Shifting Realities

I couldn't remember anything when I awoke in the middle of the woods in western Michigan. Still, somehow, I knew Michigan was where someone or something deposited my body. I was alive. I had that going for me.

The Manistee National Forest engulfed me. Flashes of foreign imagery broke through the silence of my mind as I attempted in vain to find out why I woke up naked in the middle of the woods. At that point, I couldn't recall my name. I knew it was cold; the weather was unforgivingly cold to a naked man. Winter was on the horizon. I could feel that much as I got my bearings while surrounded by conifer and hardwood trees; the forest spread on rolling hills as far as my eyes could see, packed dense with nature. My stomach gurgled; the sound surprised me. The sensation was hunger. Whatever incident it was that took place to leave me in this state also left me with little energy, so my survival instincts took complete control. Shelter, food, and water. These were the only things on my mind.

Standing upright challenged my body. My body felt like it hadn't been used in ages, and it fought me as I did my best to command it to move as I wanted. I told myself to walk, but there were misfires. It was like walking wasn't what I was used to. My physical form screamed for me to crawl on all fours. It didn't make a hell of a lot of sense to me, but it would later. By this point, my eyes were fully adjusted, and I took a moment to study my surroundings. I couldn't distinguish any visible trails, and the earth's dirt appeared undisturbed, save for animal tracks. My instincts told me this area wasn't foreign to people, and since my instincts were all I had, I let them guide me. I began trudging barefoot and naked through the cold forest in the direction that simply felt right.

I walked for about an hour; for reasons beyond me, I stopped. I felt like I had to. Beyond that, I had no valid reason to cease my wandering. Weary and tired of trudging through the forest, I sat on a log, feeling uncomfortable. I didn't care that the flesh of my rear rested upon the rough surface. I was shrouded in nothing but trees, and there was still no sign of a trail. A bald eagle sounded overhead, mocking the lone human out of his element. A white-tailed deer sprang from the brush, ignoring me as it went about its business.

I was lost and confused. I fought to remember anything. Why couldn't I recollect my identity? The sound and sensation of my stomach rumbling overpowered those thoughts. A forceful and abrupt hunger pang squeezed my insides, making me want to sicken up. I held my stomach in famished pain and heard a rustle from the trees surrounding me.

"Hello?" I surveyed the area for signs of another person. I sensed something or someone near me, but I couldn't pinpoint the exact location.

The rustling of branches and trees was faint yet sounded closer. Whatever was out there wouldn't show itself, making me nervous. I forgot the hunger. Adrenaline pumped through my system as the fight-or-flight response kicked in. The creature was upon me.

The roar of the black bear startled me beyond words, and I remained seated, petrified with fright. As I turned, I was astonished because I didn't feel this incredible creature move near me at all, and as it roared, standing on its hind legs, I fell backward off the log. My head landed hard on a branch, and the darkness enveloped me, taking me from the frightful situation.

* * * *

My eyes opened to what appeared to be a ceiling of dirt carved into the earth, with wooden beams acting as some kind of support system. The blanket covering my body warmed my flesh and remained inviting, and I realized I was now fully clothed. The alluring aroma of a stew invaded my nostrils, and my stomach rumbled with the fury of a mighty beast. As I sat up with slow, deliberate movements, I discovered a man near a cauldron of sorts preparing the food responsible for the mouthwatering aroma.

"It's about damn time you woke up. You've been out for quite a while. Do you mind telling me just how the hell you ended up naked in the middle of the woods?" The man's eccentric gaze remained on the food he prepared, and he sat on a small bench near the cauldron.

"To be perfectly honest, I can't remember anything," I replied.

The man grunted as if it was just his luck. He didn't act the least bit surprised. "Are you telling me you can't remember anything at all?"

I nodded. "I'm afraid so. Where did the bear come from?"

"I'm more concerned about your origins, friend." The man took the oversized wooden spoon he used to stir the stew and poured the mouthwatering dish into a bowl. He brought it to me and placed it in my hands, saying, "My name is Sylvester. Yeah. That sounds good. You can call me Sylvester."

