The Night Crawler

Inside the Wicked Woods

Carlyle watched Nick and Derek run into each other head on for the tenth time, raising graveyard dirt into the air. They both bounced back from the impact of the collision and fell back onto the ground, holding on to their stomachs.

"Ouch...That hurts," Nick squeezed out, vigorously rubbing his head.

"I know," Derek agreed, pressing his cold hands to his reddening cheeks and neck. "We have to keep trying until we create a wave of power strong enough to let us through its entrance. It's tricky with the witches, a human and a Gatekeeper create a natural magnet to get into the wicked woods. Though, if you happen to have magic, it's easier to exit than enter."

"You two told me we can will the woods to appear. I should have known better," Nick complained, studying the bruises on his arms.

"If we told you, you wouldn't have agreed!" Derek tried to convince him. "Besides, we are going to will the woods to appear, but only after we create a magnetic field. Let's do it again," he gestured Nick to stand up. "Run hard into me, but not hard enough to kill yourself."

Nick's nostrils flared, and he arched his eyebrows. "Okay. But remember that you asked for this."

Nick's boots sank deeper into the ground as he tried to gain some traction. He then launched towards Derek, his muscles tense and solid as a rock.

Derek did the same. He rocked from one foot to another before he darted at Nick, feeling the adrenaline tingling his skin. Even though, they were both breathless, they made it clear they were not about to give up.

Carlyle yawned, bored, and rolled his eyes. This was going nowhere. He had to intervene.

Before Derek and Nick collapsed into each other, Carlyle shot out two cool waves out of his hands and sent them after both men. The water, like a powerful shield, shaped behind them, now carried them forward with such force that Nick and Derek started to fear for their lives.

"Carlyle!" Derek called for his waterman, as he dug his legs into the dirt to prevent him from moving at such great speed.

"Sorry, Master, it would take ages for you to create a magnetic field. You don't have your magic right now, so I had to help you," he tried to explain. "You'll thank me later."

"Good Lord," Nick said, his face turning ashen, as Derek and him collided.

Both men groaned, feeling the crash of their bodies. Nick took a hard kick into the chest and Derek held on to his side grimacing. He had a busted knee and limped around for a moment. The water shifted from them to the cold October skies in one a giant splash. But the collision of the two created the spark they needed.

"It worked!" Nick exclaimed, ignoring the ache of his body, and noticing the tiny sparks of light poke through the air. Little by little, more fiery particles accumulated, moving sporadically in the air, as if they were chasing each other.

Derek's face lit up, as he wiped away the blood with some piece of his jeans. Carlyle inched towards the lights, carrying a basket. Derek began chanting. They watched the lights grow, forming one bright opening:

We Will the Woods Our Solemn Cry

From Now, Forever, Until We Die

Let us through, the Witch of Woods,

We have brought your wished Dead Goods

***

The tombstones suddenly fell beneath the layers of thick ghostly fog. The thin tree branches curled across the skies in bleak dark zigzags, like veins.