The Darkness beyond Souls

prologue

She gazed thoughtlessly at the sunset falling slowly behind the rolling hills. Taking one last look at its warm glow flowing over the beautiful countryside. The glow gave her snow-white face a golden shine, and her jet-black hair a golden tinge. Her usually crystal blue eyes shone green as the golden light met her gaze. She had never seen such raw natural beauty before. She placed her delicate hand on the fence and gracefully leaped over it, narrowly avoiding the barbed wire that was hidden on the other side of the fence.

She moved silently, ever so graceful, across the swamp-like vegetation that separated the town from the natural beauty of the countryside. Each foot barely touched the ground with each step. Stealth was something she had been naturally gifted with as a child, and she used it well. The glow was starting to retreat behind the hills, grey shadows slowly crept up on her. She started to move faster, gracefully leaping and gliding as she rapidly paced the muddy terrain. She had more agility than even the most agile gazelle.

She neared the orange glow of lights. She neared the town, but not as quickly as the shadow. She started to run, the thought of the golden glow slowly fading from her mind. It was risky venturing so far from home, and she knew that she'd sure pay for it if she didn't move faster. As she quickened her pace, she could feel the cool breeze running through her hair. The feeling had an unusually calming effect upon her, it felt like freedom.

She could see the buildings grow larger now. The pin sized figures quickly became clear, she would make it this time. The darkness had engulfed the land, it was moving far more quickly than she was. She no longer cared, her destination was within reach. She foolishly looked behind her, and instantly regretted it. The golden eyes were no less than a hundred yards away, glaring at her, some even seemed to be smirking. The growls became louder, and the gut curdling screams they mimicked rang in her ears; no doubt that they loved re-living their hunts. They decapitated their prey, limb for limb . . . and the rest far too horrific to even think about. They were all tales, but there was no doubt there was at least the slightest touch of truth to them.

Her idiotic action of curiosity caused her to stumble, the fallen branch twisting around her foot. Fear coursed through her body, adrenaline pumping through her veins. I will not die tonight, she thought to herself. I will not die. And with a swift movement of her arm she grabbed the branch and hurled herself upwards, soaring over the large obstacle. She landed in a cat-like fashion. After instinctly steadying herself with her hands, she brought herself back onto her feet and continued to leap across the sinking ground. The sludging and squidging of the soggy ground was somewhat delayed in the distance. They too seem to have got entangled in the fallen tree, an obstacle that's hard to see amongst darkness. Then she realised they had looked behind, what were they watching out for?

Before she could speculate any further, her foot touched concrete. She was home. Her pulse calmed and the fright in her eyes vanished. She was safe at last. But the horrors of her venture would not so easily be ridden from her mind.