Stories of the Forest Life

The angel of death and the Forest Retreat

The green spruces littered the soil layered grooves of the long forgotten paths that ran through the woods , a soft spell of mist streaked and weaved its way around every single tree in a way of almost aggression as a shaken man unknowingly stepped and wondered through the brush of leaves and branches.

The words he was threatened with swirled and circled through his dismayed head , 'You've sinned , boy , And he knows' The emphasis the pastor had communed to him with the last two words is what kept with Judas , the way the pastors mouth had curled with sincerity. 'He knows'. The satchel lugging on his shoulder would give an idea of how rushed Judas had made his decision , heavy with supplies yet too light for other essentials.

The food he had bought with him had lasted a mere two days. But it wasn't the starvation that was going to take him , no , it was the cruel silent knife of cold that would take him to hell as he slept. Judas had almost accepted this as his fate before the dim lights  peering out of an old cabin had pierced through the thick fog.

The door was unlocked 'Praise him , Praise him!' he had muttered in a tone so faint and fake it was almost frosted over by the cold. Inside was a burning fire , raging even , a fresh loaf of bread and two fish at the table next a newly made bed covered in furs  . Any other man with a decent bone in his body would sleep in the bed , but surely they wouldn't take more then what was needed. Maybe one fish ,  a quarter of the loaf before leaving  some coin  on the side for the troubles of who ever owned this hidden little godsend. Judas however had feasted that night , as he sat in front of the fire , a bellyful of one and half fish and the  whole loaf. He tipped the last drop of wine that sat in his cup down his gullet , which he had found stowed away in a cupboard. 'He knows' Judas recited , with a chuckle of a now satiated man. "Whose laughing now you stupid stupid man" he spoke into the fire , " Spreading lies of sin , how the Angel of Death will come. " He smirked as he ranted away , his voice and ego so loud it overlapped the noise of the door opening. "I aught to go back and shame him, scaring me off like that , he-" His words cut short by an other's. "That's a deathly cold out there"

A man with a chiseled jawline and golden wavy locks stood at the door frame. "This your cabin , friend?" he asked , Judas taking a pause to think. Only a pause of a mere 5 seconds before he replied. "Yes it is , what do you want with me?" his words were hurried , a sweat of not heat but nervousness dripped down his forehead. The blonde man offered a smile , which wasn't taken by Judas. "A cabin like this so far in the woods? You must be running from something " The blonde mans sweet blue eyes seemed a blood red from the reflection of the almost out of control fire.  Judas gave a sarcastic smirk . " The angel of death , actually"

The stranger gave a look of sheer curiosity, almost amazement. "Have you sinned?" His voice was stern as he stared at Judas , not through him but in him. "N-never!" he answered in a exaggerated tone, trying to convince himself as well as the visitor.  The stranger placed his coat on to the coat rack as he followed with another question. "I must ask , Judas , is there any food? I am awfully starved" Judas hurriedly put away the reminder of the rest of the fish he had put into his satchel. " None Friend , completely empty" The man gave a dissapointed frown, his eyes however keeping completely fixated on Judas as two coal black wings spread from the back of the blonde blue-eyed man , resembling those of a giant crow as Judas stared back in horror , failing to notice the key around his hip , which was of no doubt to the cabin. 

Only one sentence had managed to float to the top of his mind as he stared on in sheer shock.

'You sinned boy'

'And he knows'