stick. She walked towards the back of the house, near a clearing, and stuck the instrument in the ground. Dirt came out, and she pierced the ground with it again. Kariwase now understood what she was doing. She was digging a hole to put the man in. It seemed a weird thing to do but he would help her. He set the man down, and walked over to her, reaching for the digging instrument she’d been using.

“I can do it,” he said, placing his hand on the shovel.

She reluctantly let it go and handed it to him. Kariwase dug with ease, following her instructions on how deep to make it and how wide. He had guessed it needed to be big enough for the man he had killed. He still wasn’t sure how he felt about what he had done. This person had not been a good man. A good man wouldn’t hit a woman. Yet, did he deserve the fate he received?

“Stop,” he heard her say.

It was one of the only English words he knew. When he had heard about the settlers, they had stopped doing what they were doing, so that’s what he did as well. She pointed to the man. They both walked over to him. She dug into his pockets and removed a few items. He didn’t see what and then took off his hat, coat, and shoes. She then motioned for Kariwase to place the body into the hole he had dug.

“Move the dirt over him,” she stated, making hand motions over the dirt, indicating what she wanted done.

It didn’t take long for Kariwase to bring the dirt over the man’s carcass. Once he was done, he looked at her for further instructions. She stared at the dirt but didn’t look sad. She looked angry and he wondered if that man hurt her all the time. This very thought made his blood boil with unmitigated rage. If he could, he would kill him again for that.

“Come inside,” she said, breaking him out of his thoughts.

Looking at her soothed his blood lust. She repeated what she said. He didn’t know those words, but she motioned to the house. He looked at it, unsure. It would not be appropriate for him to enter the house of a woman who was already with someone. Then again, someone was now lying under a pile of dirt. Did that make it okay?

“Please, come inside,” he stated again, this time he sensed she would be hurt if he didn’t.

He nodded, and the brightest smile spread across her face, lighting it up with happiness. She reached her hand to him. He carefully took it, afraid if he squeezed too tight, he would break it. She led him inside. It was not big inside, but it was warm.  She told him to sit while she started some water. She then grabbed paper from a small table and a pencil to write with. She started to talk while she drew.

“My people were starving. Last winter this man came to us, with meat and fur. He offered it to our chief. In return, they gave me to him. I did not choose him, but I didn’t fight it because it helped my people.”

He could see that she had drawn a group of people, and the man approaching in the wagon he had seen outside. The man was offering the chief several items.

“The man took me away from my people to live here.” She motioned towards two people with a deer. “I help him hunt and take care of the animals for him. He was not a good man.” She stopped and looked over at him. “He hit me often,” she said while mimicking a slap.

Kariwase took her hand in his, trying to comfort her. She had tears in her eyes. In her drawings, he had seen what had happened to her. He knew this type of thing happened. It had not happened in his lifetime, but it had before he was born. He felt for this woman, who had sacrificed herself for her people, as had he. She deserved happiness, maybe that could be with him. He closed his eyes, remembering that he was no longer a man. He rose to leave, but she shook her head. He shook his head and walked away from her.