I watched an unseen spirit walk through a straw field while making a path through the straw.
Piney Woods, North Carolina is my ancestral community and it is filled with love and mystery. The community is located within Jamesville, which is a section of Martin County. For many years Piney Woods has been a topic of conversation by countless people in the surrounding areas because our Ancestors did not take kindly to outsiders and their main source of income was Moonshine. The only people allowed to enter the community were relatives or business folks. As a result, it was customary for cousins to marry cousins and that practice continues to survive even into the 21st century. My cousin Sugar Pie told me that when she was growing up they didn’t think about being related when they dated. Sugar Pie said, “All we knew was that we loved each other.” In truth, I can say that my first crush was on one of my distant cousins who lived in Piney Woods. I grew up loving him but he didn’t feel the same way about me and he married someone else. His actions truly broke my heart but life goes on and he is miserable with his present situation!

In the old days, the main Piney Woods principle was “self sufficiency.“ Piney Woods folks learned how to survive without the help of outsiders. In fact, Piney Woods had it’s own school called Freeunion School, which was basically an elementary school. The grade level was 1st to 8th grades. Once the students graduated from Freeunion School they were bused to E.J. Hayes High School, which was located in Williamston, NC about 15 miles away. Unfortunately, I have heard stories from my grandmother as well as my aunt about the difficulties they encountered at that high school. The trouble transpired because it was common for Freeunion girls to be very pretty with fair skin, and long, dark, hair. E.J. Hayes High School was considered a “colored school.” However, the Freeunion students did not appear to be “colored” and the black students gave them a really hard time. Yes, prejudice does exist among people of the same race because the Freeunion students considered themselves “black” as well. Nevertheless, my aunt and grandmother told me that the black students called them names like “white rats, high yellow, and red bone.” My aunt and grandmother said they had to fight everyday or get beat up. Life was so difficult at that high school until many of the Freeunion students dropped out.

Sadly, my grandmother made her last journey (passed away) in 1981 about 6 months before my son was born; however, before she died I told her that I was going to have a baby and she smiled. I loved grandma very much and I often think about her and all the stories and legends that she shared with me. I am very fortunate to have relatives who tell me stories because many of the Old Ones would not share stories of the past especially with children. Many times, while I’m visiting my relatives in Piney Woods, I sit down and tell them stories that they never had the pleasure of hearing. Truly, I feel honored and thankful for my family. Therefore, I have a scared place within Piney Woods where I visit to pray, meditate, and think about the past especially my mom and grandmother. My mother made her last journey in 1990 and she was only 51 years old. I miss them both more than I can express. So, I frequently take trips to my sacred place deep in the heart of Piney Woods. Once I reach my scared place, I can cry for relief because tears help ease the pain when I’m thinking about my mom and grandma.

Last year, during one particular day, I decided to visit my place and without hesitation I gathered some sage to burn while I said my prayers as well as some old slices of bread to leave for the little creatures to eat. While driving up the long lane, I took a long refreshing breath to inhale the fragrant trees and bushes growing along the ditch bank. The birds cheerfully chirped, while the butterflies and dragonflies glided along

After I returned to my car, I lit the sage and offered its smoke to the four directions. I said my prayers, while shedding giant, cleansing tears. On that particular day, I was thinking about the old Freeunion School and the hard time that my relatives had trying to attend high school in Williamston. My mind traveled into the past and I contemplated how my Ancestors struggled trying to survive. Nonetheless, against all odds, they did survive! While sitting on the back of my car, I looked around at the landscape and the beautiful golden straw that was growing in the fields. My mind also went back to the time when my mother was sweeping grandma’s yard with a straw broom. The day was clear and the wind was not really blowing. Every now and then, a gentle breeze kissed my face and it felt so good.

Behind me, I could hear the slow ripple of a waterfall and overhead a mocking bird was attacking and chasing a hawk. In the distance I could hear the cackling of a female turkey. Oh what a beautiful day! As I sit on the back of my car, the field of straw caught my attention. Looking as far as I could see, I saw the straw lie to each side as if someone was walking through the field and making a path in the straw. Naturally, I shook my head to make sure I was not asleep. In total silence, I sit motionless on the trunk of my car and I watched an invisible spirit as it walked through the straw field. It looked as if the spirit was pushing the straw to each side in an effort to clear the path. I watched as the straw gently laid over to the left side and the right side at the same time letting the invisible spirit walk through. The spirit walked all the way to the creek. Honestly, I didn’t stay around long enough to see if it came back or not. I can’t say that I was afraid but an unusual feeling came over me.

After leaving my sacred place that day; I decided that I would not tell anyone about the experience; however, I did tell two of my cousins and they were not at all surprised. I feel that I saw the invisible spirits of my Native American Ancestors going to the creek to gather some water or take a bath. I am glad the spirit did not take a physical form or else I may have been very afraid because the incident was very unexpected.

Firmly, I believe that my sacred place is some type of energized vortex because on another occasion I went there one day and I walked down a hill to hug my favorite tree. It was midday and very hot outside. The sun was straight overhead and all the grass around me was dry. However, once I walked down the hill I became very dizzy and I almost fell to the ground. After steadying myself, I felt lost because my surroundings had completely changed. It appeared to be early in the morning with the sun shinning through the trees. Additionally, I saw white mist all around me. The forest was thick with new trees that I had never seen before and as the mist swirled around me I felt as though I was in a different time zone. Still very dizzy, I made my way back up the hill after I found my path. Once I reached the top of the hill, I stepped back into my time zone because my surroundings were familiar again. Truly, it was an eerie feeling.

About the Author

Ruby is a promising writer who lives along the Roanoke River in North Carolina. She loves nature and animals as well as exciting stories that include paranormal activity. Ruby also loves poetry, children, and indigenous history. Ruby's unique writing ability entails "writing like people talk."