Skinwalker

These hills have been calling to me all week. I explored them hoping to find something fantastic. I’m Ahoti, a Cherokee arts dealer and full blooded Cherokee from Tennessee. But lately I have been wanting to branch out to other cultures. So I made my way out to Navajo country. The forested mountain region was some of the most beautiful scenery I had seen in my nearly three decades of life.

But something is calling me. I can't explain it. But I long to keep exploring. I traversed deep into the hills. It was peaceful out here, and something keeps calling me. Almost as if I can hear a whisper in the wind itself. I was looking to the sky, lost in my own thoughts, when I stepped on a loose rock and rolled down the hillside. I came to a stop at the opening of a cave. The breeze blew into the cave.

“Follow,” the wind said.

I entered the cave and was amazed by the sights. Navajo cave paintings lined the cave walls. I know little of the Navajo people, having only just started looking into their culture, but my guess was that this told a story of a man who killed his fellow man. Eventually the Navajo people hunted him down and stabbed him with a knife.

The most interesting part of this was the man’s head was that of a wolf or perhaps a coyote. The wolf in Navajo tradition is a little different than that of the Cherokee. The Wa’ya (wolf) in Cherokee legend symbolizes protection, intelligence, and leadership. The Navajo also think the ma’iitsoh, as they call it, as a strong figure, such as a chief, but they also fear it. For the wolf could be a yee naaldlooshi. This is what Navajo call what most people refer to as a skinwalker.

So either this man was a chief who was killed or this could very well be a tale of a skinwalker. I wasn’t sure. I took my camera out and inspected it, hoping the tumble down the hill did not break it. Luckily it still worked. I took a few photos of the art. Once I developed the film I would show Gaagii, my primary contact here in Navajo country. He would know more about the paintings.

I took a few more steps in before I spotted a skeleton sitting against the wall. A knife rested on the ground before him. The knife appeared to be made of stone, obsidian most likely, and was covered in dirt. The blade was still sharp and beautifully ornate.

The only other item of note was a ring on his finger.I carefully pulled the ring off the bone finger and stared into the beautifully crafted ring. It was made of shiny black stone. The top of the ring was of a wolf’s head, its eyes a magnificent yellow color.

I had a strong urge to put the ring on my finger but instead put it in my pocket. I picked up the knife and wrapped it in some cloth before putting it in my bag. I would show them both to Gaagii, my expert on all things Navajo.

I took a few more pictures before I returned to Window Rock. I went to my room at the Navajo Nation Inn and set up my makeshift dark room to develop my film.

A few hours later I went to the Navajo Arts and Crafts Enterprise where I would meet Gaagii. He helps out at the Navajo Nation Museum that is run out of the back room of the store.

Atsá sat at the register, staring at a TV. President Regan was giving a speech.

“Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” I heard him say.

“Is Gaagii in?” I asked.

“Yeah, in the back,” she said, not looking away from the TV.

“Yáʼátʼééh,” I said as I approached Gaagii.

It was one of the first things he taught me in the Navajo language. It was a traditional Navajo greeting.

“Osiyo, Atohi,” he said back in Cherokee, simply meaning hello Atohi.

“I found some interesting things in the hills this morning.”

“Oh?” he said, “Let me see what you have.”

I set the pictures on the table in front of him and then laid the wrapped knife on top.

“I found these in a cave. This was found on the ground in front of a skeleton. I assume this story tells of the man's death.”

“You may be correct,” Gaagii said, “Oh, this is beautiful.”

He had just finished unwrapping the knife.

“Do you think this could be depicting the yee naaldlooshi?”

As soon as I finished my question he put his hands up and loudly shushed me.

“We do not speak their name,” Gaagii said, lowering his voice, “But yes, I do believe that is what we are seeing.”

“Why don't you say the name?”

“It is said to speak of them is to summon them. You could bring them down upon us.”

I chuckled.

“Not a believer?” he asked.

“No," I said, “I am more of a see it to believe it guy.”

“The cave you found may have been their lair. This would make it a sacred cave, and one you should have entered.” Gaagii said.

“I apologize, I was unaware it was sacred.”

“The knife is still an amazing find,” he said.

Gaagii scraped off a bit of the dirt that covered the knife.

“Sorry,” I said, “I didn’t get a chance to clean the dirt off it before I brought it in.”

“I don’t think it's dirt,” he said, “I think it’s white ash.”

“Interesting. Why do you think that?”

“If the images are what we think they are, white ash would have been used to kill it.”

