The Night Crawler

The Quiver and The Bow

The darkness drifted away, like a cloud, taking the demons and the murky waters with it. I found myself sitting inside a forest. The snow was falling, and there was no sign of the cave or the ghosts, only a coffin that washed itself ashore.

Unlike the cave, the forest felt like an escape. It was dark and ominous, but there was also something familiar about it. Like a forest that led to my tree house with Nick. A place I could hide at.

My lungs expanded with fresh winter air, and my head became less foggy, as I stepped out of the coffin. My breathing overshadowed the sound of the footsteps crushing the snow that lay in a thick layer beneath my feet. I still worried about the demon-brides finding me here. The cave was infested with them, and I knew the forest would be too. But I had to try and find my way out.

As if sensing my closeness, the oaks that stood like guardians of the forest, leaned away, creating a pathway that veered in and out of sight. My head drooped as I took another step.

A bird darted in front of me, startling me. Somewhere in the distance, a loud growl was followed by the screech of an animal fighting, and my heart went still with fear.

I stopped in my tracks and listened.

Somewhere tree branches snapped, and a rodent sped by, rustling into the hollows of the trees. The air around me sparkled, and there were stars etched in the bark of the trees ahead. I cautiously sauntered towards them.

In this part of the forest, the trees became so dense, I felt like I was crowded by them. I lifted my eyes to the crowns of the trees and prayed.

The sun would soon glide over the sky, its rays calling for the morning and everything would be better, I reminded myself. The darkness would be blinded by the light, and it would wither away.

Suddenly, the treetops shook. A bright white light sank into the dark fabric of the sky.

A star? mirage? The tail of a comet? It came into view so abruptly, vanishing in no time, and left me guessing.

The trees behind me quivered. I stood up and squinted my eyes into the dark. There was a swift whistling sound, and a couple arrows sped by, darting into the trees.

An archer! There was an archer in the woods!

I sprang away from the tree at once, feeling my chest and shoulders tighten, and descended further into the forest, searching for shelter. I kept looking behind me, but only the pines were staring back, closing in on me, like dancers gathering into a circle. My legs barely carried me forward — either from fear of being killed or locking themselves from the cold. My heartbeat raced inside my throat, and I painfully inhaled.

There was another rustle followed by a snap of a branch under a heavy foot.

I froze, feeling sudden coldness hitting my core, and I listened, not turning back to the place the noise came from. An arrow whistled past my head, crashing into the pine tree in front of me and breaking into pieces. I gasped and covered my mouth with my hands, unable to speak.

The adrenaline tingled through my body, igniting it with power. Before an archer's arrow pierced my heart, I spun around, my hair lifting with the gusts of the wind. The Diary pulled my hands outward like a magnet. A silver arrow wobbled on the wind, its sharp tip hanging a few inches away from my chest. The Diary somehow had stopped the arrow from reaching its target. The archer shuffled back a step into the trees, curiously watching the arrow tremble in mid-air. I held it briefly with my magic, like a feather circling on the wind, letting the arrow settle before me onto the ground.

There was surprise on the archer's face. His mouth parted, and he lowered his head slightly, scrutinizing me. I had studied him myself for a sliver of a moment before his shape started to float, changing its position. I swung my eyes towards the arrow and realized it had doubled in size, just like everything else around me, including the trees. I brought my hands to my heart before collapsing onto the bed of snow along with the arrow that stuck out of the snow pile.

"How extraordinary. You are using magic, and the forest is a magical blackhole," the archer said, coming out from behind the pine trees. He wore his gray cloak, and a hood that hid away half of his face. Beautiful butter-colored curls seeped out from under it.

"Please... don't hurt me..." I begged, raising my head from the pile of snow.

"Why would I do that?" he asked, taking a step forward, his arrows clinking behind his back.

I shivered, licking my lips. Because you shot an arrow at me! Maybe he was hunting an animal, and I looked like one in the dark. Maybe it was a mistake. But he wouldn't waste his time talking with me if he planned on a killing.

"I'm sorry I almost shot you with my arrow but what are you doing inside these wicked woods?" the archer's voice chilled me like the wind. "Don't you know to stay away from them? Besides, everyone knows the Archer's Tomb to be a hunting ground."

"I'm..." I opened my mouth to talk, but soon realized I had no truth to tell him. I was thankful he wasn't one of the demons. "I got lost," I said, puckering my lip. "I was exploring... I couldn't find my way..."

His eyes smirked at mine, and I quickly lowered my eyelashes.

I felt the ground shudder as he sidled past me. A golden quiver shined with arrows at his side, and the leather cuffs around the wrists squeaked, drawing my attention to the sleeves of his cloak with embroidered red birds. When I caught the sight of his tall leather boots approaching, my eyes shot to his face only to find him staring back at me.

"I'd tell you the same thing but I'm afraid your answer would still be better than mine. A lie always is," he suddenly said, his walnut-brown eyes winding their way into the folds of my clothes.

My blood froze inside my veins.

Before the archer inched closer, I wrapped my clothes tighter around my torso. "I'm not a liar. I'm not looking for trouble. I'm just trying to find my way home."

There was a growl lost on the wind. The archer pressed his fingers to his full peach-tinted lips and ducked to the ground. He gestured me to keep silence. After no other sound spread through the forest, he continued, "Where is home?"

"It's a long story," I admitted. "Not the kind you want to hear while being hunted in the woods by demons."

He offered me his hand, and I accepted. He swiftly pulled me up, scanning my face with his kind brown eyes. He was standing so close; I could feel his mint candy breath lingering on my collarbone. He then whispered gently, as if the trees themselves were humming a melody into my ear, "I know who you are."

He squeezed my hand with a little strength which felt like reassurance. As his words struck me, I felt my heart thudding fast and painful. I wanted to run but I couldn't move. I was worried he could sense my unease, standing just feet apart, but I was able to breath it out.

"I know they are looking for you. I'll take you to the cottage. It's not safe for you inside these woods."

Who? The ghosts? The demon-brides?

"Who are you? How do I know you are not one of them?" I darted my eyes at his face instantly, still unsure what was going to happen.

He reached for my chest, and when he pulled his hand back, a train of golden magic from my heart followed him. I didn't feel any pain. I just saw a light float on the surface of his skin and connect with the Diary in a spell of calmness and harmony. A warm wave ran through me like a forest animal finding shelter, taking away the fear, and I smiled. And I watched the archer smile back. The Diary trusted him, and so did I.

"I'm a friend," came off his lips like vapor. "I think you're in need of one."