ASYLUM 10 & OUT

Black Forest Dreams

Snow fell that night, in fine whispering flakes. The reflection of the moon on the snowbank was the only source of light, otherwise absolute darkness. Among what little light there was reflected the thick brush of the forest ahead. Beyond the tangled trees with their interlocked branches lay what no one returned to speak of. They call it the Black Forest. In a large community when a few people go missing here and there it is expected, even normal. But within the last year over 15,00 men, women, and children have vanished in it's unforgiving clutch. Tonight nothing disturbed the quiet of the snowstorm. No one, but Him. He stood at the edge of the clearing; tall, slim, and dressed in a dark suit. He was completely unmoving. His face was almost covered by dark shaggy hair, that is, save for his smile. Even from afar you could see the unnatural, animated grin that stretched from one ear to the other. His head was thrown back towards the sky at a grusome angle. Through the unmoving,haunting grin came an even worse laughter. It was a horrid thing to behold, more like screeching rather than laughing, then in the distance, a girl.

She was small and frail with bronze curls bouncing and swaying as she walks from the the edge of the street closer and closer to this beast of a man. Monstrous laughter and screams slowly become words, long and beckoning, "Saylor, ccoommee ppllaayy wwiitthh uuss ddaarrlliinngg." Her name seemed to be the only thing he could say clearly. Yet as he speaks his smile never moves, almost as if he is projecting his voice rather than using it. Dispite the cold weather she wears only a nightgown, plain and teal. She moves forward through the untouched snow bank with stiff movements similar to that of a windup toy. Her eyes seemingly hypnotized by the Man. She starred straight at him, eyes fixed on his smile. When she was but steps in front of him she stopped, seemingly at attention. Only then did He move or look at the girl.

Snapping joints and odd hitches and jerks accompanied his ungraceful movements. His neck snapped with a grotesque displeasure as it moved to face his new companion. Ruffled hair tossed messily to either side of his head revealing what was before hidden. Wide metal hooks burrowed into both sides of his cheeks, bloodily stretching his mouth into an unwilling, unmoving, smile. Eyes wide as Owls' eyes protruded from his head, blank white and unblinking. The Young girl never seemed to notice. "Sshhaall were ggeett ggooiinngg tthheenn, Saylor?" With that He held out his hand for the girl to take, and together, hand in hand, they army marched into the forest, from which they never returned.