Bone Berry Gonna Get Ya

Bone Berries

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“Bone Berry gonna get ya” the rasp of her rough voice flicked like a cat’s tongue over my already raw nerves. Staring into the shallow creek bed right below her house I could see them. In the dark of an moonless Autumn night, they gleam like old bones and like the tiny evil skulls they resemble, they clamp hard jaws onto skeletal twigs and wait, still as death… but only if someone watches.

“Best keep your eyes on them. Turn your back and the bone berries drop with the dull thump, thump, thump of ripe acorns and, quick as a snake, they tunnel after you.” Grinning up at me, she fluttered tiny hands swiftly at my face. “Through the shroud of dead leaves, they CHASE YOU!”  Her voice rose loudly at the end.

“Should they catch you, and ooooo, they will catch you, they’ll slide beneath your feet, rolling you off and onto the ground.  Then, while the rest crawl over and under you, the two largest gnaw their way into your ears with their tiny sharp teeth and the last thing you hear is your own screams.  Inside your head, they tear through your brain making tunnels in it, too. Finally, with a loud Pop, they shove from the inside until your eyeballs ooze down your cheeks and onto the ground. Here, the creatures pause, slowed by bodies swollen tight from your blood, their small dark mouths like pupils stare out through your eyesockets while you, screaming out of your soundless, sightless self die so slowly you can linger all night exploring the twists and turns of that painful road.”

I could hear the slick sound as she licked her lips.

“So, sweetie, if you see bone berries on  a dark autumn night,  NEVER EVER take your eyes off them or they will take your eyes out of you….”

She smiled.  “‘Course it’s real hard to watch them from front and back at once.” Inhaling sharply I turned but even as I swung around to look back towards the house, I knew I shouldn’t have taken my eyes from the beasts in the creek bed.

“Bone berry gonna get ya now, for sure,” And with that, she closed the door in my face even as I heard acorns thumping below.

_______________

I feel much better now that I’ve got that out of my head.

By the way, these are another unidentified berry.  I don’t much care to go outside now so if someone could please supply me with the real name of these pale creatures maybe I can supplant this tale with a more reasoned response.

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Elaine
Guest
15 years ago

Uh, snowberries.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowberry

I think I’m going to have to wait until after Halloween to visit here anymore. I have a tender imagination, and it’s almost bedtime.

silverstar98121
Guest
15 years ago

Are you sure you shouldn’t take up writing ghost stories along with your photography? You’ve been writing some spooky ones lately.

mark
Guest
15 years ago

This would be a little less troubling if only I didn’t CLEARLY see in my mind the crone telling you the story! mark

Staff
Member
15 years ago

Snow berries…Pshaw! Clearly named by somebody with no imagination!

PS. Elaine, now I know who to go to for plant problems. You seem to have a lot of information at your fingertips. Thank you.

Mark and Silverstar, I’m glad you enjoyed this and Mark, remember when you are walking through the woods KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE BONE BERRIES!

Sandi
Guest
15 years ago

With a story like that, I wouldn’t bother finding out the truth!

Ernie's Place
Guest
15 years ago

kym, I don’t know what the newcomers call them but when we were kids we called them “Snowberrys” and we used to string them between the cranberrys to make garlands for the Christmas trees.

Those red berrys a few posts ago and the snowberries grow everywhere on the north side of the hills.

I don’t know if they are native or not. I like the name “bone berries” also!

Toni
Guest
15 years ago

I read the first paragraph of your story and then skipped the rest, otherwise I’d be having nightmares tonight!

forkboy
Guest
15 years ago

It’s a good thing the lights are on in this room I’m in!