While Jones and I explored the village, Hixon and Simmons went to investigate something interesting they saw. Simmons said that the multi-rooted tree looked like a structure with a statue in the middle. I laughed at Hixon’s description of a “sinuous man with outstretched arms, three sets of eyes and a long, pointed beard.”
Simmons and Hixon were long overdue, so, through the interpreters, we asked their whereabouts.
The interpreters must have misunderstood. It was just gibberish thanking us for the sacrifice and, since their god was satiated, for sparing one of their own.
Simmons and Hixon are still missing.
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Word count = 100
Friday Fictioneers is hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. This week’s prompt is here and uses a photo © Liz Young. Read more or join in by following the InLinkz “linky“.
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My opinion, ones you hear “Hixon’s” description of the tree, you can’t un-see it ;)
Trent's World (the Blog) 
Loved it. Undertones of the ‘wicker man’.
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Thanks
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Ah-ha! They should have paid the hefty price for the local guide. Thoroughly enjoyed this.
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These were those explorers that were a bit on the arrogant side, so thought, ‘what would the natives know?’ I guess the found out ;) Thanks.
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Always good to know the customs of the people you are interacting with.
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It is, though some of these explorers can be a bit.. uhm.. arrogant.
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The perfect price to pay for arrogantly ‘exploring’ other people’s space and culture without listening to them first.
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Exactly – I tried to model these guys after those 19th century “explorers” that we love to hate.
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O heck, and to think that all they wanted to do was hug the thing
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I think so, but there are some “things” that are better left un-hugged. Alligators come to mind, as do large carnivorous trees…
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Looks like Hixon and Simmons won’t be seen again.
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I doubt it. I think they gave their all to the expedition…
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😝
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We went the same route, the tree seems to need a sacrifice. I certainly do see three sets of eyes and a long pointed beard as Hixon described it. Well done!!
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When I saw a blow up of the photo, I realized that the “eyes” where leaves, but from this angle, they do look like eyes! But that tree does need a sacrifice!
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I have a feeling the interpreters understood it all just fine. Might not want to stick around for too long though lest the gods get hungry again! Fun story.
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I agree, the interpreters had 100% correct. Yes, I think it is time to leave before there is call for a new sacrifice…
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Oops, small misunderstanding there somewhere :-)
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Ooops. Perhaps they should have learned a little more about the local’s customs and such before making the exploratory visit…
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Ha ha! Poor sacrificial lambs… but hey, if it keeps our guys safe? For now…
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Safe, for now. Of course, they are going to open up for a limited tourist trade. It’s possible the occasional “guest” will disappear, but shouldn’t be an issue…
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That might be the cost of staying open! LOL.
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It’s not often enough that explorers do something kind for the native people. Well done, guys.
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Usually they are, well, very unkind, so this is a plus, even if unintentional…
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Oh dear. It’s tough picking up on native customs by learning them first-hand. Enjoyed this great take on the prompt!
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Unfortunately I don’t think the type of “explorer” that I was thinking ever paid too much attention to the native’s customs, so things like this were bound to happen ;) Thanks!
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I love how you portray the visitors seeing things only from their own point of view, taking as gibberish what the interpreters tell them and totally missing the point. At least their god isn’t greedy!
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I was going for that 19th century explorer feel, where they judge everything by how they do things in London ;) It is good that the god only needs a little at a time…
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Ha ha! Great spin on the pic. I also saw menace there.
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There is something about that tree…
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I didn’t see the face!
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It is a very cool photo without seeing it, but I’m surprised you never noticed!
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I’ll be looking at trees more closely next time I go walking in the woods! Well spotted Trent.
My story!
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Trees aren’t as innocent as the might seem! Thanks.
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This made me chuckle, Trent.
And at least their god is cool for now.
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Thanks. You might be safe around their god for a while, but you never know when it will become hungry again…
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I was so focused on the cathedral-like arches that I didn’t see the eyes :). I do now! Excellent writing.
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Once seen, can’t be un-seen ;) The surround is cathedral like, or, I guess, more “pagan-temple like”. Thanks!
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An excellent take on what might have been a natural treasure for young boys anxious to explore every hand hold and climbing path. Now, perhaps not so much. Stand back children and listen carefully. You may hear it exhale.
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It does look like a tree-climber’s paradise, but I would warn the kids away! On the other hand, it did just eat, so they may be safe. For a while…
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Dear Trent,
Guess who’s coming to dinner? Methinks the explorers were the main course. I think you might mean interpreters where it came out interrupters. ;) Autocorrect is not your friend. I get tired of its shirt. Bon Apetit,
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Ooops, these people did not interrupt, did they? If they did, perhaps Simmons and Hixon would be with us FOR dinner instead of with that tree-god AS dinner… ;) Thanks.
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Not quite gibberish
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I think you always have to listen to the natives, even if it sounds like gibberish on the surface. They usually know…
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Ooo spooky. That tree does have a face. Great campfire tale.
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The first thing I noticed when I saw the photo was the shape of the person and face in it.l Thanks.
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Good one! I had to take a second look at the pic… I can see the man in the tree that you describe. To me, it looked like a playground for a shapeshifter. :)
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A playground for a shapeshifter – yes, I can see that. If I didn’t see the creepy face, I would think it would be a playground for anyone who loved climbing in trees! Thanks.
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As a child, that would have been me. I was always climbing things… trees, houses, buildings…and occasional cliff faces. I especially liked trees as i could hide and watch/listen to people without them the wiser… oh the townie secrets I could share… butt won’t because it’s just not proper. But, oh how hypocritical those staunch baptists were….
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lol, I’m sure those staunch babtists were. I Spent a lot of time climbing things, and jumping off of things, but never listened in – we were a little in the country, so not many conversations.
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I once climbed the town hall…sat up there most of the day before someone noticed and had a panic attack about it. Little did they realize that I knew other ways -into the inside- to get to the roof.
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