The whole story of "The mushrooming" - motivated by Stephen King's stories

    is there anything strange 

                      coming to your mind        

               

                             when you are in the forest

                                     looking for mushrooms?...

source of piscture: http://www.hdwallpaperscool.com/dark-forest-hd-wallpapers/

For Stephen King...

 

 The Mushrooming...

Early October in the forest there is something what everyone should see. Especially when there is more than just trees. And it was the view Adam wanted to show his family. He wanted them to feel the atmosphere created by all these birch trees, oaks and maples with colorful leaves reflecting in water of little pond in the middle of the woods. The place seemed (and it still seems but now no one is permitted to watch it anymore) so calm and relaxing. The man remembered his childhood when his life was simple and the only problems were the ones concerning chasing his sibling and climbing the trees. He also recalled visiting forest to pick mushrooms for dinner or just for pleasure. Now everything seemed different.

He convinced his wife to get to the forest after telling her how important it was for their son and his health problems. Boy couldn’t breathe properly and fresh air was something he really needed. Anna, his lady, the second wife, had had different plans for Sunday but she agreed. At las, and no without doubts.

They arrived there at nine in the morning. Anna decided to wait in the car while boys started getting deeper and deeper. Adam was a great father, he talked to his boy and that day, he showed him every tree, changing the biology class into great adventure of unusual creatures hiding in holes or the ones pretending Spiderman reaching the highest points of trees. His four-year-old boy couldn’t stop wondering and imagining the mysterious life of the forest. With his eyes opened wide he asked questions and reasoning on his own when he didn’t know what to ask (or what he didn’t like the answer for). And he created the world full of extraordinariness, where everything was amazing, unbelievable but rationale for the child. Just like his father had done years before…

They finally reached the pond. They sat on the rock talking about the shadowy water and its mysteries. This time, Jess called the tune, explaining his dad what was happening when no one sees the fish and these unknown species of plants. Suddenly the heard the voice of Anna, calling them and trying to find them. Face of the fchild, relaxed so far, sharply changed into fear and sadness at the same time. “We’re here!” shouted Adam standing up trying to cheer the boy up. “Maybe mum wants to learn something too”. The boy smiled, like every naïve little boy, believing that this time mum was not going to complain. As he hadn’t expected – he was wrong. “How long am I to wait? Fuck, this place is awful. It stinks!”. That moment, the man felt something surprising – he was mad with her. “First of all – he started – do not swear next to the kid. Second of all – if you don’t like the place – he took out the wallet and took some notes – take the taxi and go home – he gave her the money and looked at the boy - Hey, little one, are you ready for the next step into the world of magic?” The woman looked astonished and wanted to say something but her husband, more submissive as far, turned to Jess and she was standing without moving for a while. She just turned around and, surprised as never before, came back to her car.

“I will leave you for a sec. Wait here please, and try to think about that big tree right there – said Adam pointing a willow on the other side of the pond – I’ll be right back, gotta pee” When the man left, the boy glanced at the plant and speculated about the creatures living inside and around it. After five minutes, when Adam came back, he stared describing everything – the insects, the leaves, the holes in the tree and the possible versions of its existence. They decided to check it and take a closer look. While going around the pond, Adam decided to show his son the mushrooms and tell him which can and which can’t be eaten. He asked the boy to tell him about every single mushroom he was able to find and call him to see. Not even a minute passed when a boy tried to pick beautiful toadstool. Adam explained that it was pretty but bad. “People cannot eat that as they die after eating it. But…” Adam couldn’t finish. He saw something he couldn’t believe. There, just in front of him, there was the biggest bolete mushroom he had ever seen. He took his son’s hand and rushed towards it. The boy, surprised, shouted in sudden pain. But Adam didn’t care. He just pulled him arm and when Jess didn’t want to move, he left him. He just had to pick it. His son started crying nonplussed. He was looking at his dad, completely changed, disappearing beneath the trees. 

Nothing! Unknown (really, Adam?) blackberry bush tacking to his trousers, pine needles biting his shirt, branches of birch rusting above him (fuck, Adam, you are allergic to it). His breath started becoming more and more shallow. His consciousness began to be lost second after second. Everything started spinning around. “Where’s that fucking, giant mushroom?”.

When he woke up it must have been afternoon already. His son, crying, was sitting on the stump. “Daddy, I wanna go home” – said the boy. “Sure, we’re leaving”. He hugged his son and noticed how hot he was. He had fever and was shaking all over. “Daddy, I don’t want to be here. They came out.” Adam, who didn’t know what happened himself, took the boy and, seeing familiar surroundings, turned to the car.

