The Bayou Beckons

No one will believe this story, I dread to even share it with you now in fear that you’ll think I’m completely mad. However I feel an urge to tell someone. If someone could just hear my story. Anyone really.

Last summer my boyfriend Charlie and I decided to take a trip to Louisiana. We live in San Diego and we wanted a completely different experience culturally. I had been to New Orleans once, years ago and thought it was so cool. Charlie has never been but thought it would be fun to go on a swamp tour and get the full on Cajun experience, gators and all. I browsed through the Air B and B’s and kept checking google maps to make sure that we booked something deep in the swamp. I wanted to be submerged knee deep in Louisiana culture. I finally found the perfect place, it was a small but private shack with a front porch overlooking the swamp, and the photos revealed enormous and daunting cypress trees.

I contacted a woman named Shelia, she had a very strong French Cajun accent. I was to meet her in Plaqumine Parrish to get the key, and discuss some rules and info. Right then I was so excited, I had no idea of the horror that laid ahead. If only I knew then, I could have just booked something in the French Quarter or somewhere more public.

Charlie thought it would add to the whole experience if we took a Greyhound. So there we were snuggled up in a bus seat with our backpacks in tow, heading to the scariest adventure of my life.

The Ride took so long. It was not that exciting and I talked Charlie into booking a flight home instead. It was late when we finally got into Plaquemine. There were no Ubers at all so we called Shelia and she sent “Bubba” to come pick us up. The heat was so abrupt and thick with humidity. The air felt thick and heavy, definitely different then the dry California climate. I could feel a moistness to my skin as we sat in the moonlight waiting for the stranger.

A tall thin man with grey hair and a beard stepped out of an old dilapidated truck. He had on overalls with no shirt on underneath. In a very heavy accent he said “Shelia sent me fer ya.” I then immediately started to doubt our decision. Thoughts raced through my head, I convinced myself that everything was fine, everything will be fine.

After about a 30 min drive, we arrived. I honestly felt like we were in the middle of nowhere. We could be killed and our bodies fed to the alligators and nobody would ever know. Breath I told myself, just breath it’s been a long 2 days, I’m tired and I really just want a shower and a fresh perspective. Sheila was a very mysterious woman and exactly how I pictured her on the phone. She gave us a key on a small gator head keychain. She told us if we go fishing off the porch, to be mindful of snakes. The swamp was full of water moccasin and they were deadly poisonous. she also informed us that there was a gas station slash bait store in walking distance that sold boiled peanuts, beers and a small amount of grocery’s. Then she said the oddest thing. There was an area at the south end of the road with a red rope tied off to 2 trees. She says no matter what, do not cross that rope, and to stay far away from that area. She must of read the concern look on our faces because she then calmly said. Voodoo people live back in there. And then abruptly left. Charlie and I looked at each other and giggled nervously. Finally we got into our temporary home. It was very small, and clean and the down home country decor did not disappoint! The kitchen adorned a rooster motif and a Madi Graw mask hung crooked over the toilet. The star of the show was the porch! I loved it! The moon was brilliant and the droopy cypress trees were hauntingly beautiful. Charlie informed me he was getting in the shower and chuckled at the jazz singer themed shower curtain. I dug out a joint from my back pack and decided to venture out for a smoke.