"Pleasure to me you. Thanks for helping me and for the clothes." I began eating the stew, disregarding how hot it was. I tolerated the heat of the meal, knowing full well my body demanded nourishment.

"You're mighty welcome there, friend." He smirked at me and began studying my face with a quizzical intensity. It made me uncomfortable as I ate.

"What is it?" I asked between stuffing my mouth with heaping spoonfuls of savory stew.

"I just noticed that you have a nice minor bump there on your cheek. It looks like a pimple. It's big too. Say, you ever watch television? I do occasionally. I don't own one myself, but it reminds me of a certain television show I viewed once upon a time. Mind you, this was before all that streaming became all the rage with people." He cracked his neck as he explained.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, confused by the conversation. Being attacked by a black bear was strange enough, but talking about television to a stranger who put clothes on my naked body while I was unconscious took it a step further.

"I'm talking about that there hypnotic zit you got on your cheek there. Say, you don't remember your name at all, do you friend?" He inquired again.

I shook my head from side to side as I continued to eat.

"Well, I can't keep calling you friend, so in honor of that mark on your face there, I'm going to call you Pastulio. Named after that character on a television show I saw." He smiled, revealing perfect teeth. Being an outdoorsman must have provided an excellent dental plan.

Words couldn't describe how dumbfounded I became. I had a hard time believing events were unfolding in this manner.

The stranger nodded again. "Yup. Pastulio it is. Nice to meet you, Pastulio."

"Are you serious?" My left eyebrow rose. I didn't even know I could do that.

"Always am." Sylvester stood from the side of my bed and filled a bowl of savory stew for himself. Sitting near the cauldron, he ate slowly, enjoying each bite as if it were a delicacy.

At that moment, a potent image flashed through my mind. I was certain a lost memory had resurfaced. I experienced traveling through the woods. I was looking for something. What was I looking for? The name of a town came to mind. Arcadia. Somehow, I learned of the optical illusion. It was the place everyone called gravity hill or magnetic hill. The directions came back to me. If you take Highway M22 north, leading out of Arcadia for a few miles, you'll end up at Joyfield Road. The thing is, you don't stop there. You keep going a few more miles until you reach Blaine Church. I was there. I turned right at the church as instructed and ended up at the bottom of the hill a few hundred yards down.

"Putney Road…" I spoke to no one in particular.

"Come again?" Sylvester asked, now on his second bowl of stew.

I shot a glance his way, soaking in the curious expression on the face of the man who rescued me from my nakedness and the wilderness. And a black bear, come to think of it. I don't think the eagle and white-tailed deer represented a threat.

"You mentioned Putney Road." He said.

I nodded. "Yes. I was there. I remember leaving Arcadia and heading to the hill. I was at gravity hill. I don't remember why, though."

"Gravity hill? That's where cars roll uphill. The magnetic fields are all wonky, according to some. Some even hazard supernatural work is at play. Most people just chalk it up to an optical illusion these days." Sylvester nodded, understanding. "Do you remember what happened once you got to the hill?"

Pieces came back to me. "It was the illusion. I wanted to see it. I felt I needed to see it. It's like it was calling me."

"That sounds mighty interesting there, my friend." Sylvester ate more of his stew.

"Where are we now?" I asked.

"Right now, we're in my home. It was built a long time ago. It's kind of a starting point." Sylvester admitted.

"What do you mean?" I removed the rest of the blanket from my body and set the bowl of food down near a small wooden nightstand. As I panned the entire area, I discovered all the furnishings were made of wood, and an odd variety of items were strewn about as if they had been collected over a very long time.

"Do you like cupcakes?" Sylvester stood from where he sat near the cauldron and moved to grab a bag. He removed a few packaged cupcakes you could find in just about any vending machine.

"What?" The randomness of the conversation wasn't helping my lack of memory.

"Cupcakes, Pastulio, do you like them?" He asked again.

"I guess." I shrugged.

Sylvester tossed one in my direction as he opened his own and ate it. "I love these things."

"I appreciate the food." I stood up, eager to move on. I realized I had shoes on my feet. This man had given me socks and shoes. "But I need to keep moving."

