Their Piece of Heaven

“I’m so glad you decided to come,” Probably the fiftieth time Ari Pohatu said to his younger brother Tama. “It’ll be good for you.”

Ari was navigating his Toyota Rav-4 through the dirt roads of the Adirondack mountains. Without losing focus of the road, he took a quick glance at Tama-or Tom as he’s called. Seeing the dejected demeanor of his brother, he reached out and rubbed Tom’s head.

Lenore Palmer-or Lenny-Tom’s girlfriend of two years, a girl he planned to propose to, broke up with him. ‘I want to find myself Tom,’ she said. ‘I need to.’

Ari and two of his friends had planned this four-day camping trip weeks ago. Then he learned of his brother’s circumstance. He didn’t want him to be alone, so he invited Tom. Initially, he refused but Ari has a way with words.

***

Ari parked his Rav-4 next to a Ford Expedition. “They’re here,” he said just before turning the engine off and climbing out of the vehicle. “Let’s grab our gear. Then we walk. Site's about a quarter mile near Oswegatchie River. Nice place to fish.” He said with a hint of excitement.

Rick Spencer and James ‘Jim’ Jameson have already set-up camp when Ari and Tom arrived. Introductions were made and hands were shook. The first person Tom noticed was Jim, who towered over everyone and was black as night. I didn’t know black guys liked camping, he thought. But then he wondered the same about his brother, who was of Maori descent just like himself. Maybe it was a lot more common, he just never knew. Hell, lately, there’s a lot of things he never knew.

Rick is someone he’s met before. Similarly, he doesn’t strike Tom as a person who likes the outdoors. More like an English teacher who spends too much time inside the classroom.

He watched as the three friends talk and plan the activities for the next four days. He watched how they acted in this small spot of the forest. He kept to himself his appreciation of the way they were handling themselves, as if they belonged in the wild. Especially his brother Ari as he purposefully picked a spot to set-up his tent.

“Shit,” Ari muttered.

“Need help with that?” Rick teased.

“Having a hard time setting up your tent?” Jim asked. “Funny thing. Rick and I had the same problem earlier.”

“Nah I got this,” Ari said, keeping his focus directed on the task.

He finally finished setting up his tent and saw his brother also having the same problems with his. He went over with Tom yesterday about how to set-up his tent to at least give him some ‘outdoor skills.’ To his credit, Tom picked it up immediately. He’s always been a quick study.

Yet somehow the tent kept collapsing. After a few more tweaking, the set up was finished.

And to everyone’s surprise, all four tents collapsed at the same time.

***

“What the fuck?” It has been Ari’s favorite phrase lately.

All four of them exchanged glances. “Dah dah dah dah…” Rick started humming the twilight zone music.

Ari shrugged his shoulders and started setting up his tent once more as if nothing happened. The others followed suit. But it was only Ari who was a bit bothered by it. That was some weird shit, he kept thinking. It didn’t help that Rick was still humming that stupid tune.

This time, they were all able to set up their tents without any problems as if nature finally stopped playing its prank on them.

***

The plan for the day was to get settled. To relax, mainly, in preparation for the next day which they would spend hiking then fishing. It was already three-forty in the afternoon. Ari spent the remaining hours of daylight going over his outdoor equipment several times. He had a .45 caliber Smith & Wesson, a machete, a handheld LED spotlight, his smartphone, a compass, a plasma-based lighter for starting campfires-his favorite, and a medium-sized skillet.

At six-ten pm Rick and Jim started collecting wood for the campfire and at sunset the group had a fire going. They gathered around the campfire. Jim opened his cooler and pulled out a package of uncooked meat. He placed a piece on Ari’s skillet and started grilling.

“Look at us,” Ari said. “A bunch of survivalists out in the woods. But first let’s stop by Walmart and grab some food.”

Everybody laughed.

***

The next day, everybody was up by seven-thirty. Rick started brewing coffee and after a light breakfast of beef jerky, they were ready for a hike.

The terrain was rough and arduous but the views they were able to see was just simply breathtaking. But somehow Ari was disturbed. On several occasions, he noticed the forest became deathly silent as if it became devoid of life. Worse, he felt they were being watched. As an avid outdoorsman, this was a sensation he’s never felt before. Then suddenly, the forest would be lively again and the feeling of being watched would disappear. It just wasn’t normal.

After about two hours of hiking, the group sat by a meadow to view the majestic mountains in the distance.

“Un-believable,” Rick said. “It can’t get better than this.”

“It’s dope,” Jim replied. “Doper than my ex’s naked body.”

“Everything’s doper than your ex’s naked body,” Rick said.

“I was talking about your sister,”

“Asshole,”

Everybody shared a good laugh. They rested for another fifteen minutes before they started the hike back to camp.