I nodded, finding the matter interesting and wishing I could ask more questions about the legend. But I wanted to respect their traditions.

“Did you find anything else?”

I reached my hand in my pocket to pull the ring out but I could not find the will to tell him about it.

“No, that is all I found.”

“Well I appreciate you bringing these to me. I will see to it that they are added to the collection.”

“If I find anything else before I head home I will be sure to let you know.”

We shook hands and I returned to my hotel. I sat on my bed and looked at a picture from my wallet. It was a picture of my wife, Leotie, and son, Mohe. I had hoped to bring my wife with me on this trip but she had decided our son was too little yet.

I returned the picture to my wallet and then placed it on my night stand. Picking up the ring that had been sitting there.

I stared into the piercing yellow eyes. Again I found the urge to put the ring on my finger. I couldn’t resist the call any longer. I slid the ring onto my left pinkie. At first pain shot through my hand before I blacked out.

I found myself walking through the forest. It was late and I was not sure how I got here.

“Hello,” I called out.

A low growl from behind me caused me to freeze. I slowly turned to look and saw a large dark colored wolf stalking me. I slowly backed away from the wolf, doing my best not to startle it.

As I took a step back the wolf jumped towards me. I fell backward as the large wolf landed on top of me. I grabbed the wolf around its neck and held it away from my face with all my might. But the wolf was just too strong. Its mouthful of teeth inches from my face.

I got my feet underneath the wolf and kicked it away as hard as I could.

I scrambled to my feet as the wolf charged me again. Before I could react I realized the wolf was now on two legs and had grabbed me by the throat with a human-like hand, lifting me up in the air and slamming me against a tree. I grasped at its hand, trying to break its grasp. Then his large mouth was around my skull.

I awoke early the next morning naked in the woods and covered in blood. I felt all over my face to feel for wounds but could not find any. A part of me sighed with relief that it was just a dream. But another part of me was concerned. How did I get here? Why am I naked? But more importantly, where did this blood come from?

I quickly made my way back to the hotel. Lucky enough for me my room door was ajar and I was able to get inside. It was early enough that I don’t think anyone saw me running through town naked.

As I showered I looked down to the ring still on my finger. I tried multiple times to pull it off. But it didn’t budge. I used soap to try and lubricate it but it still would not move. I took a deep breath and let the warm water cover me, eyes closed trying to relax.

A quick flash of a young Navajo woman shattered my concentration. She was screaming, and in pain. I shook the image from my head and finished showering.

I pulled up to the Museum, hoping Gaagii was there and that he could help me figure out something with the ring.

I entered the store front and there was no one at the register.

“Hello?” I asked.

“Just a moment,” Gaagii said as he came up front, “Atohi, what brings you in so early?”

“Where is Atsa?” I asked.

He looked to the ground.

“She died last night?”

“What?” I asked in shock, “How?”

“They say she was mauled by a bear.”

“Why would a bear do that?”

He shook his head, he did not seem to have an answer.

“They say it ripped her apart good. Something about it doesn’t feel right.”

Another flash filled my head, the same woman screaming in pain, this time a clearer face. It was Atsa.

I shook my head and covered my face with my hands to rub my eyes.

“Are you alright, Atohi?” Gaagii asked, “Where did you get that ring?”

I looked at my finger and back to him.

“That is why I am here,” I said, “I found it in the cave, I forgot to mention it. I put it on last night but now I cannot get it off.”

“Do you know what that is?” Gaagii said, walking up to the sign on the door and changing it to closed, “To the back, now.”

“It’s a wolf ring,” I said.

“It could very well be the source of their power.”

“Who’s power?” I asked, fearing the answer I already knew.

Gaagii pointed to the pictures I took.

“No, that’s impossible.” I stammered.

“We need to get that ring off before you hurt anyone else.” He said, grabbing the knife I brought him.

“I haven’t hurt anyone.”

“I think you and I both know that a bear would not shred a young girl apart like that. We must cut the finger from your hand.”

“No,” I said, pulling my hand into my chest, “There has to be another way.”

“Only a hataalii can remove evil from your soul without taking the ring off. Our hataalii will not be available for a few weeks. We must sever your finger before evil binds to your soul.”

I was suddenly filled with a great rage, my blood almost felt as if it were boiling.

“NO!” I shouted, “I am not evil. I can learn to control it.”

“Atohi, you are playing with things you do not understand. You must give me the ring.”

I stared at Gaagii for a brief moment.