The porch had a small row boat tied to the deck. I decided to climb in it to smoke my pot. As I sat there gazing at the moon and taking in the beauty of the swamp, I heard a man’s voice. “Better be carful in that water, if the snakes don’t get you the Skunk Ape will.” He then made the eeriest laugh I ever heard. The next thing I knew he jumped in the boat and untied us, pushing us into the swampy darkness. The pot was already kicking in and everything that was happening felt serreal. I instantly panicked and could feel my heat racing. “Wait I declared, I just rented that place, I’m not from here, I need to go back now!” “You better just sit tight there missy, we ain’t going back just yet.” My captor settled on to the board that was meant to be a seat and started to paddle deeper into the dreary swamp. He had a cap on pulled down so I couldn’t see his eyes. I could see the sweat on his skin glistening in the moonlite. You could hear crickets, they were so loud, and you could see green flashes of light that I knew to be fire flies, something we don’t have in California. It was so breathtaking yet I was terrified. What did he want with me? Where are we going? Every terrible scenario was going through my head, what will Charlie think when he can’t find me. The trees were getting thicker and closer together, it was so dense and dark. All of a sudden I heard the loudest strangest “howl” for lack of a better word. It was a menacing noise and I racked my brained to figure out what could have caused such a outburst. Then to my surprise my captor repeated and imitated the loud cry as if to communicate with the animal. “What was that?” I exclaimed? “You’ll find out soon enough” he snapped. I looked around to find any escape route possible but I was literally stuck. If I jumped and tried to swim I’d either be bit by a water moccasin or alligator food. I started to cry, I was trying so hard to stay calm but I honestly didn’t know what to do. We were easing around shallow waters and the trees were hanging so low the leaves would brush up against my shoulders. “We’re here.” He announced and tied the boat to a branch. He then grabbed my arm and started to pull me from the boat. I had on converse sneakers and shorts, the ground was muddy and wet and I was terrified of what could be lurking and waiting to eat us. By now I was crying uncontrollably and in pure terror. I was pleading and begging with the man who was now tying me to a tree. Could Charlie possibly find me? Will he call the police? Will they notice the boat was gone? I knew I could die tonight. Die at just 29 years old.

“You are the sacrifice.” It has to be this way”. And then he was gone. I was tied by my wrist and also a rope around my torso. It was wet and dark, I could hear all the creepy sounds around me. Then I saw it. The massive dark creature he called Skunk Ape. I could smell it. It was the most pundgent odor I ever smelled in my life, it almost made me puke, it was a sickening stench. The large black shadow of a monster came closer until he was hovering right over me. Tears rolled down my face, I felt like I was going to pass out between the fear and the smell. I somehow broke free from my wrist and untied the rope around my waist I started to run but ended up in the murky swamp. I swam as fast as I could but I knew Skunk Ape was right behind me. It bellowed out another howl sound right before he grabbed me up with his mammoth hand. HELLLLP I heard myself scream then he pulled me under the muddy water. He held me there for what seemed like forever but brought me back up to the surface just in time! I gasped for air. He was gone! Where did he go? I was thinking about Charlie, and how angry I was with him that he wasn’t there saving me, I thought of my mom, and how the news would hit her when she found out I died. I started to swim, knowing that the alligators were there too. I thought about all the other places we could have went, I thought about how I hated Louisiana and that stupid long ass bus ride.

I looked up, could it be? Oh my God I saw a light! It’s a boat! I cried for help and the boat approached. I was so exhausted, my body was shaking all over, I’ve been saved! 2 people in a small boat lifted me in and I collapsed into the woman. A beautiful black woman with a long colorful cotton dress on, she embraced me and calmed me with her scent of sandalwood. She spoke to the man but it was a language I never heard before. It didn’t matter, I was rescued. My relief was quick lived however, How did they find me? I was literally out in the depths of the swamp, in the dark, alone. It’s impossible that they found me, how? How did they know? I was warning them of Skunk Ape but they were going right twords where I had just came from, “no no, this is the wrong way I cried” It dawned on me that I was still in danger, they must of known I was there, they are taking me back, back to the Skunk Ape to be his sacrafise. We approached an area close to where I was before but this time I see a fire, and more people. I recognize the man from the row boat, and I see 4 or 5 more people around the fire I hear that strange language and the next thing I know I’m being tied again to a tree, it seems like the woman is scolding my captor. Then some kind ceremony starts. They are dancing and chanting and it’s then I finally realize it’s the voodoo people Shelia warned us about. I can’t go into detail about my death because after Skunk Ape returned I was again untied and drugged into the swamp. I must of drowned but have no memory of it. I just know that Charlie never saw me again. They never found my body. My death was blamed on alligators. I’ve stayed in the swamp, I have never left. I now reside forever with the water moccasins and gators, I dance with the lightning bugs and sing with the cicadas, and once on a full moons night you’ll hear me screech with the Skunk Ape.