Garden of Shadows (on Hold)

Garden of Shadows

First attempt at story like this. Tell me what you think!

Everybody knows what we did

What we did, what we did

The only way out is to face it, to face it

Cause no one ever taught us to hide

You and I

No one ever taught us to hide

You and I

"No One Ever Taught Us" Jason Reeves

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"Mommy, I want to play in the flowers!" The little girl said, her voice full of glee.

"Ok. But take your brother and sister with you. Make sure you keep an eye on them."

"Ok Mommy."

The excited little girl with raven hair took hold of each of her siblings and dragged them towards the field of flowers. As they drew closer, the smallest among them came to a sudden stop.

"Sissy, I don't want to play over there. It's scary." The raven haired girl was confused as to what the little one was referring to. Then she saw it. Just beyond the grove of flowers stood the looming dark forest. Even in spring with all the vegetation fully in bloom, the skyscraper trees were bare, their branches clawing at the clouds like skeletal fingers. The sight of the forest alone made the hair on her neck stand on edge but she was determined not to show any fear. She tightened her hold on the hands of her siblings and stood a little taller.

"There's nothing to be afraid of. It's just dark." She said more for herself than for them. Recalling the words of her father, she added, "And in all darkness, there is light.Now let's play hide-n-seek!"

They played and laughed until the sun began to set just below the horizon, all the while,  they slowly moved closer and closer to the trees. On the last round, the raven haired girl hid in a bush just at the mouth of the forest, positive that she would not be found. But that soon faltered when she saw the smallest one stumble up to her and try to hid along side her. "You can't hide here." She whispered.

"Please, Sissy?" The little one asked, pale blue eyes pleading to stay.

"No. Now go find your own spot." The older girl shoved the little one out of the bush, causing the child to fall to the ground. She heard a small whimper, but it was swiftly followed by quick footsteps that faded away all too soon.

Minutes passed and the sky got darker. It wasn't long before they heard the voice of their mother telling them to come back. She emerged from her spot behind the bush and ran to her mother.

"Mommy, they didn't find me! I win!" She squealed as her mother lifted her onto her hip.

"That's wonderful. Where are the others?" The girl looked behind her, recalling that she heard movement as she ran to her mother. But all she found was one pale eyed child and not the other. Did the child not know the game was over? So they waited...and waited...and waited, calling the child;s name ever so often in hopes that she would find them. But all that greeted them was the silence of the night.

"Oh no." With those words everything began to go by in a blur. They were rushed to their home which was already filled with men forming a search party. Their mother tucked them both into bed, kissed them each on the cheek, and told them to stay put just before rushing out the room.

'I can help' the girl thought to herself. So without another thought, she hopped out the bed and wiggled out the window into the cold night. The bedgown she wore did nothing to shield her from the blade like wind that whipped her hair across her face making her eyes tear up with every lash. Still she trudged on, tripping over rocks and twigs she could not see. When she reached the field of flowers she noticed that they no longer held the air of grace and beauty they did earlier that day. It was now filled with darkness and shadows and exuded a feeling of dread. The girl found herself no longer shivering from the cold, but instead from terror.

As she walked through the pasture, the eerie feeling of being watched swam over her as she dunked from tree to tree, calling the child's name. She began to run, the wind howling in her ears with deafening resonance. She had all but given up when she saw it. A pale green shoe laying in the dirt. She ran to it and picked it up, feeling a semblance of pride in her discovery. Just as she was about to alert then search party, something took hold of her mind, causing her to freeze in her spot.

Come little children I'll take thee away,

It was a sickly sweet tune that left her ears ringing and breathing hard to manage. Her hand released the shoe and her legs began to move on their own accord until she reached a tall broken statue. One made of cracked and tattered stone with moss growing on its side. The face was twisted gruesomely into a taunting smile that stretched from one chipped ear to the other, exposing sharp mangled teeth. It seemed to compel the girl, urging her forward to its outstretched hands. In them was a single trumpet lily, its petals soft and begging to be touched.

So she did. As son as she made contact with the poisonous flower, her legs gave out from under her and she toppled to the ground, landing face first in the dirt. She tried to get up; tried to scream, but none of that was possible as the tune continued.

Into my land of enchantment.

She could feel the rough pattern of vines skitter up her legs and around her arms, each thorn digging into her skin and drawing blood. She looked and saw that it was not the vines holding her in place, but dark, murky shadows so cold they burned intricate swirls around the entire length of her arm. She was growing weaker and weaker each moment, the life being sucked right out of her.

As a last ditch effort to live, she found it in her to let out and ear shattering scream and blacked out with the tune practically playing before her eyes.

Come little children the time's come to play

Here in my garden of shadows.

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For any of you who might be wondering, the poem at the end is not mine. I heard it when I was younger and I've been looking for the author like crazy. Alas, the writer is unknown, but shout out to Hocus Pocus for bringing it to my attention.