by Mefisto
I live in Colombia Sur America to a few hours from the Amazon on my trips listening to a story that will share this slightly arranged for the occasion,
Deep in the Amazon rainforest, hidden among the dense vegetation and ancient trees, there was a lagoon known only to the elders of the nearby tribes. It was called The Spirit Lagoon, a sacred place where, according to legend, the souls of those who perished in the jungle gathered under the full moon to whisper the darkest secrets of the Earth.
Clarify more the throat: No one dared to approach the lagoon after dark, for it was said that the lagoon was guarded by Yuruparí, an ancient spirit of the forest who had the power to enchant anyone who disturbed the peace of the souls. His presence was felt like a whisper in the wind, a sudden chill in the humid heat of the jungle, and the sound of branches creaking even when no one was around.
One Halloween night, a group of young people from the tribe, defying the elders’ warnings, decided to venture to the lagoon to prove their bravery. Among them was Nayra, a young woman with a rebellious spirit, whose heart did not fear ancient stories. The group, emboldened by the festive atmosphere of the night, made their way into the jungle with torches in hand, convinced that the legends were just tales meant to scare children.
The jungle seemed thicker that night. The sounds of animals disappeared as they neared the lagoon. The silence was eerie, but the group pressed on, laughing and telling stories, until they reached the edge of the lagoon. Its surface, under the pale light of the full moon, was an inky black, and the water remained strangely still, like a dark mirror reflecting their anxious faces.
“There’s nothing here,” said Amaru, the oldest of the group, with a self-satisfied grin as he threw a rock into the water. The sound of the splash echoed through the jungle, breaking the strange silence. But just as the young people were laughing, something unsettling began to happen.
From the center of the lagoon, a thick, cold mist started to rise, as if the lagoon were breathing. Nayra felt the air grow heavy, and faint whispers began to surround them. “Leave… Leave this place…” could be heard, though no one knew where the sound came from. The group looked at each other, fear growing, when a shadow rose from the waters.
The figure was tall, dark, with glowing eyes that reflected the moonlight. It was Yuruparí, the guardian of the dead. His face was not visible, only the outline of his form wrapped in mist and dried leaves. His voice rumbled like the creaking of old trees in the wind.
“You have desecrated a sacred place. Here rest those whom the jungle has claimed. Now, your fate is mine…” —the figure said in a somber echo, as he raised a hand toward them.
In that moment, the young people tried to run, but it was too late. The shadows of the lagoon clung to their feet like living roots, preventing their escape. The water began to bubble, and from it, ghostly hands emerged, as if the trapped spirits wanted to take those who had disturbed them.
Desperate, Nayra remembered her grandmother’s stories, who said that only the light of pure fire could calm angry spirits. With the little courage she had left, she grabbed one of the torches and threw it into the water. The flames sizzled on the surface, and for a moment, Yuruparí’s power weakened.
Taking advantage of the distraction, the young people managed to break free and ran as fast as their legs could carry them. The screams of the spirits echoed behind them, but they didn’t stop until they reached the village, where the lights of the bonfires wrapped them in safety.
The next day, none of them spoke of what had happened, but all knew what they had seen. The lagoon returned to its usual calm, and the jungle remained a mystery for those who did not understand its power. However, the young people never forgot that Halloween night, and from then on, the Spirit Lagoon remained deserted, its dark mirror untouched.
Because, as Nayra’s grandmother always said, there are places where even time cannot erase the anger of the spirits.