May 7th, 1945
This home is wonderful, it has everything I want and need, everything I ask for and for such a low price. I had always wondered why beautiful houses such as mine were on sale, and I would assume it was due to the inflation. Though don’t ask me because I don’t know how it works around here. The neighborhood is quite beautiful too, we have lovely rich neighbors who have welcomed us with open arms and oh our garden! That is what I set my pride and joy to, however there is this beautiful willow tree that I can’t seem to revive, it’s slowly dying and I don’t know how to save it. I decided in the end it was un-savable, until one night I had thought I heard someone in my garden. I had tried to wake my wife and asked if she heard anything but she was in a deep sleep, I checked to see if maybe my daughter was awake but she was also asleep. I went downstairs with my flashlight and walked into my garden, but no one was there. I was going to head back to sleep but I heard a woman crying, it was coming in the direction of the willow tree.
“Who’s there?” I called out, but she only cried, “Are you alright? Are you hurt?” But she didn’t answer, I slowly walk towards the willow tree and looked around but no one was there, “Hello?”
“Up here.” Her voice was angelic and she sounded young, I looked up and saw the shape of a beautiful woman. I went to point my flashlight towards her but it had died, I banged on it but nothing worked. I looked back up and she was still here crying.
“Why are you crying?” I asked softly, I wondered if she needed help or if she was hurt.
“The tree,” She said, “It’s dying.” I almost felt ashamed when she mentioned this, because there really wasn’t anything I could do to revive it.
“I tried to fix it, but there isn’t anything I can do. It’s something that doesn’t want to be saved.” She sniffled and I saw her slightly perk up.
“I know a way you can fix it.” Excitedly I looked up, “But… I shouldn’t tell you, it’s too much to ask. The last owner, he refused to help the tree, that’s why it is dying.”
“I want to save the tree, I’ll do anything!” I couldn’t tell but it looked as though she looked down at me.
“Anything?” She asked in a curious tone.
“Of course! My garden means everything to me,” I turn and spread my arms to show my lovely garden, “As you can tell I have taken well care of everything, all I need to save is the willow tree, so if there is anything I can do to save it I must know!” For a long moment she was silent, not a word was said and for just a moment, I lost slight hope until she spoke again.
“The tree needs blood.” She said in a cold tone, “But your sacrifice won’t be for nothing. The tree can grant you a gift, one thing everyone wants and can’t deny. The one thing everyone is so desperate to have.” My heart almost stopped beating for a moment, did she mean to sacrifice my own blood or to kill someone?
“I can’t kill someone!” I said, “That’s a horrible thing to do! I would rather the tree die.” For a second I laughed, “You have to be joking right? You don’t really mean blood.” She fell silent and didn’t answer, a lump got caught in my throat, she really does want me to kill someone, “I’m not killing anyone.”
“You don’t have to worry about hiding your crime, the tree will help you!” I grabbed my flashlight and began to walk away, I wasn’t going to feed into these delusions, “The tree can give you Eternal youth!” She called out, and I stopped in my tracks
“Eternal youth?” I asked quietly, “You’re lying.”
“It’s true! It’s the gift that anyone would kill for and the only thing that the tree will offer to those who sacrifice for it.” I turned to face the tree and walked closer again, looking back up, she hadn’t moved an inch, “I was once an owner, I did the same thing for the tree. I too was skeptical, and one night, a burglar broke into my house, I ran into my garden and I killed him. The roots of the tree sank his body to the ground and granted me the gift of eternal youth, as long as I kept providing, and anyone else who was willing to provide for the tree.” I looked at the trunk of the willow tree and grazed my hand upon it, I began to fantasize the idea of murdering people and continuously staying young with my wife and daughter forever.
“I don’t even know how I would be able to murder someone.”
“A party.” She said softly, “Throw a party and bring someone alone to the garden, then, when no one is looking, kill them in front of the tree. The roots will consume the body into the earths soil.” I stayed silent, was it really that easy? Will I really be granted this gift of eternal youth and my family, “Think about it, you don’t have to decide now.” She began to hum an unfamiliar tune and didn’t utter another word, I went back to bed, but I couldn’t sleep, all I could think about were her promises and her soft voice.
“Eternal youth…” I whispered to myself before falling asleep. My wife woke me up for breakfast the next morning, and as I went about my day, all I could was stare at my tree. Dead people in exchange for eternal youth didn’t seem like a bad deal, and the tree will hide the body and my crime. I shake my head in shame, why would I ever do that to anyone? I couldn’t hurt a fly, but if it were for my family…
“Honey! Dinner is ready!” my wife called out to me from the kitchen, I was in the garden, staring at the tree, not a woman in sight. I quickly walked back inside and my wife began rambling on about how we need friends, a social life and how our daughter needs to make friends of her own. At first I didn’t even pay attention, but I knew what I was going to do and I had finally made my decision.
“Let’s have a house warming party.” I said, “You’ll make friends and so will Edith.” Edith looked up at us with sparkles in her eyes, clearly excited by the thought of having friends. My wife, hugged and kissed me already planning on everything that was going to be needed for the party. That night I thought about who I would kill, how I would kill them and how do I lead them to the tree. I looked out my window and there was the figure of the woman staring at my house, it felt as though she was waiting, like she knew I had made my decision.
