Coyote

Story of the a trickster Coyote meeting a man.

Coyote

 

I walked along the river, hearing the constant rush of the water, seen the tiny white capped waves as they explode on the surface of scattered stones. I walked further along the trail and a coyote jumped in the path, he looked up, tilted his head at me and stared as if questioning my presence, “look at this man,” he thought. I stopped moving “Look at this coyote” I said to myself. We sat and stared intently at each other for what seemed a long time, and just as fast as he appeared, he vanished from my sight running into the surrounding foliage. “Man that was cool” I said, and started moving forward once again. I soon forgot about the coyote and the time, once more moving, as swift as the river itself.

I found myself lost, mesmerized by the sounds of nature forgetting how long I have walked, until my feet, tired and blistered, wakes me from my living dream. I look around; I was now far from the city, all I could see besides the river, were the trees, grass, and various other plants whose names I did not know, There was this giant log half submerged in the water, covered with a thick green moss, like a pillow top mattress, like my bed at home and I thought, “I’m going over there and take a rest” I reached the log and I sat, and like a drug I have taken, I immediately became drowsy. I took off my shoes and place them next to me, being sure they held there place so they would not fall in the river. I placed my tired feet in the ice-cold water. The cold stunned me at first, but this was only temporarily, as it was replaced with an almost dreamy feeling. My senses were filled with the ecstasies of nature, and found myself more relaxed than ever before and soon after I drifted to sleep.

The coyote watched, waited, and plotted. He played with a small stone, batting it back and forth. “Funny human, what are you doing so far from home? I have seen your feet, they were hurt and tired. Yes take off your shoes, why not put your feet in the water, oh how nice that must feel, so relaxing is it not. Ha-ha your head is nodding, that’s right take a nap, there now,” he thought. He made his way quietly to the sleeping man, got up on the log and sniffed here and there. He moved near enough to the man’s face that he could feel his breath on his nose. He stared at the man. ”Hmmm, you are wild, unsettled, but you found peace here, away from the comforts your cities provide” he uttered. Out of the corner of his wild, brown colored eyes and to his left, he spotted my shoes. “OH what do we have here, these are your feet things, interesting I think I will take them,” he decided. He looked back to my face. “Too bad you are not made to live in the wild, with no padded feet like mine and your skin so soft, would be torn to shreds in the wild, pity” he thinks, then smiled. He then moved away, picked up my shoes and left.

I was startled awake by a sound from my left and across the river. I looked and saw a coyote staring back with what seemed like a grin across his face. “Was this the same coyote I seen earlier today?” I quickly reached for my shoes, but found them gone. “Damn it! my shoes are gone. They must have fallen into the river” I thought to myself. I looked around hoping to find them, but found nothing. I sat back down and prepared myself for the walk ahead. I then heard a yowl from across the river, almost like laughter. I looked up and seen the coyote once more. With that s**t eating grin, but this time I saw more than just him, “my shoes! That f****r stole my shoes.” I yelled to myself. Right under his right paw was a pair of shoes, like if he was displaying them like a trophy, a prize, for a game well played and won. When he realized that I figured out where my shoes had gone to, I swear, that grin became more prevalent than before like he was rubbing it in, letting me know I am the looser here. I then jumped into the river, paying no attention to the fast running currants or water that was rising higher and higher as ran I deeper and deeper into its depths. I paid no attention to the cold or the slippery rocks beneath that froze my skin and threatened my balance. All I want is my shoes. I slowly made my way past the deeper end of the river, and was making my way to the coyote. He just sat there grinning and howled “was that howl more like laughing?” I thought. I got my answer; as soon as I was about two feet from him, he picked up my shoes and took off into the trees. I reached down into the water that I was still standing in, picked up a flat dark colored rock and threw it at the direction he left. “You piece of s**t! “I yelled. The coyote answered with a laugh. “Real fucken funny” I said, then I to started laughing because I realized I was talking to a coyote. I then sighed, shook my head, part in disbelief and anger at myself and the coyote. I started making my way back to my car. It was a long and painful walk, butt started out pleasant. For soon after, sharp serrated like rocks began to cutting into my feet, like miniature knives ripping open into a tomato. Then there was the constant stopping, to pull stickers that found their way into the soft flesh of my feat. I was soon tired and hurt. I became more and more angry and sad. “Why did I ever come here?” I thought, but never once did I stop, I kept going, regardless the pain I felt. My only thought “I can’t wait to get home”

The Coyote followed just off the path, holding my shoes in his mouth. “Ha-ha look at him go. I can see the pain on his face, his posture. I really showed him, I did.” he laughed. He followed with such fixed intent and amusement that he ran fully into a wall of thorn bushes “Ouch!” he yelped. Thorns the size of pine needles pierced him, drawing blood, and causing pain. “What was that for” he said. The thorn bush replied, “You found such pleasure and amusement in causing pain for your brother, look at him he suffers needlessly” The coyote laughed “I did get him” the thorn bush jabbed her barbs that much deeper into the coyote. “Wait, please stop!” he yelps “You should not treat your brothers that way, what you think grandfather would say?” “Yes you are right please let me go!” he begged. “Only if you make things right with your brother, and don’t give me that crap about you being coyote, a trickster and prankster. I know your medicine well, you backwards spirit”. “I will, I will!’ he said. “I release you then, but be aware, I am always watching and if you don’t do what I ask, I will get you again, and this time, I will find pleasure in your misery” She released coyote, and he runs ahead of the man with shoes in mouth, towards the large metal thing that men traveled in. He then sat, just within eye distance and waited for his brother to arrive.

I finally made it to my car, feeling miserable, tired, feet swollen from the hard hike back. I walked the last few yards and sat on the hood, feeling only somewhat relieved. I lifted my feet, which now throbbed and appeared to hurt even more, even though they no longer held my weight. They had a heart beat all their own. “Man my feet hurt, that stupid coyote. I’m never coming back again.” I thought. As I rested, I heard the coyote again, but this time it was not a squeal that sounded like laughter it has become more sorrowful and distressed. I was mad at first, anger filled me, “stupid a*s dog” I said aloud. I got up, walked to the driver’s side door, pulled out my keys and started to unlock it when I noticed, on the ground right in front of the door was my shoes. I stared at them in disbelief. “What the” I thought. I quickly looked up and towards the coyote. We locked stares, and remembering the cry of discomfort and how he was licking what appeared to be wounds I concluded that we both shared a painful experience of some kind. That the coyote was aware of the pain I felt, and he felt sorry in a way. At that moment in time, while we stared into each other’s souls we became one, brothers. I realized that animals and people hurt the same way, and learn the same way. Our stare is broken by a breeze that rustled the leaves on the trees that seamed louder than usual; the world went silent but this only sound. I look back at the coyote and see that he was looking at the same tree as I. He then looks back at me and an understanding between us was reinforced that much more. I picked up my shoes, got in my car and left. As I pulled away I looked in the rear view mirror and saw that the coyote was still there. “Thank you” I thought. And as if he heard my thought he lowered then raised his head, acknowledging. All the pain, anger I felt earlier was now gone and I left

Author's Note

I did this last semester but did not get any suggestions from viewers, Please leave suggestions on what i should do different, what works and what does not. Thank you.