Prompt: Every year on All Hallow's Eve, your village locks every door and window, fearful of the beast that stalks the forest. Determined to locate and rid the enchanted woods of the source, you travel to a moonlit glade, except tonight, there is no moon...
EVERY YEAR IN THIS TINY VILLAGE IS THE SAME. THE PEOPLE here didn't like change. And traditions die hard.
It includes the Hallow's Eve tradition of locking every window and door in fear of the beast in the forest.
It was a tradition Olive had come to loathe.
Everyone in her village was so afraid of this beast yet she had never once laid eyes upon it. This mysterious beast had put the village at its mercy each year. Even her parents believed the superstition.
Each night they'd lock their doors and windows, and Olive would be forced too as well. Other villages got to enjoy the All Hallow's Eve's festival, but not Olive's village. They were too busy hiding from the beast that terrorized their every move.
Olive hated the beast. She didn't even know if it was real, but it had affected her since the day she had been born.
All she wanted to do was have fun on Hallow's Eve but was confined to her room.
"Olive remember to lock your window."
Olive looked up to see her mother in her room with a bowl of tonight's stew. She set it at Olive's bedside before leaving her. Olive grumbled to herself before grabbing the bowl of stew. Even through her anger she was still hungry.
She ate her soup in silence before setting the bowl down.
She leaned down on the bed and looked out the window. The entire village was quiet, and all of the lights were going out. She could see the people rushing back to their homes and locking them up.
The superstition of this beast had all of them believing it. Even the crazy old nan believed in it and locked her doors and windows and even boarded them up.
Olive frowned before she settled back into her bed. This was the only thing the village is ever in sync with. Even the typical rowdy teenagers didn't sneak out at night.
All of them behaved on this one night.
Olive felt like an outsider on this night. Typically the village didn't bother her.
But on a day like this she loathed living here. All she wanted to do was join the festivals that other people got to have.
Olive sat in her room contemplating for awhile before an idea lit in her head.
If the beast didn't stalk the forest, there would be no reason to hide. It was risky but Olive decided the reward was worth the risk.
Sneaking out of her room she crept around her parents' cabin looking for a weapon of some type. By some miracle she found both a bow as well as a sword. Both would be useful. With them in hand she sneaked back to her room.
She checked her parents' room before pretending to be asleep. She knew her dad checked on her to make sure she was asleep. Once he had come in and did his last check of the night and making sure her window was locked Olive's plan was set into motion.
She carefully sneaked out of bed and retrieved her weapons before unlocking the window and sneaking out. She placed a black cloak upon herself so she could easily hide amongst the shadows. She closed the window quietly before taking off.
Olive considered taking her parents horse, a large chestnut draft, but decided against it. He would be easily spotted, and Olive needed to blend into the night. She couldn't be spotted and dragged back.
