The Cocos Curse

The current time of day is dawn. The aurulent sun is peeking out from the horizon and the air is still crisp. Mother and Father are holding each other's hands and Father is holding mine. My family and the other five families on the Cocos island are solemnly standing at the back of West Beach. South Beach is cut off by dangerous, massive boulders. The Wolfthal family is closer to the water, the mother, the father, Elise, their 17 year old daughter, and the grandmother. We are all currently attending Peter Wolfthal's funeral. Peter's father took him from school to go on an adventure yesterday; they were going hunting and gathering together, but Peter got too excited and ran away from his father. Peter tried jumping over the rocks to get to South Beach and his body was torn and ripped when his father found him.

Peter was six years old; a light-skinned, hazel-eyed, and blond-haired boy. Peter and Elise's mother and father both have dark brown eyes and light brown hair. Mother sometimes talks with the other women and some men about Peter and Elise not having the same father because of their physically different appearances. Mother always defended Mrs. Wolfthal, because her mother (Peter and Elise's grandmother) had blonde hair and so did the kids' grandfather. I don't think Mrs. Wolfthal ever had an affair either... Besides, Peter loved his mother and his father regardless.

Anyway, Peter was only a year younger than me and we always played together. Us, Thomas, he's five, Elliot, he's six, and Rachel, she's nine. Mother also taught us together in school. Mrs. Mentasi took care of kids younger than five, Mrs. Vermuele taught students older than ten, and Mrs. Wolfthal taught students older than fifteen. Today, we are mourning... The kids and the older kids don't go to school, the mothers don't teach or work, and the fathers don't work.

Father Daniel says a prayer over Peter's casket, putting his thumb and forefinger over each bead on his rosary. He turns around and gestures to us, commanding us to say prayer for Peter. "Dear Lord," we all begin in unison. "A young child was taken from us yesterday. We ask that you keep Cocos safe from harm, that you stay with the Wolfthal family, and that you invite Peter into your Heaven with open arms. May Peter Jesse Wolfthal rest in peace. Amen."

Peter's family pours handfuls of sand into his casket and his grandmother takes out angel feathers from her bag. Peter's grandmother told us the story of her great, great grandfather. He was one of the first people to inhabit the island. An angel allegedly came to visit them periodically and he allowed the people to pluck feathers from his wings. When the great, great grandfather died, the angel stopped coming back. Peter's grandmother takes three long angel wings and places them under Peter's body in the casket. The family gives Peter kisses on his forehead, they say goodbye, they cry, and Father Daniel closes the casket.

With one last goodbye from everybody Peter knew, Peter’s family pulls the casket into the ocean and they let him go. We all close our eyes and have a moment of silence. The casket is already seven or eight feet into the water when we hear noises. Powerful, booming noises. We look out and it seems as if there's something or someone kicking against the door of the casket. It busts open.

A furry thing escapes into the water and it runs out back to the sand. It's an enormous bunny… bigger than any human I have ever seen. The creature has a single, long, and floppy ear atop its head. People begin to scream out of confusion, it's not every day a bizarre rabbit hops out of the ocean. The bunny pushes over Father Daniel and Elise since they are the closest to the edge of the water, then it continues to jump off to the edge of the beach. It looks as if it's running towards South Beach, like Peter.

"Peter!" Mrs. Wolfthal yells outrageously, dropping to her knees and starring out to the ocean. The casket was thrust open... Peter's body, where did it go? It could not have been pushed further out by the ocean waves already. Mr. Wolfthal helps his daughter and Father Daniel up, the other families are running back towards the village and we do the same. Mother and Father tug on my hand and we run back home.

"Mother, what was that?" I try to yell over the noise and push my feet to go faster in the sand.

"Just keep running, Jasmine!" Father yells back at me and I listen, trying to pull my legs forward. Father gives my hand to Mother and he splits away from us. Mother and the children all go into our hut, the mothers and fathers all go into Mr. Wolfthal's house. Some of the younger kids are shouting and crying while the women try shushing them by caressing their cheeks.

"Jasmine!" Mother says, wrapping me up in her arms and sobbing as quietly as she could. "My baby, you're ok... My baby..." she whispers, kissing my hair and squeezing my arms. I find it strange that the small kids and the mothers are the ones crying, everyone in between is fine, including myself.

"Mother, what is wrong?" I ask cautiously, looking up at her tear-stained face.

"We're going to be okay, Jasmine. Don't you worry, Jasmine. Don't you worry." Mother sobs again and she doesn’t let go of me for another minute or longer.

"Are all the children safe inside and unharmed?" Mother asks everyone in the room and they all answer yes.

"We need all the windows bolted down now," Mrs. Vermuele says, putting a child's hand down and running to get some boards. The rest of the adults rush to do the same and in just under 40 minutes, I hear them assume that we are secure. The kids are moaning over food, so the women hurry to feed their children. I don't know why the room is so chaotic, but I try to stay calm. Everything seems fine...

A knock comes at the door and the women freeze in their spots, looking at each other and wondering what to do. Mrs. Wolfthal, who seems to have taken the leader's position, begins inching forward to the front of the hut. "Stacy... angel?" the voice knocks again and calls for Mrs. Captor.

"It's my husband." Mrs. Captor releases a long sigh. "Hailee, please let him in. That's Liam, I know it," she promises, begging to see him, but Mrs. Wolfthal doesn't seem comfortable with opening the door. "For God's sake, why would it be knocking?!" she says frustratingly.

Mrs. Wolfthal opens the door steadily and pushes him in when she sees that it is Mr. Captor. "Where are the rest of them?" Mrs. Wolfthal asks, worry dripping from her words.

"The other men are in the forests looking for it... They are coming back, don't worry. In the meanwhile, I'm going to stay with you all and help." Mr. Captor says and the women all breathe a sigh of relief.

"Honey, will you finish this so I can start cooking to feed the children?" Mrs. Captor asks, motioning to the hammer in her hands and the wooden boards yet to be nailed to the windows.

I was not looking at the time, but it was dark out when the men came back. The women were crying on their shoulders and saying "it's over.” The adults and the older kids seemed very happy and at ease. The younger kids, myself included, never understood what happened and we did not ask, not even the fussy ones.

When everything calmed down, the families went to all their respective homes and went about their evenings.

It is 3:18, at the moment, I was tucked into bed hours ago, but I woke to use the bathroom. I watch my step as I walk through my room in the dark, not wanting to bump into the edge of my bed, the dresser, or the table by the door.

I twist the door knob and open it to get in the hall. I decide not to turn on the lights, I did not want to wake my parents. I am still very careful through the house, but I get to the bathroom door without any bruises. I do my business, wash and wipe my hands, and make to leave.

The second I open the door, I see a giant creature with black fur and red eyes. Something goes over my mouth before I gasp and the noise doesn't come through. Under my lips, I feel the pad of a paw, which has extended claws with my hair tangled in. There is a single, long, pointed ear atop the creature's head, like a mutated bunny. The black fur of the creature is coated in oil and matted. The stench is awful. The creature pulls me upward while I scream, then smashes me to the ground, makes my kicking legs stop, now definitely broken.

I do not think anyone can hear me screaming.

I think blood is running down my cheeks and my knees are protruding through my skin.

I think I am going to die.