Boblo

I squeaked out of excitement! Yes, my husband is the best! So creative, so outside of the box!

We both loved to escape to small, unknown places. Away from the noise, away from tourists. And again, he found a dream spot. The place was not only unique but also a few hours of driving. An island no one knew about!

We were going to Bois Blanc. This unheard-of island was across the famous Mackinac Island in Upper Michigan. While crowds will be fighting for a hotel room on Mackinac Island, we will be watching them from a long distance across Lake Huron.

“Bois Blanc,” I was reading about it out loud, while packing. An island of white trees and fascinating history: from the Native Americans to colonial times, wars, and then resorts. That piece of land, twelve miles long and six miles wide, witnessed it all. Seventy-five residents lived there permanently… Will I meet any of them? I had many questions, and my excitement was off the charts.

- Should we bring Nick and Jan?

- Sure, they are your besties, - I responded.

Four of us jumped into the car. The tents and boxes of food were already packed and locked. I made sure there was plenty of beer next to the cooler full of ice. We are Americans, so we like everything cold.

The music blasted for hours during the drive. Laughter and jokes, bright sun, and open windows made my emotions run high!

- So, where are we going? - Jan asked. Nick and Jan were good sports; they joined us without knowing. But they clearly were confused.

- Boblo! - I said.

- Huh?

- Bois Blanc Island has its own nickname, “Boblo.”

- I hope it is safe there. Jan said jokingly.

- It will be amazing! I replied.

- We have plenty of beer!

After hours of driving and a ferry trip, we finally arrived. To be honest, the place looked rustic. Even depressing. A highly expensive gas station had only one pump. We reminded ourselves that these people had to bring everything here by ferry, even gas. There was a tiny store and a restaurant with a waitress who looked over a hundred years old. Everything was wooden. Everything was dark.

Then we turned around. An endless forest of the tallest trees was staring at us. There was no landscape. No artificial touch. Mother Nature was taking care of it from the beginning. We looked at each other, with mixed feelings, torn between "why are we here?" and "OMG, this is so cool!"

The further we drove, the more magical that land was. We crossed the whole island and got to the other side, the shoreline. After miles of bumpy dirt roads, our vehicle was in shock. The trees surrounded us everywhere; some paths were so narrow that it felt as if we were driving on European streets. However, instead of the buildings, we had tree trunks standing in our way. Even though it was daytime, we could hardly see. The forest was so tall. The treetops held each other above us, creating a mile-long roof made of branches. Eventually, there was a round window of light in the distance. Then we saw a ribbon of white sand.

Just like the forest, the beach was raw and native. No one cleaned it; the wind left the branches everywhere, lightly mixing them with the dirt. The sand was not soft, and it smelled of water and pine trees. It was beautiful. It was different. It felt like we did not belong there.

Lake Huron was breathtaking. Its water was so clear that I could see my freshly done pedicure through three feet in. No wind, no waves. There was such a contrast between the light blue water and the deep, dark forest. The tranquility scared me. I looked around. Where is everyone? For a moment, my brain went into panic mode. I was not used to being alone in the wild. I stormed out of the water. There they were! The boys were putting tents together. Jan took care of the beers.

-Are you feeling what I am feeling? - I asked her, pouring a glass of wine for myself. They knew I was not a beer person.

-Do you mean like someone is watching us? - She replied.

- Yes…from the forest- I said.

-Yes, -she kept drinking. So, I did the same.

The uncomfortable feeling is normal, I told myself. Miles around, and there are only four of us. If I were left here by myself, then I would worry. But I have my people. The silent discussion went on in my mind.

We ate, we drank, and, later, even danced.

- I brought a machete with me! We are safe! - My husband laughed after his fifth drink.

- Why would you say it? I was wondering if he felt something as well.

- Look, the stars! – Nick interrupted. The stars were so bright. We wished the lights on Mackinac Island would turn off to clear the rest of the sky. And, eventually, they did.

The darkness covered it all: water, sand, trees. The air was dark. The blackness felt heavy. We could not see each other. There were only four of us, yet we all spoke quietly. I shook off the idea of someone hearing us. At the end, I am just a city girl, I reminded myself. I am simply not used to this environment.

We separated into tents. My body was exhausted, but not my mind. I had to acknowledge to myself that I was haunted by fear. Suddenly, a loud noise made me jump. Oh, it was my husband snoring. Phew, I relaxed… My thoughts started fading away…

I jumped out of my sleep…someone was walking outside our tents.

-Why are you jumping?

-I heard steps!

-There is no one here.

Ok, babe-, I wanted to trust him.

Eyes were getting heavy, and muscles started to sink into my pillows. Then, there was music, blasting out loud. It was neither fair nor close. Only for a few seconds. “Who is partying at this time?” I thought. Wait! There is no one here but us!” I opened my eyes, staring into the absolute dark through the tent.

-Did you hear that?

-No! - he sounded annoyed.

My mind was confused. Did I hear it in my dream? Accepting that I am not fully awake, I could not wait until the light of the morning. Only a few more hours of this nightmare, I thought. But then, there was a laugh. Loud. Obnoxious. Not too close but not too far. Only for a few seconds.

- Did you hear it? – The hubby jumped out of the sleeping bag. I froze. So, the laugh was real. At that moment, I preferred dealing with my sick imagination to that creepy reality in the dark.

My brain reminded me that our tiny tent was stuck between a deep, cold lake and miles of dark forest. I felt that if I moved, the “laugh” would see me. If I breathe, it will hear me. And then, there it was again. A howl mixed with a cackle; not very close, but loud enough for us to hear it. The laugh of one person. Or was it an animal? Or the spirit of those who this land used to belong to?

- I am going to check on our friends.

- No! - I squeezed his hand.

- I have my machete! - he sounded calm, but I knew he was not.

- I am going with you, - I was shaking.

- No way! - He grabbed the machete, which I did not know he had with him the whole time.

And just like that, I was alone in the tent, on a twelve-mile-long island, in dark black silence. I suddenly remembered I had no phone service or internet connection. I lost my awareness of the time. Whether the seconds or hours had passed, I had no clue.

-Nick and Jan are not there! – My husband opened the tent. His voice was quiet. “I am going to look for them.”

- No…please…My voice did not listen to me. My body was heavy, and my mind was creating annoying, bloody images, and I could not make it stop.

- I am scared! - I sobbed.

- I must find out… Someone is there, - he whispered.

- Sit quietly. I will be back. You know, I do not get scared easily. I have my machete- he tried joking. Or maybe, he did not.

My heart dropped into my stomach. I just sat there. No voices…does it mean he never found them? Were Jan and I right? Was someone watching us from that forest? The horrifying feeling of tragedy paralyzed every cell of my body.

-Hey! The voice sounded unfamiliar. Was it my husband? It is not his voice. Or did the walls of the tent make it sound different?

Should I answer? What if it is not him? I wished I had that machete!

The panic mode tripled the speed of my thoughts. I remembered that there was pepper spray in my bag. Even in my last moments, I will not go without a fight.