Shaconage

Look at the mist on them mountains . I never fancied i'd be stuck on a ledge like I am now and i am just a hopin' this ain't the end for me. Too much had come to pass for me to ever go back from whence I came. I was on my way to anywhere but here and I just wanted to get there alive. I had barely survived by the skin of my teeth this far. I'm fresh out of some of Big Ruby's spring water and fresh out of any sense. My mind is rattled and my body beat. My britches are tore and everything i own is in the poke i'm carryin'. I'm a sight, for sure. My time is short.

I remembered an old gospel hymn I used to hear my Mama sing. I started a' hummin' away, not that it mattered to what was chasing me. Mama always said that God is our refuge; even in storms of our own making. I reckon I have nobody to blame but me. So, here I stand lookin' down on what could be my grave...and ready to jump. I'm a hopin' to fly but I'm expectin' I'll fall. At least I got a hell of a view.

Let's go back a bit. These mountains around here are known for secrets. They hold their secrets in all the hollers, caves, and within the mountain folk that live there. Them folk sure do have their secrets. Peculiar people have peculiar ways. They have their own way of talkin' and most are set in their ways. I guess you have to be to survive around these parts. One wrong move could be the death of ya'. Just look at me.

I'll try to explain all that happened. I am an unreliable narrator. I am recallin' these events the best I can. I cannot read, I cannot write. I could not put words to paper and make a record of these They will surely be lost forever. Lost, just like old names and traditions.

The first tribes in these parts called called these mountains, "Shaconage". I always heard that means, "the land of the blue smoke". The first tribes spoke of how the deep woods and hollers were filled with magickal creatures and the blue smoke formed both good and evil spirits. I know that to be true. Hell, I seen 'em. And friend, let me tell you, there is nothing scarier than being in the dark woods on a moonless night and hearing them haints all around you; especially if you was bound up in a laurel thicket like I was one time, not being able to set off in a run. Scared the ever-lovin' life out me. 'Course them haints can just come right on in on ya', no matter where you are. Some just pass right through things. I even had one pass right thru me. Same night. I think it took some part of me with it.

Them haints own the night and they own them woods. If you lived 'till daybreak, it's 'cause they let you. No other reason than they let ya'. They would just fade away at daybreak like the sun burned 'em off or somethin'. Some folks found haints useful just like haints found some folks useful. Some folks could conjure haints and other things. Some haints can tell fortunes. Some can cause things to move or change. A crop to live or die; and some folks the same. Some are stronger in their magick. And, don't you believe haints is all there is, there's just more of 'em than other things is all. I ain't never been brave enough to conjure, man nor beast. I don't believe I ever will.

I'm not just talkin' to move the air around. These things are real and the devil is in the details.