The Demon of 22nd Avenue

In life, people are shaped by the things they experience. Some experiences can cause profound changes while others cause very little change if any. For me, one experience stands out above all the rest. This experience caused me to realize that not all things can be explained. Even once experienced, you still question just what you saw, heard, and felt. You wrestle with your mind trying to make sense of what happened all the while questioning your sanity.

My day of enlightenment came at the age of eight years old. I was what they commonly call a latchkey kid. I would typically walk home after school and would have to wait inside until my mother returned home. While waiting for my mother’s arrival I would do homework and household chores. This was a common practice during that time due to the fact that most parents were still at work when their children were being released from school. On the day in question as with most kids while at school I was being less than the model student and was given detention. Detention was akin to being punished for bad behavior. As a result, you had to serve 30 minutes after school. This caused my daily routine to be thrown totally out of whack. I don’t remember the particulars of what I did to be put in detention, but I do recall telling Eric to wait for me after school. You see there was a group of us that all lived in the same neighborhood. After school, we would all get together and walk home. You know the whole strength in numbers thing. Who am I fooling? We did it because it was fun and we would always be up to some mischief. The end of the school day finally came and I had served my time in detention. I headed out to the back fence near the P.E. field where we would all meet up before heading home. I was surprised to not find Eric standing there waiting for me. Eric was one of my closest friends and it was not like him to stand me up. I can remember thinking that maybe he was over on the basketball court but when I went there he was nowhere to be found. Finally, after some minutes I decided I should just head home and sort things out later. Plus find out just what was Eric’s problem.

Now the way home was pretty simple. All we had to do was walk about eight blocks along 22nd avenue and then take a shortcut that led through a field along a canal. Once on the other side of the field, it was but three blocks the rest of the way home. There was nothing out of the norm that day that would have alluded to what I was about to experience. Believe me, I have thought about it countless times. I have played it over and over in my mind seeing if maybe I missed some warning sign. My only conclusion is that everything that happened that day was meant to be. I walked the eight blocks up 22nd avenue until I reached the field. There was an opening in the fence that surrounded the field. One could clearly see the path that led through the field while standing at the opening of the fence. Flanked on each side of the path was this grass that stood about four feet high. It looked like wheat to me back then but now I know that it was not. The path was not a straight path but resembled a giant snake lying in the sun. Just by looking you could tell this path was not cut but was made by countless feet. A portion of this path curved close to the canal for a few feet before curving back towards the center of the field until finally reaching the opening on the other side. I was always uneasy about walking through this field. It looked creepy especially with this old tree that stood in the center of the field. I was like one of those trees you see in horror movies with very little leaves but these bare branches that went in every direction. In addition to that, I could not swim so walking next to that canal was definitely a concern for me.

I scanned the field and taking a deep breath I started my trek along the path. I proceeded slowly, at first, but quickened my pace as I neared the canal portion of the path. About half-way through I can recall faintly hearing the rustle of bushes but like I said earlier looking back you begin to question everything. Next thing I know, I find myself stumbling towards the canal. I frantically begin grasping at the grass as I slide over the edge almost falling into the canal. It wasn’t cold that day but it felt as if though someone had dumped a bucket of ice cold water over my head. All the air in me instantly left my body and I began to cry out for help. It is true what they say. When you are in moments of life and death it’s as if time slows. My every movement and everything around me appeared to be in slow motion. I struggled as I reached above me trying to pull myself up all the while hoping the grass would not break free and I would go tumbling into the canal never to be seen again. I grabbed at the grass along the embankment over and over pulling myself up until finally, I was able to make my way back to the path. Covered in mud, and out of breath I instantly yelled out Eric’s name. If this was his idea of a joke it was not a funny one. I called out to him three more times but to no response. I stood there shaking and wondering what had just happened. Someone almost pushed me into the canal. What was going on? Who was it and where were they? I looked around frantically trying to find my assailant. Seeing no one I quickly looked along the ground for my bookbag. I was a few feet from where I went over the embankment. Without haste, I retrieved the bag and turned to head back towards the path. What I saw next to this day I can not begin to understand. Hearing once again the rustling of the tall grass I snapped my head in the direction of the sound. There, but a few feet in front of me, I could see the bushes parting as if something was coming through them, but I could see nothing. I stood there frozen trying to process what my eyes were seeing. As the movement of the grass got closer it was as if every molecule in my body screamed out to me. RUN! I turned and ran with all I had. I only got a few feet before I felt this force knock me to the ground. Whatever it was it made no sounds. I could only feel the weight of it on my back and feel the force of it pressing my face into the ground as if it were trying to suffocate me. In desperation, I folded my arms, placing them on my head creating a pocket of space between the ground and my face. I stayed like this as I felt it slamming my head repeatedly into my arms and trying to pull my arms away from my head. I screamed. It was all I could do...scream and fight for my life. I had to do something or I know for sure I would not make it home. As this force continually pressed my head into the ground I placed my hands palms down on the ground and thrust myself upwards. Somehow, I had summoned the strength to throw it off my back. Now back on my feet, I oriented myself as to which direction I needed to run but before I could I saw it again. It was moving through the grass towards me again but this time faster than before. I was unable to react fast enough and I could feel the force of whatever it was slamming into my body and knocking me once again to the ground. This time I was on my back. It was pressed on top of me. I could feel its weight and it moving but I couldn’t see anything. As I looked up all I could see was the blue sky and white clouds staring down at me. I struggled as it pressed the grass over my face. It was as if the grass had come to life and was intent on my demise. I gasped for air as I turned my head from side to side. To my surprise, I was able to grab whatever it was that was on top of me. It had to be its arm because I could feel it pulling and jerking away from me as it pressed the grass over my face. There was definitely something there. I wrestled with it as it tried to suffocate me now with the tall grass pressing it over my face again and again. It was relentless. It seemed like an eternity as me and this thing struggled. Then, suddenly, it stopped. It was gone. I lie there for a moment totally spent. I had nothing left so I thought. I got to my feet and looked around orienting myself as to which direction I needed to go to get home when in the distance I could see the grass moving again in my direction. I didn’t bother to pick up my book-bag or anything and took off running as fast as I could towards the other opening in the fence. I didn’t even bother using the path. I just ran bounding through the tall grass, pass that creepy tree, and through to the other end of the field. Once there, I stopped and looked back. I stood there wondering what had just happened. Wondering what attacked me and tried to kill me. Until finally, I turned and ran the rest of the way home.

Once home I realized that I was missing my shoe, book-bag, and I had various scratches on my face. I don’t know if the scratches came from the struggle or when I ran past that tree but I was just happy to be alive. I burst through the door to my mother standing there staring at me. She had this look on her face like what the hell happened to you. I just stood there with tears running down my face.

“Something tried to kill me!” I yelled.

My mother just grabbed me and hugged me. I look back on that day still wondering what happened. From time to time in my travels, I pass that very area as I am driving. It’s not the same as it was before. The tall grass is gone and there are homes next to it now. That creepy tree is still there though. I wonder if anyone else experienced what I did that day. I am 46 years old now and even now I wouldn’t dare walk through that area. Never!