THE VILLAGE

Part two

Long ago, A young girl went with her mother to pick berries to her father, Who was hard at work.

But the forest greeted them with dark cold silence, The bushes empty yet

Determined to find the berries. Rascal free from mother's grasp and vanished into the trees

Mother's worride crise faded fast as the girl ran over on vine. And under branch and into the forest deep.

Feeling strange eyes upon her.

The girl recalled mother's scary bedtime tales and her throat became bone dry.

Then, The Bat Lord appeared!, He greeted her warmly and bit his own wing.

'Come child, Quench your thirst' he side

So she drank thick dark blood and smiled with joy.

Passing through a graveyard menacing storm clouds loomed and the air turned bitingly cold.

The girl was shivering in her thin clothes.

Then, The dark weaver appeared, And with a elick of tiners. Crafted mist into a beautiful dress

'Come child, warm yourself' he coaxed

So she clothed herself and smiled with joy.

Across waters deep and ominous she went. Hoping a boat she found would carry her home.

But hunger's grip tightened and her heart grew heavy.

Then, The fish king appeared and offered one of his many fins.

'Come child, Eat your fill'

So the girl ate and smiled with joy once more.

Continuing on, She soon entered the forist's dark heart.

Then, an iron steed appeared. Bearing a beautiful golden gear.

The creature sied nothing as the girl appoached...

... And snatched what she thought another gift.

The horse grew angry and summoned the other monsters.

Terror filled the girl's heart as a wild wind rose about the beasts.

Suddenly, a witch appeared _dark, yet rengal.

'Gifts we gave, but more you took' she snarled

So more. In turn. Isdue

in a blink, The girl was trapped insied a mirror
...

"Ther, she asleep"

"What is with the creepy story? she is only six months old" Ethan says in some disbelief

"woman at the store sied it was raditional a local tale" Mia says as she hands the book into Ethan's hand

"Well at least think about it as a positive thing Ethan. Little Rose doesn't understand it so it won't affect much." I smiled softly and playfully as I walked towards Ethan to look at the cover of the book.

"Yes, she is still too young to understand, thanks god," he hums positively and with some relief

"You know, we moved here so that she wouldn't have to deal with any of that, remember?"

"Ther is Nothing worng with my memory." She said sharply in her statement, making both Ethan and Arthur a little surprised by her response

"You're just being paranoid "She smiled softly as she returned to her calm position before Ethan and Arthur exchanged a few glances