***

The group still had a few hours of daylight when they got back. Almost immediately they started preparing for their next activity, which was to fish. Except for Tom, who had no intentions of joining the group on their next venture.

Instead, he sat in his tent and stretched his legs. Then he took a bottle of bourbon out of his backpack and took a gulp. The three friends were too busy minding their own business that by the time Rick noticed, Tom already had several gulps.

“Dude, you mind sharing?” He joked.

But Ari wasn’t having it. “What’re you doing?”

“Enjoying,” Tom said. “Isn’t that the whole point of…this?” He motioned to the tall trees surrounding them.

“Tom, for you the point of this is to make you see another side of life-”

“Were you fucking her?” Tom cut him off.

“Excuse me?”

“Don’t play dumb with me! She told me you’ve tried to get with her.”

“Lenny?” Ari was dumbfounded.

“I’m out,” Jim said and started walking in the direction of the river with Rick.

“Don’t leave,” Tom told them. “We haven’t gotten to the good part yet.”

“This is why you shouldn’t be drinking Tom,”

“Answer the question Ari!”

“No I didn’t fuck her Tom,” Ari couldn’t believe he was defending himself with this allegation. “Truth is I knew she was bad for you. I knew it the moment I saw her. But knowing you, you wouldn’t have listened if I warned you. Just like you’re not listening right now with your drinking.”

“You pretentious prick!” Tom took another gulp. “You have an answer for everything, don’t you? I’ve seen the way you look at her.”

Ari couldn’t believe this ungrateful dick. He brought him with them to this piece of heaven-their piece of heaven-because he loves him the way brothers ought to. And this is what he gets in return? To be accused of screwing a tramp? And not just any tramp but his brother’s tramp of an ex-girlfriend. He’s been accused of many things, but this is one of the worst. Suddenly, he no longer felt like defending himself of something so preposterous.

“I don’t know who’s talking, you or that shit you’re drinking…,” Ari took one step towards Tom and grabbed the bottle in his hand with a speed that knocked some sobriety in him. Then he tossed the bottle as far away as he could in the opposite direction. “Tomorrow when you’ve sobered up I’ll give you the keys to my car so you can get your ass out of here.

“Now I’m going to walk away not because I’m giving you space,” he continued. “But because I really need to pee.”

Ari turned his back on Tom and headed in the direction of the river. He was fuming. Now it was him who couldn’t help himself. He turned back around to face Tom one more time.

“Fuck you Tama!”

***

Slow deep breaths work wonders. Add to that the separation of the brothers and Ari was already cooling down. Maybe relieving himself also helped. Regardless, he’s already feeling a tad better than mere minutes ago.

“You ok bud?” It was Jim’s voice coming from about ten feet behind him, maybe around a tree. “Where the hell did that come from? That was intense.”

“Feeling better actually. But I’d prefer it if you waited until I’m done peeing.”

Jim laughed. “When you’re done we’re ready to catch dinner. I’ll be right here. And don’t worry, I won’t look.”

Jim expected Ari to respond with annoyance since he’s still deliberately talking to him. But Ari didn’t respond at all. Whatever, he thought.

He waited a whole minute and still Ari wasn’t done. Then he waited for another minute and still no Ari. Without looking, he jested: “Taking a shit now too?”

There was no response. Puzzled, he asked: “You ok bud? Ari?”

***

Rick didn’t even acknowledge Tom when he came back to camp after he took a little stroll in the woods. He just fixed his attention on his fishing gear. This asshole’s got some nerve, he thought. Accusing his brother of sleeping with his ex? Maybe he should look her up. After all, she got him intrigued. Then he’ll give him a real reason to be pissed off.

Jim came running back to camp. “I can’t find Ari!”

“Slow down,” Rick said. “What do you mean-“

“He’s gone! One minute I was talking to him then I look away. I look back and he’s just vanished!”

“You’re not making any sense,”

“He’s gone! His phone’s going straight to voicemail, he’s not anywhere near the river, he doesn’t even look like he left his pissing spot! He’s just gone!”

Rick saw that Jim was serious. Immediately his demeanor changed. He grabbed his firearm, exchanged glances with Tom and headed in the direction where Ari went earlier.

***

Despite himself, Tom was helping with the search. And before they knew it, forty-five minutes have passed. They’ve searched the immediate area where Ari might’ve gone. They kept calling out his name until they almost ran out of voice. They even called his phone again and again and just like what Jim said, it kept going straight to his voicemail.

They went back to camp hoping to find Ari waiting on them, but he wasn’t. “Ok we still have daylight for maybe three hours. I’ll go down to the station and notify the park ranger of a missing person. The two of you stay here in case he shows up.” Jim said and the two agreed.

