Medievil Nightmares by Rhea Beck
Preface
I never thought I’d be afraid of The Forest. I had always seen it as a sanctuary, a place to hide, to think. The rumors and myths about blood-lusting, night-stalking beast haunted others minds like ghost, and kept them away. I remember when I was little, careless men would run into the forest to prove nothing was there. Some never came back.
And yet I have never even heard a threatening noise come from The Forest. I walked out there a lot, to relieve stress, always when there was some kind of light- Sunlight, Moonlight or at least Starlight- Just in case. The forest was lush and green- almost sickening green. And wet. But it was a peaceful reserve, and the glow from the canopy above me always calmed me even more.
But tonight, Nothing seemed safe here. The Forest was silent. The shimmer of the full moon upon the new fallen snow made me cringe. I heard a voice in the distance. That’s the only length I would hear it from-A distance. Even the voice, So afraid for me, was also afraid of Me…And The Forest. Myths were not taken lightly. The beast they described were horrible. And now I was one of those beast.
A shadow flickered behind me, a few feet back really- A hand reaching out, pleading. Without looking back, I fell down onto all four limbs- and ran. The Fear of Staying was stronger than The Fear of Losing everything. The Forest swallowed me.
Preface
I never thought I’d be afraid of The Forest. I had always seen it as a sanctuary, a place to hide, to think. The rumors and myths about blood-lusting, night-stalking beast haunted others minds like ghost, and kept them away. I remember when I was little, careless men would run into the forest to prove nothing was there. Some never came back.
And yet I have never even heard a threatening noise come from The Forest. I walked out there a lot, to relieve stress, always when there was some kind of light- Sunlight, Moonlight or at least Starlight- Just in case. The forest was lush and green- almost sickening green. And wet. But it was a peaceful reserve, and the glow from the canopy above me always calmed me even more.
But tonight, Nothing seemed safe here. The Forest was silent. The shimmer of the full moon upon the new fallen snow made me cringe. I heard a voice in the distance. That’s the only length I would hear it from-A distance. Even the voice, So afraid for me, was also afraid of Me…And The Forest. Myths were not taken lightly. The beast they described were horrible. And now I was one of those beast.
A shadow flickered behind me, a few feet back really- A hand reaching out, pleading. Without looking back, I fell down onto all four limbs- and ran. The Fear of Staying was stronger than The Fear of Losing everything. The Forest swallowed me.
