Legends of the mountains
During my many hikes into the Superstition
Mountains, I’ve always felt there was some otherworldly presence there as well
as my husband had.
It wasn’t until I worked on the Sacaton
Reservation for a year that I was fortunate to hear many of the legends that
came out of the area from a few of the parents.
There is a reason they are called the
Superstition Mountains, with all of the stories that have emerged from this
mystical mountain range in Apache Junction, Arizona. Tales include a secret
underground government lab, shapeshifters, alien crafts that come out of the
ridge, Geronimo appearing and then disappearing into the mountain, and, of
course, the famous Jacob Waltz Gold Mine.
Many explorers were said to have mysteriously
vanished when they had intentions of finding the gold.
I bring many of these legends to life in the novel.
Mysteries of the Red Coyote Inn
This award-winning Young Adult
Supernatural Tale can be enjoyed by all ages!
The Red Coyote Inn may look like a charming
desert getaway, but its history tells a different story: ghostly encounters,
strange accidents, and whispers of supernatural creatures. Nestled along
Arizona’s Apache Trail near the mysterious Superstition Mountains—home to the
legendary Lost Dutchman Mine—the inn sits atop an energy vortex said to fuel
its eerie activity. The guests are almost as unusual as the inn itself, but
none are prepared for what lies beneath its enigmatic facade.
For 15-year-old Dean Banks, inheriting the
Red Coyote Inn with his family isn’t just strange—it’s life-changing. Dean
discovers he’s the heir to an ancient Apache gift of supernatural power, chosen
to guard the mine’s secrets from those who seek its riches. But this gift feels
more like a curse as Dean wrestles with newfound abilities, from superhuman
strength to mystical defenses, all while grappling with the fear of hurting
someone he loves.
Dean
talks with Robert, the old miner~ (an
excerpt)
As Dean rode
into the desert, he noticed his senses were in high gear. He could see, hear,
and feel everything with extreme acuteness. He could smell the dirt and feel
the air around him. He was able to pick up the energies of the desert creatures
and communicate with them. He felt as though he was one with the land. As he
pulled up to the entrance to the cave, he could see Robert’s old dirt bike
parked outside. Robert was sitting on a large rock with his old miner’s cap on.
“Sorry I’m so
late,” Dean said. “We had some trouble at the inn again.”
“It is what it is,” Robert said. “Your grandpa and I had
many talks like this.”
Dean sat speechless for a moment, then stood
up and faced Robert with amazement.
“You knew
Grandpa!” he wailed. “I just had the feeling there was something there.”
“Yes, Dean, we
were good friends for many years.”
“Then you must
know about all the trouble he had at the Red Coyote,” Dean said.
“I know more
about you and your grandpa than probably anyone else.”
Dean was all
ears as Robert began to reveal some amazing details.
“See that
talisman pendant around your neck? That goes way back to the beginning of one
of the local Apache tribes,” he said. “It was given to your grandpa when he was
born. It’s a protection amulet said to be infused with great powers, and that
thunderbird is a very powerful figure.”
Dean held the
pendant in his hand as his mind raced back to the many times it had saved him
from danger.
Dean turned to
Robert and pleaded for some answers. “Robert, please, I need your help. I think
you have some answers for me.”
“Okay, boy, here
we go,” Robert said. “Your grandpa was hoping he would make it until your
sixteenth birthday, but it was his time to go. He wanted to be the one to tell
you the truth.”
Dean’s blood ran
cold – quite a change from his usual hot surges. His face went pale, and his
stomach churned. “Please, Robert, I can’t take it,” he said, standing and
raising his hands in the air. “Let me know what on earth is happening to me!”
“Exactly, my
boy,” the old miner said, ‘on earth’ is quite a good choice of words for your
current situation. It’s the ancient secrets that lie right below us... they are
the cause of everything you’ve been going through. I feel very privileged to
give you some of the answers you’ve been waiting for – however, I can’t tell
you everything right now. I’ve got some fresh iced tea in these canteens. Let’s
have a tea party, so to speak,” he chuckled. “Usually, this occasion would call
for some hard liquor, but I swore off the stuff years ago.”
