The Forest Is Our Home

By A.Valentine Joseph

Terrance was once a little boy who lived in a civilized world. But when a flash flood suddenly sweeps him downstream one day, his family believes he is gone forever. No one knows that ten-year-old Terrance has been rescued by Jim, an elderly gentleman who welcomes him into his home in the dense forest that lines the stream. Terrance is certain his father will find him eventually, but when he never arrives, Terrance is forced to adjust to a new life with a new family.

Twenty years later, when Terrances father receives news that his son might still be alive, he heads into the forest with his other son, Chris, where he eventually finds Terrance. After they happily reunite, they manage to convince a reluctant Terrance to leave the uncivilized world of the forest. With his wife, Anna, and their children in tow, Terrance returns home to discover that nothing is the same. While wondering if he will ever adjust to the luxuries his new life holds, Terrance knows his wife longs to return to the peaceful, beautiful forest.

In this poignant tale filled with colorful folklore, a magical forest holds its power over a family as they attempt to find happiness within a civilized world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Sep 13, 2012
• ISBN: 9781475944013

A.Valentine Joseph

Allison Valentine Joseph was born and educated in Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies. She is the author of Jan’s Mysterious Adventures, Sandy, Leigh’s Story and The Forest Is Our Home, a fairy tale for children. Allison, her husband, and her two children live in New York.

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Copyright © 2012 by A Valentine Joseph

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

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ISBN: 978-1-4759-4400-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4759-4401-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012914721

iUniverse rev. date: 09/21/2012

Contents

GLOSSARY

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

EPILOGUE

To my sister, Claudette Valentine—yes was the word you said to me when I told you about the road I was walking on. Thanks for making it a bit smooth.

Rae you hit the nail on the head so hard with this book cover. You captured my vision. I love it.

This story is about a what-if moment I had when I visited the Asa Wright Nature Centre in the Arima Valley of the Northern Range in Trinidad and Tobago in the West Indies.

I made this visit to Asa Wright with the members of a youth group I belonged to. My what-if moment took place when we arrived at the center. The first thing I noticed were the trees and the sweet singing of the birds. I love trees and birds, so the area was recipe for my imagination. Some of us decided to go bird watching without a guide. That was a big mistake because we got lost deep in the forest. We tried to find our way back, and we ended up on a cliff. The cliff was slippery, and one person started to slip at a terrific speed toward the edge. Everyone started screaming and shouting, horror-struck, hoping that he would stop—which, at the bare edge, he did. We formed a human chain and helped him back onto dry ground. Everyone was talking about what would have happened if he had fallen over the edge of the cliff.

I was thinking, What if people were living deep in this forest? Would they be happy to live in the heart of nature? And I decided to write a story.

GLOSSARY

Batimamselle—a dragonfly

Bois canon (bwah-kah-no)—a plant whose stem is used to make birdcages. Dry leaves are used to make tea.

Breadfruit—a large, round, seedless tropical fruit that is usually eaten boiled, fried, baked, steamed, or roasted

Cocoyea (co-ki-yea)—the shaft of the coconut tree leaf

Fever grass or lemon grass—a tea used to treat the flu, colds, fever, etc.

Flambeau (flam-bo)—a torch that is made by stuffing cloth into a bottle containing kerosene

Fo-day mornin’—just before dawn; when the cock crows

God-horse—praying mantis

Kiskadee—a member of the flycatcher family famous for its loud call

La diablesse (la-ja-bless)—the devil’s bride

La glee (la-glee)—the sticky milk bled from the breadfruit or châtaigne trees; used to coat the cocoyea stem to catch birds

Macajuel (mah-cah-well)—boa constrictor

Mapepire zanana or ma pepere zanana (ma-pa-pee)—venomous snake; the bushmaster, the pit viper, the fer-de-lance

Papa bois, also known as maitre bois (master of the woods) or daddy bouchon (hairy man)—the old man of the forest

Silk-cotton tree, kapok, or ceiba—a tree found in the Caribbean and many other places in the world that grows to a height of more than two hundred feet

Soucouyant (soo-koo-yaan) or sucouya (soo-coo-yah)—an old, frightful woman who sheds her skin and transforms herself into a ball of fire at night and sucks the blood of her victims

Sucrier (see-key-ay)—one of the many birds found in Trinidad and Tobago; feeds on sugar, nectar and sucrier

fig —a small banana

Wood slave—gecko lizard or house lizard

CHAPTER ONE

The sun was not up as of yet and the area was still dark. Christian Jr., or Chris as he is called by everyone, and his father, Christian Sr., put on their headlamps and entered the forest. They were on their way to the home of his brother, Terrance. Twenty years ago, Terrance had been swept away by a flood. A rescue team, led by their father, searched for Terrance, but he was never found. After that terrible day, thoughts of his brother being taken downstream and the dense forest that ran along the stream scared Chris. For many years he did not walk or come near this area.

Their father owned a surveying company, and Christian planned to become a surveyor, but after Terrance was lost, he did not want to set foot in any forest. He eventually overcame his fears, but many years later, his daughter, Jan, was taken down the same stream while on her way home from school. They all thought that tragedy had struck them twice, but Jan surprisingly returned home. Her sudden appearance stunned Christian and her mother, Maria. They both were anxiously questioning her, but Jan said, Daddy, listen. I will tell you everything that happened to me, but not now. Uncle Terry is in the woods waiting to see you. If you don’t go now, he will leave.

What are you saying, Jan? Terry is dead!

"No, Daddy. I was living in the woods with him and his family for all the days I was missing. Please, Daddy, let’s