Demonology

The Man in the Woods

           Oliver wasn't expecting to see a house this far into the woods. He'd been traveling and mapping out this forest for a few weeks now and never imagined a human would like living so far from civilization. Didn't seem very efficient, but the tiny borrower wasn't complaining; it was already getting colder and darker by the minute. The sun falling behind the tree line, its orange light dancing through the branches.

          The house itself looked to be in pretty good condition, only a few encroaching vines and some overgrown shrubbery. The style was rather Victorian, tall and narrow, a brick first floor and dark wood for the rest, his eyes were drawn to the intricate stained glass patterned in the windows. Whoever lived there took good care of it, the bricks were mossy but the wood seemed almost new. They also had a nice car outside, free of any rust or peeled paint. Not that Oliver really knew much about cars, but it looked fancy, maybe an older model from the 70's or 80's. There was just something about all of it that felt...off. Oliver couldn't place it, just strange vibes; but "strange vibes" weren't going to stop him from having a warm, safe place to stay for a few nights and hopefully a meal. He adjusted the strap of his travel bag and followed the perimeter of the house, looking for a way in. He found a window that had been left open by a crack, scaling the brick wall like a rock wall and pulling himself up to the sill. He was even happier to see that it led to the kitchen, Oliver wriggled under the plastic seal and was greeted by the pleasant warmth of a cozy home.

          He dropped down to the counter below him, being careful not to make too much noise. Oliver made sure his feet were light and silent as he took in his surroundings. He was honestly a little amazed at how clean and tidy everything was. The borrower had been inside many human homes, he expected some dirty dishes, a few crumbs, maybe a stain on the counter, but everything here looked brand new. The house must have been built in the mid-nineties, or the owner was simply sentimental about that time period. The structure of the kitchen and most of the appliances looked to be from that era. His amazement slowly died when he realized that finding food in this place would be much more difficult than he first thought. As he walked along the counter searching for anything edible he only got more disappointed. There was a pepper grinder and salt shaker, and a container of sugar cubes, but other than that everything must have been neatly tucked away in their respective cabinets. All of which looked too high up from him to reach. Rats. Looks like he'd be eating sugar cubes tonight... Oliver kept his eyes and ears strained for any slight movement. The house seemed empty, or at least extremely silent outside of the ticking of a grandfather clock in the connecting hallway. There was a car outside so someone must be home, and it was a little too early for them to be asleep. Only around 7:00pm he assumed.

          Still, he tried not to worry about it, but being what he was, the simmer of anxiety under his skin was unavoidable. Every little noise or creak sent a chill down his spine. Borrowers had unspoken rules on how they coexisted with the human world. Most lived in the walls or attic spaces, only taking what they needed to survive and "borrowing" small tools and trinkets, usually never being seen at all. That's how they liked it. When they were seen, humans had a tendency to freak. Which always confused Oliver. Why freak out about something so small when they were so big? Seems silly. Borrowers always got the short end of the stick; other than the fear, they had to worry about the possibility of being injured or simply crushed. Even with his previous wariness of the house, the inside was actually pretty homie. All the lights above the counter were in warm tones, the faint smell of spices hung in the air, and even the odd, antique decor fit with the style of the home in a comfortable way. There was probably nothing to stress over other than the lack of accessible food. He noticed a kettle on the stove and wished we could have some warm tea in this quiet atmosphere. His attention was drawn back to the sugar cubes, on the other side of the stove. The sugar wouldn't be particularly filling but it was something. Oliver crept over to the glass container and ever so carefully pushed up the lid, sticking his hand down to grab one of the cubes. After pulling it out he made sure everything was just as it had been. The single cube would be enough for him, that was the nice thing about only being five inches tall. A few decent crumbs was all he really needed, although the smell of cooked food made him jealous, just the lingering scent made his mouth water. If he stayed here awhile he might be able to nab some; it wasn't like there were any other houses nearby to turn to. He had been mapping out the whole area and this was it, for miles. Oliver nibbled on a corner of the cube and pondered the strangeness of it. Whoever this human was, they sure as hell liked their privacy. But that was part of the fun. It was always interesting to figure out what kind of people he was staying with. Humans are terrifying, but interesting. This one liked a quiet life, no pets or children from the look of it, so they'd be pretty easy to live with for the time being.