"Where to?" He asked as he sat down near the cauldron again.

"I don't know. I just know that I need to keep moving." My eyes were desperate for answers.

"Which direction?" He asked, licking his fingers after the last bite of his dessert.

Without thinking, I turned and pointed to my left. Sylvester's face beamed with the biggest smile I'd ever seen. "What is it?"

"That's toward Rose City. There's another gravity hill there, my friend. Looks like you're tuned into them." His smile remained.

I fought against the mounting confusion. "But I don't understand why. And I don't understand why I can't remember anything else." I grew frustrated. A sense of claustrophobia smashed down on me. The room that was a sanctuary suddenly felt like a trap that I needed to free myself from.

"How far away am I?" I asked.

Sylvester cleared his throat. "Well, right now, we're still in the Manistee Forest. We have to be on the other side of the state."

The randomness of the items caught my attention again. I recognized a fondue pot collecting dust in a corner near a single flip-flop. Other trinkets were strewn about, like toy cars, old photographs, cameras from various periods, a musket, and even a toothbrush that I'm sure was much older than me.

Sylvester beamed with pride. "That's a nice collection there, huh, friend." He was making a statement.

"Do you even use this fondue pot? It's dusty as all hell. And who keeps a single flip-flop lying around?" I turned my attention back to Sylvester.

"I might just have one leg someday and not want to wear a regular shoe. And don't go judging me there, Pastulio. I collect what I find, and what I find can be useful at some point. You just never know." He finished another cupcake and wiped the crumbs from his mouth. "So you really feel you need to get to that other gravity hill?"

I nodded.

"Then we better get a move on. It's been a while since I used a car, so you'll have to be patient with me while I get it to work. Just sit tight in the meantime." He stood, ready for action.

"You're going to help me?" I asked.

"Sure am. If you go out alone, you might get yourself all lost and naked again. Can't have that happen, Pastulio." Sylvester winked at me as he exited the shelter. He pulled aside a wooden door and walked up a few stairs into the sunlight. We had been beneath the surface of the earth in the forest.

So, there I was. I made a new friend whose true intentions I was unclear about, and we were about to take a road trip across the great state of Michigan. Go figure.

At that moment, I could feel the pimple Sylvester mentioned to me. I took hold of a hand mirror (one of the many items Sylvester collected) and studied my face. It was a nasty zit, all right. Then, a funny thing happened. I focused on it going away, and a few seconds later, it disappeared. The sensation on my flesh was a strange tingling. In shock, I almost dropped the mirror but placed it back before clumsiness took complete control.

Did my skin just shift its shape? Transform?

* * * *

I didn't precisely remember car rides prior to my amnesia, but I can say with confidence that this one was perhaps the longest of my life. The old beat-up red truck dotted with rust holes started the third time Sylvester tried to turn the engine. The lack of a muffler made the radio obsolete and thinking near impossible, but I attempted to figure out my predicament. I might have made some progress, but Sylvester's continuous rambling bombarded me; he managed to keep his voice louder than the booming engine. The man loved talking. I don't know if it had to do with the fact that he was alone and never got to speak to anyone or if he knew it was annoying the hell out of me. It was probably a bit of both.

The gravity hill of Rose City created the same sensations I experienced at the first one I encountered if my memory is to be believed. The impression of a force beyond ordinary understanding was strong and growing stronger. The force that called me had no physical means. It hung in the air the way a cloudy, damp day pulls you down. From visual cues alone, it appeared to be like any other road in any other state, but the optical illusion remained. But the optical illusion didn't make me want to be at gravity hill. It was the damn feeling. It felt like something called me and pulled me to this spot.

"We'll have to part ways soon here, friend." Sylvester smiled; he exited the rusty red truck and stepped on the road.

"What?" I didn't understand as I followed him out of the vehicle. What did he know that I didn't?

Sylvester leaned closer to me. "You're about to go on another trip, Pastulio. Don't worry, though. After this next one, you should be able to remember more of what's going on. It's been this way for a long time and with good reason."

I grew even more perplexed. My mind raced, and I felt a throbbing pain worsening within my head. The pulsating of my temples increased with intensity.

