Spindle Wood (COMPLETED)

Chapter 13

Pat poked his head around the door to his bedroom. It was early in the morning, the sun barely tinting the trees surrounding the clearing. The early morning of his 10th birthday! God, this was exciting!

His 10th birthday. He was ten! Ten was definitely old enough to go out alone. That prince he'd seen a few years ago had been ten and look at him! Out and about and teaching his younger brother to ride a horse. Alone! It really couldn't be that scary, right?

Yep, no sound. Not at all. Just a small (or rather overly exaggerated big) step to the stairs and he was off! Well, kind of. He still had to get down the very creaky stairs without waiting his Papa, who was a notoriously light sleeper, and get past the kitchen without being distracted and reach his coat without toppling everything and- yeah there was a lot to do.

"Round the rocks the ragged rascal ran, round the rocks the ragged rascal ran," Pat repeated under his breathe, "round the rocks the ragged rascal ran." It was like a little charm, keeping him safe. Uncle Remus had taught it to him in an effort to help him learn his 'r's and now it made him feel unbeatable.

Fourth step down always creaked. So, step to the side, only touch the very edge of the step. By pass it as quickly as possible without making it creak.

"Round the rocks the ragged rascal ran." Pat whispered. "Round the rocks the rag- ragged-" Pat paused, eyes growing wide.

There was someone in his house.

It wasn't Papa. Or Dada. And it definitely wasn't Uncle Remus. They were all loud in their movements. Whoever this was was almost silent, footsteps whispering across the floor like cobwebs.

Pat pressed his back against the wall, scared of even swallowing too loud. Gathering the tatters of his courage, he peaked around the corner.

It was the man from his nightmares. Only he wasn't so towering (though maybe that was a matter of perspective). It didn't make him any less terrifying, though, because the green scale mask he always wore seemed to be part of his skin. His movements were fast, precise and all the time, the scales glinted realistically in the dawn light.

"He should be here." The man muttered. He waved his hand and a watch appeared in his grasp. Pat's eyes widened.

A magician... Wow.

The man rolled his eyes and the watch disappeared with a puff of smoke. "Honestly." He shook out his cape. Spider webs! "These humans. Always late."

A puff of grey smoke engulfed him and when it disappeared, he was gone.

A little shaken, Pat stepped down into the front room. He ran over to where the man had stood. Nothing. Nothing at all...

"But he was right here." Pat thought. He looked around, pivoting on his heel. "He was right... here."

Pat ran over and grabbed his boots. He sat down with a small thunk and started lacing them up. He'd find this nightmare man and make him explain himself. Why was he haunting Pat's dreams?

"Besides," Pat reasoned, "he's not a stranger. I've met him lots of times before. For years and years."

Pat grabbed a stool and dragged it over to the coat stand, wincing at the grating noise. He paused, completely still.

No sound from above. All clear to continue.

"Round the rock the ragged rascal ran. Round the rocks the ragged rascal ran. Round the rocks the ragged rascal ran." Again and again. Protect me, protect me, protect me. Magic spell, right? Yeah...

It might be summer but it was still cold out. Pat pulled the hood of his coat over his head and grabbed the handle of the door.

It was all fresh outside. Pat grinned as the dew from the grass dampened his boots. Momentarily, he forgot his intent for coming outside. The sun was shining through the morning mist of the forest and it was all magical. In the proper way.

"Well, I expected you a little earlier but I suppose better late than never." Pat froze. He swallowed and turned around.

The nightmare man. He grinned down at Pat. Yeah, he was tall. Towering, in fact. Yeah...

"Well hey." He said. "Aren't you gonna say anything?" He tilted his head to the side. "Oh, right. Not allowed to talk to strangers, I forgot! But we're not strangers, are we?" He was grinning again. Pat didn't like it. "No, we've met before. Lots of times, haven't we?"

Pat took a step backwards but the problem was, the nightmare man was in between him and the house. How had he gotten there? Pat had just come out of the cottage. The whole world seemed to be turned on its head. Pat took another step back.

"Say, it's your birthday today, isn't it?" The nightmare man asked. "10th birthday, huh? Wow, that's old. Soon, you'll be 13, 15, 16 and then... who knows?" He grinned again, teeth razor sharp. "Wanna know a secret?" He hissed. "I've got a present for you too, little one."

That's when Pat screamed.

FUCK, I just remembered Ax is a prince. SHIT!
Welp, guess I'll be doing some editing today.
Bye,
Blaize