The Dark Path: Stygian Days

- Prologue -

SOMEWHERE IN EUROPE…

[Third-person POV]

“Mommy, could I please have the teddy bear?” the little girl begged as she pulled on her mother’s jacket.

The mother chuckled. “Okay, Ramona but you must promise mommy that you’ll behave yourself. Can you do that?”

Little Ramona nodded her head quickly. “Yes, mommy, I promise.”

Her mother looked at the gift vendor and smiled. “We’ll have the teddy bear, please.”

The gift vendor reached up onto a shelf so he could grab the teddy bear. Outside, lightning flashed across the sky.

Ramona’s mother took a look outside. “That’s odd. I’ve never seen such weather in these parts before.”

“Well, I’ve lived here since I was a wee little boy. I’m used to the weather here,” the gift vendor said as he gave the teddy bear to Ramona.

“Well, are you used to that?” the mother said as she pointed at the sky.

The gift vendor approached the entrance to his shop and gasped when he looked at the sky. The afternoon sun was still shining but there were grey clouds circling the area around the sun in the shape of a whirlpool. With each passing moment, less and less of the sun’s rays reached the little village. Despite the fact that it appeared like it was going to rain, there was no wind blowing about.

The gift vendor cleaned his glasses and checked the sky again. “My word, there’s never been such weather like this before.” Around them, other people in the village had also noticed the unnatural behaviour of the weather and they too, had the same reaction as the gift vendor. A few had begun to panic and started to run indoors. Others closed their doors and windows thinking it would shield them from the weather.

The gift vendor shrugged his shoulders. “Well, weird stuff like this tends to happen around these parts. No big deal.”

Ramona’s mother glared at him. “It may not be that big of a deal to you but I’m not risking my daughter’s life. Ramona, we’re leaving.”

“But mommy…”

“Now.” Her mother said sternly.

Ramona got into the back seat of the car and fastened her seat belt. At the same time, her mother got into the driver’s seat. She whipped out her car keys and tried to start the engine. However, try as she might, the engine refused to start up completely.

“Come on, work you bloody thing.”

Ramona’s mother grumbled as she continued to struggle with the car’s engine.

“Mommy, what’s that?” Ramona said as she pointed to the front of the car. Her mother, however, didn’t bother to look up.

“I’m sure it’s nothing, dear,”

“I can see a scary man riding wolf, mommy,”

Her mother shook her head. “Ramona, please I have no time for this,”

“Mommy, are we going to be okay?”

“Ramona, please. Mommy’s busy right now.”

Around them, the village had been completely engulfed in darkness. Despite the fact that it was one in the afternoon, it was as dark as night. The streets lights were switched on but their efforts were far from being proportional to how dark it was.

Ramona shook in her seat. “Mommy, I’m…scared.”

Ramona’s mother finally gave up with the car engine and looked up. By then, it was already too late do anything.