Lost To The Forest

The sun lights itself through the trees, its red tint warning me of the coming darkness. I thought I might be on the correct road, but as the crunching underneath my feet became louder and louder, I realised that I had lost the road under the ocean of leaves.

The warmth of daylight became the frost of night, as I kept moving through the dancing shadows of the forest. The movements became shorter as the moonlight took over the darkness. Staying in place is never a good idea, especially in a wild area.

I've lost track of time and feel my skin tighten as the night sounds play an ever-rising concerto within my mind. Howls of the night provide the background, accompanied by the choir of hoots, high in the trees above. Creatures of darkness add a rhythmic overture as they scurry about the icy ground, alluding to the dangers of the night.

I come to a halt as the sounds suddenly mute. I look around, thrown out of my paced trance, to see a stone house, adorned by dark green vines, windows half-shattered, with a flickering glow behind them. Wooden weather covers, worn down by harsh weather, flapping around, barely supported by their hinges, provide the only sound to the mute picture.

Frozen and trembling, I step onto the clearing, upon which the house resists the battering of time. The moonlight draws my attention to the stone well, roof shattered, a bucket hanging by a dirty rope. My delirium mattered no more, as my body dashed forward towards it, with chapped lips and a dry throat. I gasped for air as I unfurled the rope, hearing the tension of the water break as the bucket crashed below.

The fountain creaks as I pull the bucket up. The closer it came, the faster I rolled the handle. I couldn't wait any longer, as I lunged into the well, grabbing the bucket by its side. Without breathing, I slurp everything in one go, the wooden container splitting as it fell on the shiny, solid earth. With my hand, I wipe the liquid from my lips and beard, as I stare at the clear night sky, lost in the starless midnight blue.

Thirst, I felt no more, but a shiver down my spine breaks me out of my trance. That and the metallic aftertaste of whatever I drank, in my frenzied state. I raise my hand, the thick liquid from my fingers glowing red in the moonlight. Out of nowhere, I hear whispers, unclear, but ever so louder.

My body starts moving on its own, slowly stepping towards the open door of the stone house. I try to move, to run, but I'm unable to do anything. I see my body moving, as I stand still in place. The darkness of the entryway hugs it tight, as it fades away inside.

The creaking door closes with a thump, as the echo of the whispers now resounds clearly in my ears:

STAY AWAY!