Into The Night

When the light is here.

"𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒖𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒔𝒖𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒆..."

The growing Autumn night was still innocent and young. The setting sun's last dying reach leapt out against the deepening gloom. It's long fingers stabbed at the dusk gathering behind the trees. As the sun crested the long horizon on the other side of a wooded path, a lone girl trailed along wistfully, humming to the memories of the day.

The path was broad enough that four full wagons could be pulled side by side with room to spare. The path she was on was only slightly less ancient than the woods it penetrated. To her right, trees, gnarled by age sloped gradually upwards. Ascending towards the primal heart of the darkest woods, deep within the distant mountains.

To her left the only sightly less aged and gnarly woods tumbled softly downhill to the basin of a wide gully. The trees climbed up the other side of the gully stopping abruptly on the borders of endless farmlands. Overhead, the trees rose tall, and great arms stretched out across the path as they reached for one another, creating a vast ceiling of Autumn foliage, giving one the impression of walking down a vast and endless hall.

In contrast, her already demure figure appeared childlike as she swayed to her own little tune. In her hands was clutched a basket, about her shoulders was a heavy crimson cloak. Her cloak rustled about her like the crimson leaves flowing past in the gentle wind.

A warm Summer's end had finally given out to the bleak and restless winds of the Autumn skies. It was fall, but the only thing falling thus far was an incessant dampness. Rain and wetness for two weeks, bringing with it the decaying smell wet of earth. All but the stoutest of hearts had become as clammy as the weather, even hers.

She had come to the village a fortnight ago. The trip took a day and a night. She had planned to spend her day about the village, gathering the things she came into town for. Then she would relax at a tavern, spend the night at an inn and leave at first light. The weather had been milder then. Harvest was only a few weeks off but summer stayed around. That had been two weeks ago. There had been many nights at the tavern since then, but no early start. Not until this morning.

The sunrise was as crisp and refreshing to the sprits as a clear spring sitting at the top of a long mountain path. The weather had finally calmed down. Today was a mild stuff of relief. Even the most surly of hearts carried a song today.

She had left not long after waking, eager to start. It had already been too long and she needed to get back. It hadn't taken long to reach the end of the avenue that signaled the start of the road through the woods. Here, she was met with with the joyous commencement of Autumn.

Trees and shrubs were well into starting their annual festival of colors. Something She had not noticed waiting at that dingy little inn all week. But now, out here in the open woods, greens had given way to bright yellows, calming oranges, vibrant reds, mysterious purples, and swooning browns. The sunlight bursting through mottling the path. She loved this time of year, had been born in it and lived for it. It gave her energy as she walked along.

Though it was a well used route she had followed, the only travelers she met through the day were a merchant and a tanner headed in company to the village. Normally, such encounters we're met with suspicion on both sides. Would these men try to do something to her? Was she part of a trap set to lure them in? But today was such a pleasant day, and sprits were high across the countryside. They stopped and says hello to one another. Then they stole of how order a day it was after such abominable weather. Then they were talking about their reasons for traveling, and before long, a picnic had been laid down access the road. The girl provided meat and bread while the men provided drink and word of happenings abroad.

They told Her of news from the different regions, the selling of the Briar's estate, about time somebody did something with that old eyesore. The scandal with the Governor's wife, who always seemed to rely a bit much on the medicines of her handsome young doctor. And the violent death of a local farmer's daughter, found in pieces naught but three days ago. The result of a feral dog who had been put down by the farmer's own sons.

But even that tragedy seemed a distant shore in such halcyon days of Autumn like this one. The talk turned to other lighter things and shortly after the cleaned up and parted ways. The rest of the day was uneventful, in the fact that nothing with telling happened.

Now. The dusky Autumn sky was that deep orange color that only comes in the October. The woods had grown dark and still around her.

It was only now that the girl had heeded Her surroundings. A fog was lifting a presence accruing in her mind. She thought she caught a glimpses of a shadow moving through the obscurity of the dusky woods, but whenever She turned to look, stillness reclaimed the woods.

She threw Her hood up against the chill in the air and clutched Her cloak against the chill in Her bones. She had stayed too long in the company of the travelers. A shade was looming in her mind, large and sleek it began to stalk her footsteps.

She was still a distance from where She needed to be. She wished they had been going her own way. She didn't want to be alone it here just now. She caught herself. It was just the night rolling in, bringing with it all the phantoms of the imaginations conjurations and she wasn't going to succumb to her imagination.

Walking briskly she lifted her head with a renewed confidence. She knew this path, knew these woods. She was probably the scariest thing actually in the woods tonight. That thought made her giggle slightly. She would be okay if she just... 𝐶𝑅𝐴𝑆𝐻! The sound of a large branch falling made Her jump not just a little as She wheeled in defense against the commotion.

Again, the unrest of the nearly dark woods weighed upon Her the feeling had become claustrophobic. The sound had also brought with it a sense of dread. She had once again wished she wasn't alone but managed to find her resolve.

She gathered herself up, turning to go on, when she froze. Ahead in the path, an immense shadow had risen in front of Her. The specter was only just darker then the woods surrounding it, save the sharp gaze of shinning yellow eyes that pierced through Her. She barely let out a whimper as the beast snapped to meet her. She was not alone anymore.