Sylvester patted my shoulder. "What you're feeling right now is how it goes. It happened to you at the first magnetic or gravity hill - whatever the hell the kids call it these days. These spots have been around for a while. Think of them as a gateway for our kind."

So many questions ran through my mind. It became difficult to pinpoint them all, and even more difficult to be angry at Sylvester for not being upfront with me about what he knew. The man understood far more than he shared with me when I awoke in his underground dwelling.

Sylvester gave me another pat on the shoulder. "Don't overthink it there, friend. Just go with it. That initial pain is energy forming. Your body isn't used to it yet, but it will be. It won't hurt to travel after this one, and it won't be this involuntary reaction you're going through, either. All your questions are going to be answered at the next stop. Trust me."

"Trust you? I don't even know you!" I fell to the ground in pain. The energy of the hill pulled at every inch of my body.

"Next stop, Canada. You'll be waking up somewhere in Quebec, if I remember right. Say hi for me when you see the others, friend." Sylvester grinned as he turned around and began walking back to his truck. The last thing I saw him do was open the driver's side door. Then there was darkness.

* * * *

A wave of relief rushed over my body as I awoke fully clothed. At that point, I think the ordeal of having to trudge about naked again would have been too much to handle. It was still light outside, and I realized I was in a lush forest with the accompanying noises of the great outdoors in the background of my thoughts. Sylvester mentioned Canada before my sudden departure. Was I in Canada? How the hell did I get here? With wide eyes, I soaked in the forest's freshness, wondering how on earth I traveled this far north. The energy guiding me seemed to enjoy dumping me in forests.

My nostrils picked up on a specific scent. It wasn't exactly human, but close. How I could tell that much from the smell confused me because I wasn't exactly sure. I turned around and beheld him standing before me. Instead of a black bear on hind legs facing me, I encountered an enormous creature with a body of fur fit for his forest surroundings. How did I know it was a he? Let's just say the exposed male bits put that of every male human porn star to shame. The creature was naked, is what I'm getting at.

He stood about eight feet tall with a robust frame that made bodybuilders look weak. He had a prominent brow ridge and flat nose that amalgamates every simian creature scientists have cataloged. He towered over me, staring at me like a curious child who found a new toy. His dark eyes penetrated me as fear trickled throughout my entire nervous system, causing my body to twitch uncontrollably; I could only think of one thing to call him: Bigfoot.

He smiled. This threw me off. Right after, he shrunk in size. The phenomenon startled me as I studied him with curious amazement. The fur retracted, showing human skin, and the beast turned into a man no taller than me. He stood naked, yet unashamed, and continued to carry the same smile. He was an older man and appeared familiar. My memories fought to emerge.

"Hello. Son. It's been a while. Sorry I ran out on you when you were young, but that's how it goes for our kind. When the call comes, we have to follow it. There's just no way around that simple fact." The old man spoke up, maintaining a smile on his face. He eyed me up as if he had been expecting me.

"Son?" The confusion was maddening. "Do you know who I am? I haven't been able to remember anything for a while now."

"It happens this way." The naked old man reached down and picked up a backpack of sorts. His hair was graying but full - no sign of thinning. "I don't wander too far from my clothes when I want to change form."

I sighed. "I should be more shocked at what I just saw. But I'm not. Why is that?"

"That's because deep down inside, you know it's natural and the true reality of what I am and what you are." The old man slipped on a pair of jeans and followed that by putting on a shirt. The sinew of hard muscle popped through the clothing. He was very fit.

Another creature emerged from the forest. This Bigfoot was a female version. She trotted over and towered above me and the old man as we stood in the forest. Her height appeared to be around seven feet. Her robust frame still carried a feminine quality that made the sex stand out despite being covered in fur. Her form changed as well. The dark reddish fur adorning her body retracted, and her tan skin became more apparent. A naked woman stood before me; the dark brown hair on her head was the only hair left on her curvy body. She was beautiful and toned. I stared despite my best efforts not to. Most women don't stand in front of you naked. She didn't appear bothered by this and was comfortable with her nakedness, like the older man.

