Deadlands

Chapter 2 - I Hear Them

I walk into the Lonely woods with my sword ready. It seems to be pretty calm and nice. But I can't get rid of the feeling that I'm being watched. Yet nothing looks off... Regardless, I must hurry, it is getting darker out.

I notice the trees become more and more dense as I go on. It comes to the point where the trees look riddled with disease. The bark is peeling off and they look almost black. I stay my farthest from them to protect myself from any sickness.

A rancid smell grows larger.. It's starting to burn my nose hairs. That's when I hear it- I hear them. Taunting me, making me come closer.. They tell me they are the lurkers.. I slow down. I stop walking and pull up my sword and sheild. I feel a sharp pain in my lower right leg. I look down and notice I'm bleeding. This is not good.. I could get infected with the disease that had ruined this land, these- things.. I could become one of them..

I start to move a little further.. Still hearing them, I press on. I take a turn. Then two others. Then one more.. And I trip over the exposed roots of one of the trees. I'm finding it harder to move on.. I feel light-headed.. But I keep moving.. I start to develop a sprint.. Further and further I go.. I hope I'm not lost.. I hope this forest ends soon.. I hope I can find her...

I swear, this subtle whisper in the back of my ear has troubled me for too long.. I have the feeling it's the lurkers. Whispering into my mind making me get to where I am. It's been what seems like hours in the pitch black forest at this point. I use what little moonlight there is to see where the hell I'm going. I cannot stop, cannot rest, but I feel I cannot continue.

I have to. I have to keep pushing. Even if I lay down to sleep I could be in danger.. I hear a screech in the distance. It came from behind me, so I decided to quickly climb a tree, no matter the harsh disease it held. I made sure not to touch it with my wound. It was tough to climb with the bark it has. Moist, mushy, yet rough.

I reach up to a pit between a few branches. I feel a gross slime with my hand and ignore it to continue. I climb up further just to be safe. The screeching gets louder.. And louder.. It numbs my brain and I close my eyes.

I open my eyes and I feel sore. I look around. There's some daylight seeping through the thick tree leaves. I'm on the forest floor, and I smell funny. I get up slowly.. My sword is gone. My shield is lying on the ground. I see figures scurrying around in the leaves. I grab my shield quickly and look around.

A little hand sized creature pops out of the leaves below me and I hide away from it. I notice it's size and I let my shield down.

"Do not be afraid, silly human, we are here to... Help you.." It spoke to me in a tiny voice. I go closer and I sit down. It opens its huge mouth and begins to screech. I scream out and block my ears.. For my helmet was gone as well. It doesn't help... But I hear more, and more of them. It almost sounds like 50 of them, screeching and screaming the loudest of the loud from their tiny little bodies. I fell unconscious again, hitting my head on a tree behind me.

I wake up to the sounds of a loud hum. I open my eyes and everything is blurry. I feel even more sore now.. I feel someone or something tugging on my left shoulder. I look over and I realize I'm sitting upright against a tree. A man is looking down at me.. I notice he's not like most men. I'm not entirely sure it one is or not, with the giant bird mask the man or.. woman is wearing.