Do you travel? Do you hike? Have you once set foot into the forest, exploring the area?
Of course, as many others, we've all see the guts of the woods; fallen branches and logs toppled over from storms years ago. The undergrowth has begun clambering up the sides of great oaks and lively pines.
It's beautiful, is it not?
But you are careful when you walk, I hope. You heed the rules written, illegibly but yet understandably, on the bare bark of spruce trees.
Need I remind you?
1. Bring a light when you walk. If the forest is allowed to grow beyond twilight, you will follow paths you've already walked before.
2. Take care to bring a dagger, blessed with oils. While you may need protection, it is not just against the physical.
3. Walk only on the paths left by animals. They know more than you do.
4. When crossing a river, if you must, get wet before you follow the stones laid in the water. They are not there for you.
5. Observe your surroundings. Look interested. Look happy. Try to fool Them.
6. I̴̢͇̩̘̜̠̳̣͙̎̈́̑͗͆͛̇̋̃̊͠'̶͉̰̳̞̰̤̝̪̞͙̤̙͗͛̽͝m̷̡̯̙̱͓̖̰̪̻̘̻͈̠̠̘͂̒̓̈́̾̄̈̊̃̎͛͑͜͠ ̷̛͔̮͌͗͂̓̚S̴̲̦͎̗̯̼͈̹͋̋͝ͅͅo̴̢̢̢̜͖̭̙̰͎̩͉̲̓̈̽̂̏͆̊̀ȑ̴̨̹̟̞͎̃̏̃̃͌̈́̄͗̌̀͘̕͠͝r̶̡̖̘̥̱͔̲̬̠̘̩̯̹̋̀̃́̓̎͛̋̑̋͘ͅỷ̷̨̘̱̠̙̱̙̹͖̲̤̩̽́̈́͌̓͐͘͠͝.̴̨̧̺͈̩̗̮̩̳̭̱̣̟̞̈́͆̍̑̌̄̂
7. Do not pick any flowers. They worked so hard to grow them.
8. If you see eyes, look away. We all know They watch us when we walk in Their territory. We acknowledge them in our actions, but meeting their eyes can result in consequences beyond your comprehension.
9. When leaving the forest, thank her.
10. Do not enter through the way you had left.
YOU ARE READING
Until Nightmares
HorrorA collection of short horror stories, both fictional and not, and the occasional poem with the paranormal-horror twist. The cover is a WiP, please forgive.
