The Dark Woods

My writing class was given the task of writing the opening of a 'penny dreadful' serialised stories very popular in Victorian times.

I based mine on 'Bella in the wytch elm' a story local to where I live. A skeleton was found by some boys hidden in a tree. Bella has never been identified but there are lots of rumours surrounding her death.

Bert and Joe had taken up the dare.

‘You’re a couple of wimps. If you wanna join our gang you’ve gotta show you’ve got the bottle. We don’t want scaredy cats.’

They were desperate to be accepted and had gone to the derelict house which was the gang’s headquarters. Badger, the leader, laid down the rules and his decision was final, backed up by his henchmen.

Giving the secret knock on the door they were allowed in. The gang, sitting on old sofas and cushions scavenged from who knows where, turned as one and stared. The obligatory cigarette hanging from lips. Badger stood, all eyes on him. Tipping his head back he blew smoke rings which seemed to engulf Bert and Jo. Not tall but with an aura of menace. A mop of dark hair with a streak of white above a pale face with eyes of a strange green colour. Everyone held their breath, waiting for Badger’s pronouncement.

‘So, you think you’re good enough to join us?’ He waited, the boys nodded their heads in unison. Stepping closer, he turned, ‘Well, what shall we ask these brave lads to do? Maybe sleep in the graveyard next to a new burial,’ his friends nodded and grinned, ‘Or go and knock on the old witch’s door and wait for her to come out,’ nods of agreement. ‘No, I’ve got just the thing,’ waiting as the suspense built. ‘You’ll go to the wood, the haunted wood, and stay there till after midnight. To prove you’ve done it bring back some leaves from the magic tree, there’s only one like it anywhere so we’ll know if you try and cheat us.’ He sauntered back to his seat. ‘By Saturday.’ And that was it, their audience was over.

 That was how Bert and Joe were in the wood just before midnight. It had a reputation for being a place of strange happenings, a place that parents told their children to stay away from. Not that their parents were too bothered as long as they didn’t bring trouble to the door. They knew which tree Badger meant, everyone knew about the magic tree. Stories abounded, dance around it at midnight and call out the devil’s name and he would appear and grant you one wish, with conditions; lay under it and think of your one true love and he, or she, would be yours; bury something belonging to your enemy under the tree and they would suffer an awful fate. The leaves of the tree were the most magical and had to be picked at midnight on midsummer's eve, and from the very top of the tree. They would then be made into a drink which would give you great power.

The gang had escorted them to the edge of the wood and said they would wait for them. It was dark in spite of there being a full moon, branches casting eerie shadows on the ground and the lads were all for giving up but fear of Badger overcame their reluctance. As they reached the tree the moon disappeared beyond a bank of clouds and there was a low rumble of thunder. It was said that the tree had a guardian who preserved its secrets. They began the climb, easy at first, branches offering good foot holds. As they neared the top it became more difficult, the wind, or some creature, seeming to moan through the leaves.

Their torches hardly dispersing the gloom but the leaves were within reach. Bert snatched, getting a handful. As he handed it to Joe his torch slipped into the hollow of the tree, he scrabbled about trying to find it and his hand encountered something smooth. Grabbing at it thinking it might be treasure he pulled. The moon, shedding its veil of clouds, cast an eerie silvery light on everything, including the skull which Bert held in his hand..