✍️ GARDEN OF FERNAL DELIGHTS - part 2 - A Babe in the Woods

thermoplastic (65)in #writing • 6 years ago

A Babe in the Woods

continuing my story GARDEN OF FERNAL DELIGHTS - Otto's Dream

^{STANDING ALONE IN THE WOODS - graphite on paper - 2012}

Walking in the direction of the woods

I came to an ash, standing majestically near the edge of the meadow, but well apart from the strange fernal trees I would neither know their names, nor could I describe them, since nothing remotely like it I’ve ever seen. The closest thing I could think of are the decalcomania cypress trees that Max Ernst had painted. It seemed that the ash wanted nothing to do with them, keeping a fair distance away; far enough so that the shadow of its mighty crown would not touch the edge of the decalcomania woods.

^{UNTITLED - detail of graphite drawing - 2017}

How did I know, lacking botanical knowledge, that this particular tree was an ash? Easy: it had a sign planted right in front of it, proclaiming it to be the oldest ash in all of the garden (implying that there might be others, unless it was the only one and given to bragging). Stapled to this sign, somewhat looking like wanted posters from the Wild West, were two baseball cards. One was Babe Ruth, the other Yogi Berra.

Strange, it seems like I’ve been here before!

^{UNTITLED - painting early seventies}

“Déjà vu all over again” said a voice above me. I looked up and saw two fernal monkeys, one pointing to the infinite horizon, the other one wildly swinging a baseball bat at an imaginary ball. They had human faces that I immediately recognized from the ‘wanted’ posters (I never owned any of those cards, but I wished I did - they are worth a fortune!). Babe Ruth smiled at me knowingly, then continued pointing. Somehow I had a feeling I should not go there, lest Babe hits an actual ball and I get beaned.

_{UNTITLED - painting early seventies}

Consulting my compass, going North would lead me straight into these dark woods, so I decided to a) stay out of the line of Babe’s swing, and b) make a little detour into the direction of a sparkling stream I could see in the distance. I figured that eventually it would lead me out around those woods that looked a little creepy - one never knows what lurks there.

^{detail PANGAZER - the Fernal Witch}

Not that I am overly frightened, but my mind is conjuring up some strange Baba that might be lying in wait for me, and should she make any advances I may not have the will or strength to resist. I had enough excitement for the day already. Though I have to admit, the memory of my encounter with the carrot made my nerves tingle and my toes curl.

^{TREE SPIRIT - digital - 2009}

This was the continuation of my unfinished story
GARDEN OF FERNAL DELIGHTS - Otto's Dream
there are some ideas for additional chapters that I may write down as time permits.