“You want the ring for yourself,” I accused, “You want this power. You are jealous.”

“No Atohi, I want to save you.”

He grabbed my hand, but I felt a surge of strength and backhanded him into a wall.

I felt my bones pop, and my muscles contract. Before I realized what had happened, I was covered in fur, with long sharp claws on each hand. My face looked like a wolf. The same wolf from my dream.

I slowly approached Gaagii, who was still trying to recover from bouncing off a wall. He looked up at me, a look of absolute horror on his face. He glanced at the knife on the ground between us. I growled slowly, staring down at the knife. I was again driven to madness.

He made a move to reach for it, but my jaws were around his neck before he had moved but an inch. The taste of iron filled my mouth. A taste like nothing I had ever tasted before. I ripped out a chunk of flesh then howled.

Another moment later I was human again. Covered in blood and naked.

“What the hell,” I said.

This time I was aware of what had happened, but also felt as if I was not in control. As if the rage had driven me to kill, or was it hunger.

I ran to the trash can and vomited. Chunks of Gaagii’s throat left my body. Causing me to vomit again.

I calmed myself down. I grabbed the knife and some clothes and returned to the hotel. After another quick shower, I checked out and drove away from Window Rock, heading back home to Mounteagle Tennessee as fast as I dared to drive. I drove straight through, over a day's worth, only stopping to get gas and use the restroom. I did not linger long at any stop, fearing the hunger would overcome me again.

I finally made it home. I entered the house to see my lovely wife. A peace came over me. Perhaps she would be the strength I needed to overcome this.

“I did not expect you home yet. Weren’t you supposed to be there another week?” She asked, hugging me and giving me a kiss.

“I could not stay away any longer,” I lied.

“You look exhausted.”

“I drove straight through. I just had to get home.”

She grabbed my bag and coat.

“Let me deal with these. You get some rest.”

I nodded, sleep sounded good right now.

As she emptied my bag I heard her scream in pain.

“Damnit,” she said, “What is this?”

She pulled out the knife, a large cut ran down her finger.

“A little warning would have been nice,” she teased.

My hands began to shake. The smell of iron is all I notice. The hunger was fighting for control.

“No,” I whispered to myself, as if it would help.

“Atohi, are you alright,” she asked as she took a step towards me.

“No!” I roared, “Leotie, run.”

She froze in fear as the hunger took over me again. She didn’t make a single move to run away. She still held the knife in her hand. I clawed her across the chest, sending her across the kitchen. The deep wounds spilled massive amounts of blood to the floor. I stood over her for a moment. Life had already left her, that horrified look still on her face. I howled again.

Then I heard him cry. My son had been sleeping in his room. His cry snapped me out of my hunger. Back to my own senses. Clarity came over me for the first time since I put the ring on. I would not let the monster I had become take my son. I had already lost half my world to its hunger. I would not lose any more.

I grabbed the knife, my hand shaking against my own thoughts. I placed the knife just below the ring. I took a deep breath. I could almost hear the ring, the whisper in the wind, screaming, begging me to stop. I pushed through my pinkie, cleanly severing it from my hand. I roared one last monstrous roar before everything quieted for the first time in days.

I shuttered again, remembering everything that I had done. Then exhaustion took over, and I passed out.

I sat on a tree stump in a calm bright forest. The breeze was warm. I was truly at peace here. Movement snapped my attention to the large white wolf approaching me. He stopped in front of me and sat, staring directly into my eyes. My hand shook as I reached out to pet him. A part of me was afraid it would attack. But it did not.

Once I touched the wolf I awoke in a hospital room. I sat up in a panic.

“Easy,” said a nurse in the room.

“My son,” was all I could mutter.

“Your son is safe. Your brother has him.”

I nodded, calming a bit.

“What happened?” She asked, “Something got into your house and attacked you guys. Do you remember what it was?”

I sat in silence for a moment.

“A bear.”

“Well, I’m sorry about your wife.” she said as she left the room.

Later that evening I returned home with my son and brother. It had been cleaned but blood still stained the floor.

“Do you need anything else?” He asked.

“No, you have done enough,” I said, “Thank you for taking care of Mohe.”

After my brother left and I laid Mohe to bed I returned to the kitchen. I searched frantically for a few moments before I found my pinkie and the ring under the refrigerator. I tried to pull the ring from the finger but it would still not come off. So I placed the finger in a small wooden box, attached a lock and destroyed the key. I will bury it in the woods, where it will never bother anyone again.