The Lychee Tree in the Back Yard

Informant: Female/68/Hawaiian
Location: Wailua Houselots, Kauai

I've always been afraid of my backyard.

The leaves from the huge lychee trees blocks out the sunlight and deafens the noise from the outside. It's dark with just the sudden rustling of the leaves around you to keep you company. The only ray of sunlight exists between the trees. The only area in my backyard that I feel safe - at least, I used to feel safe.

Although I've never felt comfortable in my backyard, we chose to have a clothesline in between the lychee trees. I went into the backyard a couple times a week to hang our clothes to dry and that's it. One day, while heading to the backyard to hang my clothes, I had a very bad feeling about going back there. It was worse than the normal fear I get going back there; I felt like something bad was going to happen. I had only managed to hang a few shirts when I felt someone from behind me grab my shoulder. I looked to my right and saw a slender hand with blood-red skin and pointy black nails squeezing my shoulder. I didn't want to take the time time to fully turn around and see who it was. I sprinted into the house and immediately called my husband to tell him what happened. He returned home from work a few hours later and we went to the clothesline together. All the clothes had been ripped and thrown all over the place - there were clothes in the trees, dirt, and even on the roof.

Till this day, I refuse to go into my backyard in fear that I won't be so lucky if the hand grabs me again.