The next morning I spent all day helping my wife decorating, I did all the things she wasn’t able to and Edith made some cards and my wife cooked a wonderful feast. I bought fine wine and sat the drinks in an ice bucket. It was beginning to grow dark and finally the guest arrived, drinks were served, music was playing and everyone was having a joyful time.
“Ethan!” I turn to see Henry James calling my name and he held a glass of wine in one hand, and the other wrapped around his wife’s waist, “Let’s take a look at that garden of yours! You talk about it so much I must see it!” My heart sank, I had completely forgotten that I was meant to kill someone and this was basically an opportunity falling write in my hands.
“Of course!” My throat suddenly became extremely dry as I guided him outside with my flashlight, “Isn’t she a beauty? I designed her myself and she’s very healthy.”
“What about that thing?” I dreaded facing my light at the tree and showing its dead leafs and branches.
“Nothing I can do about it, it’s not something I can save.” I said taking another sip of the drink.
“It’s because you don’t have the money!” Henry laughed, “Your tree is dying from all those cheap products you use, of course it can’t live in such cheap condition.” He laughed much harder, his face slowly glowed red, “I’ll pay you for your tree, I’ll take it and show you what money can do!” I began to grow more and more angry; he looked down on me for not having much money, and he wanted to see my garden so he could have a laugh. I shut off my light, “Where’s the light?”
“Battery died, give me a second.” I said in a dark tone, “I just gotta give her a little shake.” Henry laughed again, talking about cheap flashlights and gardens and he began to mention how I was lucky to even afford this kind of wine, I had lost it, smashing his head repeatedly, I turned the light on and shine it on him. I watched as the ground softly rumbled and the roots of the tree grabbed the body of Henry James, and I vomited.
“The tree is grateful,” It was that woman’s voice, and my flashlight stopped working again.
“No,” I panicked, “I didn’t mean to, it was an accident!”
“The tree will bless you now, aren’t you happy?”
“No!” My heart raced with fear, “This shouldn’t have happened! I’m drunk!”
“And who will believe you, the police? All they’ll see is a man whose poor and killed a rich man.” My eyes began to widen with fear, I have made some sort of deal with a demon and it was clear there was no escaping this. I ran inside, dropping my flashlight.
“Honey? Is everything okay?” I looked up and realized everyone was looking at me, I had to come up with a quick excuse, something that made sense and something believable.
“Yeah!” I laughed softly, “I wouldn’t go back there until I’ve cleaned it, I vomited, had a bit too much to drink.”
“And my husband? Where is he?” Henry’s wife perked her head up, “Didn’t he go out with you?”
“Yes,” I quickly thought of something, “He walked out through the back, headed home! He said he wasn’t feeling well and to tell you he’ll meet you at home.” She smiled softly, clearly calmer.
“This wouldn’t be the first!” She laughed raising her drink and everyone went back to partying. Everyone believed me, no one batted an eye, no one questioned me, and my wife was social. Was I afraid of nothing? I continued to party with everyone like nothing had happened, even though the reminder of Henry James body was dead in the ground, nurturing my willow tree.
The next day, police knocked on my door, my wife had explained that Henry was missing and his wife had reported it that he was last seen with me.
“We just have a few questions to ask you,” That woman was right, all the police will see is a poor man who killed a wealthy man, they don’t care what went down.
“Of course.” I softly smiled, “Ask me anything, Henry was a wonderful person and if there is anything I can do to help I will do everything I can.” I invited the police in and My wife brought out tea for everyone, they asked me all the simple questions of what happened, when I last saw him, if he said anything out of the ordinary and of course I lied to them.
“Could be having an affair and decided to start anew.” One of the officers mumbled, and then a lightbulb popped in my head.
“You know officer, he did mention something,” I spoke silently, leaning in the table and so did they, “He mentioned another woman, younger than his wife, mentioning starting anew.” I shook my head, “Easily could just have been drunk talking, but I felt it be important to mention. He’s a good guy, I don’t think he would do that to his wife, I don’t want to bad mouth him you know?” The officers looked at each other and began to stand.
“Alright, thank you for taking the time to speak with us,” I guided them towards the door and one of the officers stopped, “By the way, you have an extremely beautiful garden, especially your willow tree there. Got any tips?” I chuckled and told him the fertilizer I used.
“Definitely something to die for.” A lump in my throat formed remembering the dead body of Henry. The officers left. Later that night I went out without my flashlight, “Where is the gift? I don’t look or feel any younger!” I angrily spoke to the woman in the tree, “Was this all just for me to kill?”
“The tree is more lively is it not?” She spoke softly.
“What are you?!” She went quiet, and finally she dropped down, I watched as she slowly walked towards me and stepped into the light, she was naked, and she had beautifully shaped body. I slowly looked up to her eyes and horror filled my body. She had leafs and branches sticking out of her eyes and mouth, she looked as though she was just flesh and the tree filler her with its branches like a puppet.
“The tree,” She whispered. I screamed at the top of my lungs, rushing back in my house as quickly as I could, “Feed me, and I will allow you to live.” She said before swinging back up, hiding behind the branches. I must feed the tree, I have to keep feeding the tree.
~ End of Diary
I looked out the window of my house, and there tree was. The same tree in the diary, and right below it was my great grandfather, sitting in front of it, in his rocking chair and staring at it. I opened the window hearing a woman softly cry, and I watched in horror, as she stepped out from under the tree and into the backyards light, staring up at my window before the lights flickered and popped.