Fossegrim

Introduction Part 2

AJ put on her jean jacket to combat the coolness of the mountains. Visiting Gram-gram was always a treat because it was such a wonderful contrast from the hot and humid summers of Nebraska. Many summer afternoons she had spent bored and sweaty up her air-conditioner-less room, but when she got to go to the mountains to visit her grandmother she got to truly live her life. AJ got to enjoy the cool, spring like weather and take in the beauty of nature. Aside from the obvious reasons though, she escaped from the everyday life of Nebraska where everyone knows everyone and all their business, which meant she got to wear what she wanted, act how she wanted, and be who she wanted. She had friends in Colorado. Well, friend. As in one friend, but that was more than she had at home, and she couldn't ask for a better friend. Luke was a handsome young man she met a few summers prior when she first started visiting her grandmother in the summer months. Back then AJ was an awkward and weird girl that still had yet to hit puberty, but Luke was always a cutie. He had bleach blonde, almost white short hair and a dazzling white smile to match. His blemishless face was dusted with just a few light freckles whereas hers was completely covered in the cursed polka-dots. She wondered how he always managed to look so suave and put together. *Bzz bzz* her phone buzzed in her pocket.
Ay loser, dinner tonight?
A text from Luke. She had blowing him off lately. She felt quite bad about it but she simply couldn't deal with him lately. He was a great friend but sometimes was a little bit of a dork. His sassiness was something that she needed to work up the patience for.
No, gram wants me home for supper and I'm already omw to the trail head so no time. Totally would tho...
She knew it was a lie. She totally wouldn't. She would hang out with Luke tomorrow. She felt like alone time was best in this moment as she could collect her thoughts, and then maybe finally get some writing done with the inspiration she gathered from her hike.
She made her way up the path, which was surprisingly empty for a beautiful Saturday afternoon aside from the occasional dog walker. Normally AJ would listen to some music during this time to herself, yet something in her thought just maybe, it would be nice to listen to the sounds of nature. She came upon a small stream and sat down on a rock to take in the sounds around her. A bird chirping, a few crickets, the crickle of the stream... but one voice was out of place. In instrument. A classical one. Some low minor tones in the far off distance. Barely a whisper of a sound. Yet it was unmistakable. Someone was playing the violin. She immediately felt compelled to seek out the source of this sound. She didn't know why but she knew it felt familiar. It had a melancholic voice that rang in your ear and compelled you to lean into its sound. It was as if she couldn't control her movements, she went further. It was as if her body had decided for her that she needed to see the source of this music. She made her way down the stream and it branched into larger streams of water. She charged straight through not even regarding the sopping wet socks within her shoes or the muddy outward appearance of her shoes and legs. She felt uneasy. She didn't know who was playing this music and yet she was compelled to follow it. She tried to will herself to stop but onward she trudged. Upon the discovery that she could not remove herself from the situation, she took it upon herself to completely relax herself and now focus on what might happen or who she might meet. She could do nothing. So preparation for the worst was the best route of action. She came to a waterfall and upon a large rock was a man no more than one to two years older than her. It was dark where he sat, as the shadow of a large tree blocked the light from illuminating his face, but even so he was strangely familiar in a way. He had short hair that she could tell but the color of it was somewhat hard to make out, he wore no shirt, so despite his height and skinny appearance, you could tell he was most definitely built well. His body was definitely very strong, as were his playing abilities. As hard as she tried not to make a sound, her body still moved forward without her consent. The consequences of her body doing so caused her to make a grave mistake. She stepped on a stick, causing the music to stop, and the man to look at her. He dissipated into a fine mist and when she had thought he was gone, she felt two hands on her shoulders. She attempted to look back at the face of the man who held her, but she couldn't. Despite the music having stopped, whatever the spell was that was placed on her persisted. This was it, the moment that she knew that she needed a plan. Her mind raced to come up with something to save herself from whatever this situation was.

"You know miss..." the man began

"...I've loved many women. But none have loved me back. Whether it be my true nature. Whether it be my lack of wealth. Whether it be a better suitor. Or maybe even it being disgusted by my true form. But you..." the man whispered in her ear, with breath hot and far too close for comfort

"...you're different. I know you are. I'll see you soon..." and with that he dissipated into mist again and the grasp on her body melted away as well and with that she fell to the forest floor. She felt a shiver down her spine. How violated did she feel having no control over her own body? How disgusted did she feel having some... thing that close to her? Despite being shaken, she mustered you're some courage and rose to her feet. It was getting near to dinner and she needed to get home, but as she walked back in the direction that she came, she couldn't shake the feeling of something watching her. She could go home, where her kid sister and grandmother waited to no doubt bug her to death, or she could text Luke and tell him she was coming over. She felt scared and tired, and overwhelmed... she needed her best friend.

Hey freak, guess I'm free after all.

Great, see ya in ten loser. I've got your fav ;P

And with that, she made her way down the mountain and towards her friends home. She'd tell gram when she got to Lukes. She was going to need that time to spend the entire way there coming up with a good excuse for missing dinner at gram grams.