“Tell me, why is
everyone waiting for my birthday?” Dean asked.
“That’s the time
when the gift is to be acknowledged,” he said. “That will be a ‘rite of
passage’ – the Apache blood is on your mom’s side. Your Grandpa Powell’s
great-great-grandma was Yolanda Peralta, and you, my boy, were born to be the
‘Chosen One’, or the ‘Gate Keeper’ of the gold here in this mountain.”
“So, my mom does
know about all this history?” Dean asked.
“Yes, she does,”
said Robert in a solemn voice. “Your sister doesn’t know any of it, though.
Your mom thought she was too young to understand.”
“And my
father?”.
“Well, that’s
another story,” Robert said. “You’ll need to confront your mother on that one.”
“Is that why I
had the vision of the ‘red coyote’?”
“Now you know
that story, don’t you, Dean? Remember the last time we talked, I told you how
Yolanda and Juha would start a bloodline of offspring who would produce a
special boy in the future?”
“Juha was a
great warrior back in the 1800s,” he said. “He had the powers to shape-shift,
heal, and speak with the gods. He and Yolanda belonged to the Chiricahua tribe,
which was very powerful at that time.”
Dean sat there,
mesmerized by Robert’s words.
“When the Elders
spoke to Juha and Yolanda, they were told one of their descendants would be the
one many were waiting for, but it might take many moons for this to come to
pass. This is no ordinary gold mine, Dean. I told you already that it was
discovered in 1140 AD by the Salado Indians and was blessed by a high priest
from the tribe.
“The vein is
supposed to run from Weaver’s Needle out through the mountains and under the
ground for miles,” he continued. “Gold seekers as far back as the Spanish
conquistador Francisco Vasquez de Coronado and his men came through here
searching for the Seven Cities of Gold.”
“I remember
studying about that in my history class,” Dean added.
“Legend says
some of his men were found beheaded,” Robert said. “Only a hundred of his men
survived the trip. He then went back to Mexico on what is now known as the
Santa Fe Trail.”
“Beheaded!” Dean
cried; his eyes as big as saucers.
“So, you can
see, there’s something here that is way beyond our control,” Robert confessed. “Do
your research on this area, and you’ll find that many have gone in search of
the gold, but few have returned to tell their stories.”
“Does it have
something to do with that vortex?” Dean asked.
“Well, let’s say
that has quite a lot to do with it,” Robert replied.
“So, it’s like
the Bermuda Triangle?” Dean asked. He thought this would possibly explain all
the electrical trouble at the inn. Now, this is making some sense.
“You’ll learn so
much more as you gain more understanding of your powers.”
“Some very weird
things have been happening to me already,” Dean said. “It kind of all began
when we left Apple Valley, and I thought I saw the face of an Indian warrior in
my window.”
“That was
probably a vision of Juha, Dean. He has always been with you.”
“I also have
dreams about a hawk flying at night, and I wake up feeling as if I were the
hawk,” Dean said, with alarm in his voice. “I’ve seen the ‘red coyote’, and I
was mysteriously led to the real Lost Dutchman Mine!”
“You’ll see
things more clearly in time,” Robert said.
“Why does
someone have to be the ‘Guardian’ of the mine?” Dean asked.
“Okay, let me
tell you what I know. Many eons ago, when the Salado Tribe was here, they
discovered the gold vein and became aware of the spiritual powers it possessed.
They knew the mine was the power source of life and, thus -sacred ground. That
is why the ‘Great Spirit’ entrusted them to protect that power source from ever
being disturbed. That’s why it was blessed by one of their priests,” he
explained. “You have many powers, Dean, ones you are just becoming aware of,
just as Juha did. Your powers will be revealed to you as time goes on.”
Lorraine Carey
https://authorlorrainecarey.blogspot.com/
Lorraine Carey is not only a paranormal enthusiast but has had many unexplained events in her lifetime and has used these as a focal point in her fiction novels. As a veteran teacher, Lorraine began to write for Young Adults hoping to inspire young readers. Now residing in Florida, since retirement has given her more time to write when the spirits are willing.
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