Before getting home shivering had stopped and Jess was himself again. Adam relieved but on the other hand he was conscious that something really bad had happened. “Again” – the subliminal thought came to his mind – “Why again?” – he asked himself aloud. “What again daddy?” – he heard a voice, happy voice, of Jess from the backseat. “Do you want to go there again?” – he asked fast, trying to both, think about something clever and, what more important, find out if his son knew something he couldn’t recall. “Sure, dad” – the kid answered with twinkle in his eye.

When they got home, the dinner was served. Anna came out from the kitchen, smiling, and seeming really curious how the trip was. Jess started telling his mummy about trees, “forest guys” and so on. Adam, astounded by her behavior, sat on the chair and observed how interested she was in what his son (he’s not even hers, for God’s sake!) was telling. “I hope you are hungry honey. I prepared something special for today’s evening” (‘honey?’ ‘I prepared?’ What the hell?)...

After dinner they all sat in the living room – Jess was drawing, Adam and Anna drinking wine, were watching a film on TV. “I have to apologize you, honey – accosted the woman – For the last two years I’ve been rather bad wife. I have nothing in my defence, I was just a wrong kind of woman. Everything is going to change now”. Adam didn’t answer. He thought about a divorce (again) but now… “I am sorry, I am a little tired. I’ll go to bedroom if you don’t mind”. She didn’t. She smiled and kissed him, letting him go and do whatever he wanted.

“It happens again - Adam realized he was dreaming - This time you will know what I felt when I had left you. In fact, I didn’t leave you. You were left by me, but not because of me. It was, well it is and it will be, their fault. But not long left for me.” Someone was talking to him, someone, who he knew for sure. But the person, the man, was small (like a dwarf). With long beard and hair – both grey, with rotten teeth and a lot of wrinkles on his face. He was scared but also – Adam could feel it – excited about something. He was talking to him sitting on a ground, surrounded by trees bushes. “You will come for me, won’t you?”

Adam woke up. What was it? Who was that man? It was Monday. Six o’clock – the high time to get up and go to work. But who was that man? He knew what he had to do.

At nine o’clock he was in the forest again. He got out of the car, dressed very, let’s say, casually. Old tracksuit, a pair of old, dirty trainers. He surely hadn’t worn it for ages. When he was standing by his car he realized, he was holding a basket with a short knife inside. “Mushrooming” – the same, ‘again’ subliminal thought came to his mind. In that moment, he realized that his personality (he, his mind, or so) was divided. The rational part unfortunately was not the dominant one. The unconscious person (the one , which couldn’t be noticed, understood and limited by the other one) was stronger. It was mastering his body – real (aware) Adam knew what was happening but couldn’t stop it. Real Adam knew what was happening, but he didn’t know why and what for. It was that part of him, without which the tool (the body) wouldn’t work.

“Was it the only reason? Would it disappear after the work is done?”

“What work?”

“You never know. It is never done”

“What work?”

The “what work” sound became more silent with each time it tried to be said.

“Yes, this is the only reason…”

And in the moment when he was just to touch it, something bit his leg. It was painful as nothing before. He felt, that both of his calves were hurt. He kneeled not being able to stand. When he turned around he saw the “dream man” – a dwarf with huge part of meat in his bloodstained mouth. The creature spitted it out. “Well, everything changes. This was the only thing you weren’t let to take. But anyway, you came to take it. I'm warning you – if you touch it, you will stay here wishing someone – in our case – your son to come and free you” . But Adam didn’t listen. Despite of having three minds (yes, three – his conscious, subliminal and the new one) he couldn’t stop it. He reached the stipe and in that moment his legs hurt even more. His father, taken by this little motherfuckers years before to defend this treasure, cut his feet. The pain was so horrible, that Adam bent his body into fetal position, not even skimming the mushroom. Now, he couldn’t feel anything, he was going blind… The dwarf smiled out of sadness and joy.

Early October in the forest is something what everyone should see. Especially when there is more than just trees. And it was the view Adam wanted to show to his family. He wanted them to feel the atmosphere created by all these birch trees, oaks and maples with colorful leaves reflecting in water of little pond in the middle of the woods. The place seemed so calm and relaxing. They come here very often to see whether anyone tried to get there. There is huge wall today. Nobody can get there. This is the private property and the nameplate only says:

OUT OF BOUNDS!

PRIVATE PROPERTY OF ADAM, HIS FATHER AND HIS SON.