A search and rescue team was assembled quickly. The team consisted of seventy volunteers, which was a large group considering the short notice. The team was very optimistic they would find Ari, especially with his background of being an outdoorsman.

The search went on till sunset and darkness. Then throughout the night and into the morning. Canines were called in to assist and bizarrely, the dogs lost scent at the spot where he was relieving himself. It was as if he vanished in thin air.

The third day of the search happened to be the day when the friends had planned on leaving. Cruelly, it became the day when the search was no longer a search but a recovery. At this point, they no longer think Ari is still alive. They were now looking for his corpse.

Rick and Jim were distraught. How could this have happened? Ari was no dummy in the wild. He’s camped by himself many times and for longer periods. Once, he went camping for ten days by himself! Rainfall during summer is more likely to happen than for Ari to end up missing in the woods.

Tom wasn’t doing so well either. The past few days have been the worst days of his life. First his girlfriend, a woman he’s still madly in love with, leaves him. Then his big brother cooks up this plan to cheer him up. Now he’s missing and probably dead and their last time together was when he treated Ari like shit. That’s not who he is. He was just suffering and needed to vent. Years of anger and envy towards his brother had to come out and it did-horribly. But his love for his brother was so much more than his negative feelings towards him were. He wanted him found more than anyone so he can say how sorry he was about the things he said. That’s why he couldn’t stop himself from yelling at some of the volunteers.

He was sitting on a folding chair one of the volunteers brought when Rick and Jim approached him. Before either of them can say anything, Tom gave them both a hug and started weeping.

“I need him found!” He said to no one in particular. “Oh God please I need him found!”

Rick and Jim returned the hug. And the tears they were holding back could no longer be contained. They wept with him. And for the volunteers who saw the three, it was the saddest thing they’ve ever seen in their lives.

The formal search ended on the sixth day. Ari Pohatu was never found.

***

As soon as Ari zipped up his pants, he noticed something amiss. The forest, vibrant with all the sounds of wildlife, from different species of birds chirping to seeing a chipmunk or a squirrel climbing a tree every ten yards, has become deathly quiet. Devoid of life even. It seemed the animals have made a collected effort to abandon the forest completely. Just like earlier. The strange feeling he had earlier in the day came back but much stronger this time. As if something was chasing them and now it’s finally caught up.

“You notice that Jim?”

No answer.

Maybe Jim already went to the river to fish, and he took the whole forest with him. Anyway, I’ll just grab my gear and-

“What the hell?” Suddenly Ari didn’t recognize the trees around him! He looked at his surroundings and realized he didn’t know where he was! And why does it seem like it’s dusk already? Instinctively, he reached for his phone to call Jim. His password wasn’t working and the date on his phone was two days ago! Something bizarre was happening. At once, he pulled out his gun and fired three shots, a universal SOS for someone lost in the woods. No response.

Then there were footsteps. He turned to see who was making them. “Lenny?! What the fuck are you doing here?” His shock was palpable.

Lenore Palmer stood about ten yards away from him. She didn’t say anything. That was unusual. But she smiled at him seductively. The same smile she gives him when they meet eyes on accident on gatherings.

His shock threw him off for a moment. And when his senses came back, he knew he wasn’t looking at the same Lenny. She wouldn’t be wandering in the forest this deep by herself and she wouldn’t be wearing a wedding dress. This was something else. An impostor.

The strange feeling he had earlier now became a sense of dread. He pocketed his phone and unsheathed his machete like a knight drawing his sword.

The impostor turned its back on him and started walking deeper into the woods. But it kept it’s gaze on him, and the seductive smile never wavered. Ari didn’t move and when the imposter noticed him standing still, it too stopped walking. Its smile was replaced by a neutral look, as if to ask him, what’s wrong?

Against his better judgment, Ari took a small step in its direction and the impostor started moving again. He somehow felt the answers to this madness lay in following the fake Lenny.

***

Ari didn’t know how far he walked but he lost the impostor. He found a trail that wove through the forest and followed it. It led to a wide clearing. And there in the clearing sat the fake Lenny-completely naked. It was looking at him with a bedroom stare and an expression as if it was expecting him.

He managed to peel his eyes off the impostor and notice that in the distance, where the tree line starts, were silhouettes of people but empty of features. Like shadows they were just pure black. There were eight of them, but he had the sensation there were more. He knew they weren’t humans just like he knew this ‘woman’ wasn’t Lenny.

A chill went up his spine. He knew these beings were going to harm him. It’s the gut feeling people have when their existence is threatened. The fight or flight response.

He readied himself mentally to the idea he might have to empty his gun on these ‘beings.’ At the same time, he tightened his grip on the machete.

