Under The Oak Tree Chapter 19 Novels & Stories

But nothing was working. Maria fell on the ground and I went towards her. We both hugged each other and cried. Our baby died without even looking at us. The wind started blowing and the oak tree started dancing with the wind. I looked around but to my surprise, only the old oak tree was dancing with the wind. The other trees were standing straight in their places.

It is the same oak tree where she and Mary Lou hid on that night while the terror happened just a few feet from them. Despite her fear, Eloise’s feet carry her to the oak tree and when she reaches it, she falls at its feet and places her hands on the ground. The tears flow freely from her eyes down her cheeks to her chin and the intensity of their flow pushes them until they form droplets on the already wet leaves on the ground. “I’m sorry,” Eloise chokes out between sobs. “I am so sorry.” To a stranger passing by, Eloise is a strange woman apologizing to a tree but Eloise knows that the tree is not her concern but the one whose blood flows just a few feet from it.

While I contemplated my options, Sarai’s voice flooded my consciousness. “Meet me at the heart of the forest…” Suddenly, it felt like I’d struck gold - The heart of the forest, the heart of the farmland. I couldn’t forget that if I tried. Careful so I don’t get followed, I hurried towards the heart of the farmland, dragging my book and shovel along. I got to a point and looked up - A white oak tree stood before me. Without a second thought, I walk towards it and dig a pocket hole - big enough to size the book. I marked the spot on the tree and returned the same way I came - praying no one saw me.

He lunged for my hand. The Oak moved first. One of its dead branches, thick as a man’s leg, creaked and dropped fast between us, slamming into the ground right at his knees, kicking up dead leaves in a violent spray. Kaden scrambled back, terrified. No, a voice said. Not Mara’s. Deeper. Older. The tree itself, vibrating up through my feet, through my hair, through the mark on my neck. No second mark in my circle. Mara nodded, like this was expected.

As we approached the front entrance, I turned to face Rico, "Can we go back to the oak tree again?" "Why? Aren't you hungry?" He asked. "Yes I am but I feel drawn to the tree. I want to say goodnight before I sleep," I answered honestly, despite how weird I sounded. "Okay then, let's go." He said and we walked side by side again to the oak tree. The oak tree stood tall and majestic, its branches reaching out as if embracing the moon above. The air around it felt charged with a certain energy, a quiet strength that resonated deep within me.

“Kael… if you go, Ashwood collapses. The packs collapse. Everything you’ve bled for collapses. And Rhea will follow you into the grave.” Kael’s breathing tightened. Fenrak placed a hand on his shoulder. “Let me do this for you.” Violet stepped into the room behind them, her eyes red. “It’s time,” she whispered. --- The trek to the Ancient Oak was silent. Only the crackling of torches followed them as warriors marched through the forest. The ground trembled with something old, something waking beneath the soil. The Ancient Oak towered over them — massive, twisted, its roots half in the real world and half fading into swirling mist. The bark pulsed faintly like a beating heart.

Not after everything we had been through. The darkness outside hit me like a punch to the gut. It meant we had been tortured for most of the day. The moon was small, barely casting any light. It was the end of another lunar month, and that didn’t make things easier. Normally, Xavier and I could move through the night like it was nothing—our night vision sharp, our bodies built for it. But tonight, we were barely keeping our eyes open. We stumbled and partially dragged each other toward the backyard. And there it was. The oak tree. The very one that had brought us here. We collapsed against its thick, ancient trunk, both of us breathing heavily.

“We must go. Now!” Grandma hesitated for only a second before following him. The messenger ran ahead, leading the way through the dark forest. The old man moved surprisingly fast for his age, his long cloak billowing behind him. Grandma struggled to keep up, her heart racing as they pushed through branches and tangled roots. The air soon filled with the smell of smoke. By the time they reached the edge of the clearing, the sky above glowed orange. The “powerful room” — the secret chamber hidden beneath an old oak tree — was burning fiercely. The fire crackled and roared, sparks flying into the night.

"I have my eyes on you" I scoffed. What is it with this witch? Her eyes on me? I can't believe her gut. But then again, what does Jo's mean. "I know what happens beneath The Oak." The compound was popularly known as The Oak. We have the Lady of the oak who was Sumaya, as well as the princes of the Oak. The servants and the slaves of the Oak who were also known as the Oak's commodity. But how could anyone claim to know what happens beneath The Oak? It sounds absurd. Especially the fact that their couldn't be anything beneath the plantation or the numerous chambers.

I fought to untie myself until late into the night, so much so that my hands had turned a terrifying shade of purple from poor circulation. As if sensing my despair, the thick branch of the old cypress tree broke. I held onto that final sliver of hope and called Vivian. The moment the call connected, her cold voice came through. "Allen, haven't you learned your lesson yet? You frightened Earl today, so I need to keep him company. Don't bother me unless you're dying." Then, Earl's affectionate voice rang out. "Vivian, it's your turn to shower." Trembling, I hung up and lay on the ground, letting my tears soak the earth beneath me.