"Please excuse our new friend here. He's not used to our ways yet." The old man explained.

She giggled as she reached into the backpack. She couldn't have been much older than me as she kept her gaze in my direction while getting dressed. "I'm sure he'll catch on soon enough." She winked at me as she spoke the words.

"Are you going to explain things to me?" I fixed my eyes on the old man.

"I'll let your memories do the explaining." He reached out and touched my forehead. The memories burst through like a battering ram against an inadequate door.

I recalled waking up in the forest in Michigan. I had been drawn to gravity hill. It was just too damn irresistible, and I was dumped in the forest after it transported me. I was scared and my body felt strange. Then, I changed for the first time. I transformed and ripped the clothing from my body. Before I knew it, I was like the old man and the beautiful woman. I traversed the forest as a massive creature, taller than any man could dream to be. My body was covered in reddish-brown fur. My senses were sharper, my eyesight improved, and I could feel the forest in ways I never thought possible. No fear lived in me. It felt right. I explored everything, like a child experiencing life for the first time.

I ran into other animals along the way. The first was a black bear. It wasn't afraid. We sensed each other. There was an unspoken understanding. My body changed forms again. Before long, I transformed into a black bear. My body could shift shapes, and the perceptual experience of it awed me. Other creatures crossed my path. One by one, I changed into what they were and could move like them, seeing as they saw and feeling as they felt. I even flew. I was a bird who soared through the skies without hesitation or fear of falling. The transformations were many, and that's what led to my loss of memory. There were too many changes too quickly, and I lost my identity in the changing of forms. I woke up in human form, remembering nothing.

I returned my gaze to the old man, realizing a few other things. When I was a child, I had been adopted. My skin was tan. I grew up thinking I was Mexican. After a DNA test, I discovered I was Native American. I never knew my actual parents or where they came from. The system carted me around from home to home, and I never fit in anywhere; I was always the outsider. That was the old life. My new life unfolded in ways I never thought possible. When I studied the old man's features, I saw myself. I saw the face of my father.

Shaken by the flood of memories, I took a few steps back. "So, you're my father? You're my real father?"

"Yes." The old man smiled. "The calling was strong soon after you were born. I wanted to stay, but no matter what I did, I kept ending up at gravity hill. I understood that the same thing would happen to you at some point. It's passed on in the blood."

"I thought those hills were just an optical illusion." My head spun with information. More unburied memories swam to the surface.

The old man put his arm through a strap on the backpack and let it rest on his shoulder. "Those gravity hills, as people call them, are ways of traveling for our kind. They've been around for a very long time, just as our people have been. And hiding an illusion as an illusion, well, it doesn't get much better than that."

"What are we?" I asked.

The woman spoke up after buttoning up her shirt. "We're shapeshifters. We're here and together, and every one of our kind always finds his or her way back home."

"Shapeshifters, huh? No wonder no one can ever find Bigfoot." I smirked and laughed to myself.

"I never did like that name." She walked over and reached her hand out for me to shake. "Welcome."

I took her hand and smiled in return. "So, we can change into any animal?"

"We sure can. We can also change into just about any creature you can imagine. It's literally the stuff of legends. Like we've been saying, our kind has been around for a long time." The old man walked closer to me. "Let me ask you something. Did anyone help you along the way?"

I nodded. "Yes. A guy by the name of Sylvester."

The old man laughed. "Since you couldn't remember who you were, did he give you a name after some television show, movie, or actor even? He does that. He knows you won't remember anything when he finds you. It's his way of having fun with the new ones."

I chuckled. "Yeah, he did. He gave me a name from a television show. And he says hi."

"We better get going." The beautiful woman with dark brown hair spoke. Her smile was extraordinary, and her voice comforting.

"I don't even know your names." I bounced my gaze between the two of them.

"Names don't matter anymore." The old man spoke up.

"What do I call you?" I asked, accepting that confusion would be a part of my life for a while.

"You'll catch on. It's part of our way." The woman walked back into the thicker part of the forest.

The old man smiled at me and placed a fatherly hand on my shoulder. "Son, I'm glad you made it after all this time."

I followed my father into the forest. I followed my father home.