The Reaping

The Ride

The villagers had made their choice, she would soon be offered as sacrifice by will or by force. She had to comply.

Tears flowing ,she ran to the the elders house hoping she could find some solution there.

All that the elder could do was give some solace to her mind. A pendent considered to be mystic in many ways ,to protect her along the journey.
As  path she would soon set upon was said to be filled with hurdles and to reach the end, was nothing short of a miracle.

It was time ,she had to depart having said her goodbyes to her father ,who was now in and out  of his conscious.

People started gathering to send her off with thank you’s and blessings  but they did not reach her ear. Holding the pendent close to her heart she started walking in to the forest.

The path which started of clear was now just a trail. With all the courage she could muster she moved forward. It was getting dark and she could hear  animal noises around her.

Suddenly she felt two eyes on her, blood red in colour. They were mesmerizing but then it started growling, huffing and puffing . She was scared and frozen, unable to move. Immediately she felt a hand on her pulling her to the opposite direction.

Jane looked in front of her to see a man holding on to her arm looking ahead while still running .the wolf was still on their trail, after sometime the howls were fading and she was getting tired. Suddenly he stopped in front of a large tree, there was this sort of rope ladder hanging along it. He  gestured her to climb. Scared and tired she did what he said.

Now they were sitting on top of the tree trunk, safe from the creatures below. Jane started to calm down .

She now pay attention to the man that was in front of her. He looked to be in his early 20s, had hair that reached his broad shoulders. His face looked at her with concern but his eyes looked empty.

He began to speak causing her to snap out of her trance, “Are you alright?, are you hurt?” . she looked at him and sighed and said “I am fine”. He  asked  what  her name was and why she was in the forest all alone.

She then introduced herself and told him that she came in search of a temple in the forest that can help her town.  She then asked if he knew the way and if so, could guide her. He nodded and said that they could   travel only after dawn as it was safe then. Then they both remained  silent.

Jane was going through the events in her life that lead her to this point, as sadness started filling her heart she started dozing off.

It was bright and a voice was calling out to her thinking that she was finally waking up from a nightmare she opened eyes her fast but was met with the sad reality.
The man  had woken her up it was already dawn the sun had risen up.It was time they had to go. Climbing down the tree she was now enchanted by the forest, it was not the same forest she saw the previous day.

The forest bed was covered by mosses, birds were chirping ,streams were flowing in the side, flowers had started to blossom and their Fragrance filled the air.

Even though it was a beautiful sight the weight on her heart did not let her enjoy it. Her eyes fell on the man who helped and she realised that she did not know anything about him. She was too flustered yesterday day to ask him anything.

“May  I know your name ?” he smiled and replied “Lee” .

“How did you see me lee ,yesterday ? what are you doing in the forest?” questions came out one after the other as they strolled through the forest.  He looked at her for a moment, she could not tell what was going through his mind. 

Then he started talking , he said he lived in the forest, it was his home. His  family had abandoned him but the forest gave him a way of life.  Even  though it was hard in the beginning he fell in love with the trees and animals and it protected him in more than one way.

But soon he would have to go back even though it made him sad but it was necessary.  Hearing his story she thought, at least he could go back that was not the case for her. They talked more about the their life, her father, the village and rumour. Even though she could not read him, being around him gave her a sense of calm.