The Dark Swamp

Growing up, my mother always forbade me from visiting the swamp nearby. It was the one swamp we had in our town, and it was said to be cursed. Everyone called it the ‘Dark Swamp’, saying it devoured anyone who dared to cast their eyes upon it.

Over the years, my curiosity grew deeper and I wanted to learn the secrets behind the swamp. Most of the families who were said to have lost loved ones to the swamp moved out of town over the years; only two people who lost someone they loved decided to remain here. Both of them had similar stories: they were inspecting the area when shadows had erupted from the swamp and pulled their partners into its dark waters. There was, however, one other person whom I could speak to who was knowledgeable about the Dark Swamp. She was a middle-aged woman named Ruth who lived relatively close to the swamp. Some people thought she was strange, while others said she was insane. Mom also said that Ruth was not to be trusted; there was a hint of contempt in her words. However, I was too curious to find out what Ruth knew about the place, so I visited her that afternoon.

“It’s not the swamp that’s the problem, it’s people’s hearts.”

I was intrigued by her words. “Do you mean to say the swamp judges people?”

“Yes, it takes away only those it deems irredeemable. Why do you think only specific people were dragged in and not everyone who set their eyes upon it?”

“But how do you know this?”

“It didn’t take me when I gazed upon it, and I’ve gazed upon it many times. It did, however, consume many others whom I knew were bad people.”

I doubted Ruth’s words, but she was adamant to prove her theory. She brought an old book to the table and showed me newspaper clippings dating back forty years. She said that only a quarter of the reports were what she had collected, while the rest were what her mom had collected before her. Next to each report about someone taken by the swamp was another article about the same person’s crimes. Some cases were severe, ranging from assault to murder, while others were minor crimes. Ruth said the swamp did not discriminate how small or large the crime was—it simply punished the wrongdoers. I felt a knot form in my throat. The idea of such a supernatural judge, jury and executioner hammered a sense of fear into me that I had never felt before.

Ruth may have seen it in my eyes. “Don’t worry, I’m well-informed about everything that goes on in this town. You have nothing to fear, my child. Much like me, you’re one of the few that the swamp won’t harm,” she said with a smile.

Our conversation continued for a short while following that revelation, after which I left for home. Ruth said I could take the book with me if I wanted to, which I did. I was going through it after dinner when my mom suddenly walked into my room. Mom was furious that I met with Ruth; she took the book away from me and threw it in the fireplace. She asked me to stop pursuing any more details about the swamp and to never go anywhere near Ruth’s house as well. Mom’s words grew with anger as she mentioned Ruth.

“What exactly happened between you and Ruth?”

“She’s dangerous, Kara. No one can prove it, but I’m sure she has lured many people into that swamp, including two of my friends.”

Mom’s eyes fumed with resentment; there was definitely more to the story than what she was telling. That night, I snuck out of the house after she fell asleep and went to inspect the swamp. I took a pair of binoculars with me so I could inspect the swamp while still keeping a safe distance. But not everything went as planned: not long after I arrived there, mom caught up with me and slapped me before I could say a word.

“I told you not to come here, Kara!”

Right then, a twig snapped from behind her. We both turned around to find Ruth standing before us with a smile stretched across her face. “Some things never change, do they, Liz?” she said.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Your mom and her best friends used to do the same to their juniors in highschool.”

I pieced everything together in my mind that very second, but it was already too late. Several shadows swept across the vicinity and enclosed us in their dark grasp. Two branches extended from the darkness and dragged mom away. I tried to grab her hand, but she was swept away and swallowed by the dark currents. I felt my body tremble with rage. My heartbeat suddenly raced as my breathing grew heavier. I turned around to face Ruth, and as our eyes met, she still held that same sick smile. I suddenly felt something grab my torso and pull me backwards, dragging me through the surface of the swamp as the tenebrous waves folded around me.