I know that my eyes aren't playing tricks on me. It was there when the first lightning struck, illuminating every inch of the tree line just before the lights went out. The night was dark and heavy, pregnant with the promise of rain, but that brief flash of lightning had shown me something that I could not ignore. I could hear the relentless patter of rain and the occasional crash of thunder, but through it all, the howling persisted. It was a sound that seemed to cut through the chaos, a mournful cry that seemed both ancient and familiar. My heart pounded with each step, but I pressed on, guided by the echoing cry that seemed to reach deep into my soul. Then, another flash of lightning revealed it. For a brief moment, the forest was bathed in an eerie, flickering light. I saw it clearly then-the sound reverberating through the night. Fear gripped me, but something else-something deeper-held me in place. I know what I saw. I knew it then just, like I know it now...it was howling and it was calling out to me. _____________________________________________ Title: [C͛O̶B̶A̶L̶T̶ B̶L̶U̶E̶ E̶S̶S̶E̶N̶C͛E̶S̶] Series: Others BY: x_X_Kat_X_x EST. 2020