Still In Time By Moonlight

The entrance you shall find easy. Look for the creek bed where the water comes from the ground with a few bubbles and trickles at first, then opening to the waters' flow. But beware, come to the entrance uninvited you shall be greeted with the howl of the of the wolf, to warn you to turn. But if you must enter be sure to cover your tracks as to show no one has came. Follow the creek as the waters wind around each bend, stop to take glimpse of the squirrels as they scatter about the treetops you just may learn a little secret or two. If you are so lucky they will show you the way at the forks in the creek, to the old town of the hollows, or just maybe to the waterfall where you can stop to take a nap. Don't worry the ole' owl hidden in the tree will watch over you as you sleep, and the patter of the raccoons will wake you when it is time. I come here to let nature take me back in time. Time where you get around by horse and buggy, and back in time where you hid in the dark only to work your Shine made by the best copper and coils, your Still. I sit quietly, and listen to what the animals may say. With a quick look around I see him there by the old spring. With his shirt unbuttoned hanging like tails to his sides, wearing an old cap with a tobacco leaf on the front. He reaches down to the spring catching a handful of water as to quiche a thirst, he then puts a metal bucket under the pipe that is coming out of the ground filling it with water to take back to his Still. Wait, what was that..... a noise, sound like someone is coming. The leaves are making a cracking sound, and twigs snapping under their feet, I can barely hear them but the ole' Shirt Tail man hears them well. He seems not too worried, like he knows who is coming. With that the Shirt Tail man continues with his bucket toward his Still, and just then a boy, barely a man appeared from behind the trees, a bit shakey on his feet. What has he got in that big bag? Looks like sugar. The Shirt Tail man and the Shakey boy work side by side, checking on some kind of mix, sour in smell. Making sure to keep cool water in the barrel where the coil like tubes run, all the while keeping the flames to the fire just right. Till finally the first drops start to come from the tube, clear as water. What are they making? I am not sure. But they work to fill each jar, carefully putting them in a box packed with straw, so that the jars will not break. I hear something in a distance, a ringing, sounds like a bell. The Shirt Tail man says to the Shakey boy," Come on son your mama's ringing the dinner bell, supper is done, lets shut her down." I watch as they carefully put out the flames and cover this large metal thing and barrels with limbs and brushes from the nearby trees. As they head out they look in my direction, but with nothing said they turned and walk away. Not from the direction that either came but in another. Taking time to cover their tracks, made with a tree limb held like a broom, not a moment too soon, because with a howl of the wolf and all the animals in a fuss they knew it was the men in blue. Luckily Shirt Tail and Shakey had gotten far enough away from their Still as the men surrounded them with their guns drawn, asking them what they thought they were doing down in the woods at this time. Shirt tail quick with his words told the men of a story how they were out searching for their dogs that had got too far away from them while they were out hunting for raccoons. Soon the men in blue were dumb founded as a slender boy just came into sight saying "Paw I found them there dogs over on the other hillside and Maw has supper on the table". With that the men in blue knew they had nothing to hold Shirt Tail and Shakey on, and let them go. I sit here a while longer wandering what I just witnessed, did I in fact just take a step back in time or was it all a dream, a dream driven by the sounds of nature, or of days gone by. I get up and follow my way back through the winding creek. I can feel something watching over me, is it the animals of the wild or is it someone from generations back? Either way I know I am safe, with nothing to fear. I can see my entrance, so now my exit is here.