Midnight Masquerade

At Midnight

Story by Tequila213

1723.

The forest seemed to murmur as they walked. The two young girls stopped several times, thinking that the dense leaves of the trees around them were whispering.

"It's nothing," Elitsa said in a hushed voice, reassuring her younger sister, "It's just the wind."

Little Emma seemed terrified. The night was dark, and the moonlight guided them through the thick forest, occasionally illuminating Elitsa's bright auburn hair. Emma followed the figure of her sister, trembling.

Behind her, she could only distinguish her sister's long, white dress, accompanied by a thick dark cape. Emma was dressed similarly to her sister, despite being four years younger.

"Mother warned us, Elitsa," whispered little Emma, "She didn't want us to go into the forest at night."

Elitsa made no gesture or sound to indicate that she had heard her voice. Emma was about to repeat these words, but her sister stepped ahead, turning towards her and pausing for a moment.

"Mother isn't here," she said solemnly, "And the forest isn't dangerous. Relax, Emma."

While their mother had forbidden them from going out that night, the reality was that they needed to get water from the well, just a few minutes from the cabin they lived in. Without water that night, they would be forced to wake up earlier than usual the next day to make the journey.

"But..."

Elitsa stopped and gave her sister a stern look.

"The forest isn't dangerous," she repeated, each word sharply pronounced.

She clicked her tongue.

"But it's the night of the witches, Eli..."

"Enough, Emma! Walk."

Elitsa took her sister by the shoulders and placed her in front of herself, ensuring that she would not stray far from her side. She grabbed the large ceramic vase that Emma had carried in her arms and held it by the handle. They were almost there. She handed her sister the oil lamp she had been carrying, which intermittently lit their surroundings with an orange light.

They went to the well almost every morning, and Elitsa couldn't understand why their mother had insisted so much that they shouldn't go out that night. It was just superstitions, foolish beliefs of the villagers. Emma shivered in front of her, and Elitsa sighed. She shouldn't have taken her that night. Elitsa probably would have walked much faster if she had been alone.

"What was that?" Emma whispered.

A snap behind her startled Elitsa, who turned.

Nothing. It was nothing.

"Shh," she urged her sister to be silent.

They continued walking. Elitsa wasn't afraid of witches; she knew they didn't exist. Superstitions couldn't hurt her. But the wolves in the forest were very real.

A new snap behind her made her jump. The sound was like footsteps on the sticks and leaves of the path.

Emma's breathing quickened.

"Let's go back home," the girl pleaded.

The darkness of the forest seemed to grow, and Elitsa had a feeling that, by now, they should have reached the well. Could they have gotten lost? No, that wasn't possible; they made this journey so often that she was convinced she could do it with her eyes closed.

"Shut your mouth, Emma..."

Another snap.

Annoyed, Elitsa turned around again. There was no one behind her, no one. What on earth was that annoying sound that repeated itself just inches from them? When she turned again, ready to keep walking, the profound darkness surprised her for just a few seconds. What had happened to Emma's oil lamp?