The impostor Lenny opened its mouth and let out a piercing shriek that echoed throughout the forest. And suddenly the shadow beings started moving towards him! And there were more coming out from the cover of the trees.

Instantly, he aimed his gun at the shadows and fired. He was sure he hit one of them more than once but they kept coming. He kept pulling the trigger until he ran out of bullets. Now he only has the machete. He’s good with it but he was now sure he wasn’t going to survive this encounter.

Fight or flight response. He ran as fast as he could, trying to make sense of the forest that did not make sense. It was his piece of heaven. He now understands it belonged to the shadow beings. It was their piece of heaven.

As if it couldn’t get weirder, the skies darkened. It got darker the faster he ran. Yet, he pushed his legs to its limits, running faster than ever before.

He was doing good until he stepped on a sizable stone and sprained his ankle. He fell hard and instantly howled in pain. That was it. He wasn’t walking on this ankle let alone run. He couldn’t see the shadow beings, but he could hear twigs snapping and leaves being stepped on. They were very close.

One of them came out from behind the trees. Then another. Soon he was surrounded. He lost his machete somewhere when he fell and now, he was unarmed. He was going to die. He was sure of it. But he was going out on his terms.

The lighter!

He felt his pockets and found his favorite lighter. He flipped the switch and lit the dry grass he was laying on. It caught fire fast and in seconds the fire was everywhere-the grass, bushes, trees and even on him. Images of people flashed in his head. Friends. Families. So many. With one thought he said goodbye to them all. The last thing he heard was the piercing shrieks as if a multitude was being tortured at once.

Then the flames engulfed him.

***

It was a somber dinner for the Pohatu family. Ari has been missing for ten days. Tom and his parents were now resigned to the fact that Ari was never coming back. A memorial service was already scheduled in his memory.

The past few days have been difficult for all three: no parent should be burying their offspring no matter how old they are. It’s not the order of nature. And for Tom, he still loathes himself for the way he talked to Ari just before he disappeared.

At exactly nine pm Tom’s cellphone rang.

***

The call was made by the NYPD and he didn’t know what to make of it. After much hesitation, he told his parents. Then he called Rick-who sounded like he’s been drinking-and a voicemail was left for Jim. He made his way to his desktop and booked the earliest flight heading to Nebraska.

Apparently, a man was brought to a hospital via ambulance in a small city called Stromsburg. The man was said to have been found passed out on a sidewalk. When they checked for his ID, they found a Michigan state driver’s license identifying him as Ari Pohatu. Though he looked like he lost a bunch of weight, the description matched to a tee.

Tom and his parents made it to Nebraska at six-thirty the next day. They never booked a hotel. They rented a car and made it to the hospital two hours later.

“We’re here to see Ari Pohatu,” Tom said to the lady at the check-in counter. She typed in the name and gave them the room number. They almost ran. There was still the possibility that it might not be him but how many Ari Pohatu’s with a Michigan driver’s license are there?

Tom entered the room followed by his parents. The man sleeping on the bed had a bushy beard and his hair went down to his neck. It couldn’t be him. He stood on the foot of the bed for a closer look.

And then he cried.

***

He couldn’t hug the man tight enough. So tight the man woke up, but he didn’t care. He wanted to wake him up.

“Ari! It’s you! Oh my god it’s really you!”

Dehydrated, disoriented and weak, the man couldn’t push Tom away. “Get off me!” He tried to yell but it came out more as a whisper.

Tom relented, not wanting to upset the man. And as the man’s blurred vision became clearer, he said, “Mom…dad…what’re you guys doing here? And Tom, you look like shit. Why are you crying?”

***

“I remember being put in an ambulance. I remember they were asking my name and they said they were taking me to the hospital. That’s it. Nothing else. But my legs are burning like I ran a marathon. And my ankle’s killing me I think I sprained it.”

“You went missing for ten days! We went camping in the Adirondacks and you just disappeared! The dogs couldn’t find you. Two helicopters with thermal imaging and over a hundred volunteers couldn’t find you. You just vanished! And then here you are in Nebraska of all places!”

Ari shrugged. “I wish I could tell you more but I really don’t remember anything.”

The conversation continued all day. Tom and his parents never left Ari’s side. Rick and Jim arrived that evening and they were just as elated. And they couldn’t believe the circumstances either. It was just too incredible. Their friend, an expert outdoorsman, ends up missing in the woods for over a week then surfaces hundreds of miles later with no memory of what happened, and with a beard and long hair that would’ve taken him months to grow.

After being treated for dehydration, Ari was discharged two days later.

Back in Michigan, he was questioned by the police about his disappearance. He gave them the same story and they were just as baffled. But despite the bizarreness of his situation, everybody was just happy that he’s back.

As for Ari and his friends, no camping trip has been planned anytime soon.