Walking into the forest to pick herbs, was a normal afternoon for Ashley, it was her chance to feel nature and interact with it, despite Leora warning her that going into the forest alone might be dangerous.
Ashley smiled and nodded agreeing to stay indoors, but here she was in the forest picking herbs, silently dancing around without a care in the world. It was a cold afternoon, the village was covered in fog, the forest was damp with moist but Ashley didn't mind, she appreciated the cold, it calmed her spirit.
A pair of blank white eyes watched her silently, on the branch of a tree few feets behind her, it's thin pale hands clutched the branch as it stared intensely. The creature was pale with only a head that had the shape of a malnourished human, a hand and a torso. It's torso floated in the air like it was being pushed by the wind.
Jumping into another tree as Ashley moved further into the forest. The sound of the ruffle in the tree made Ashley stop on her tracks, standing still, she felt an intense gaze on her. Breathing slowly she calmed her raging heart beat, trying to convince herself that it could just be a wild animal, she remembered Leora's warning...a part of her wished she stayed indoors now.
Trying to walk like she hadn't noticed something or someone was staring at her, she tentatively moved to hide behind a tree, holding her chest, she tried breathing in slowly to stay calm. Peeking from the tree to see if she could catch a glimpse of whoever was watching her
She saw the creature jump into another tree trying to find her, her breath hitched covering her mouth with her hand, her eyes widened in fear, that thing looked like it did not belong in this world
She stood still behind the tree, thinking of a way she could move without the creature noticing. watching the creature jump into another tree she noticed it had no ears, so if she wanted to stay hidden she had to be really quiet.
But her discovery wasn't useful for long, when the branches on the tree she hid under shook, drops of water landed on Ashley's head, touching her hair Ashley looked up slowly. The creature was just inches above her it's mouth wide open showing it's tiny rows of sharp teeth like it was smiling at the sight of her frightened face.
Realizing she was face to face with whatever creature that is, she turned on her heels running through the forest, clutching her skirt so it won't get caught on a plant...it was not easy running through a damp forest with a skirt that long, she cursed.
The creature chased after her jumping from tree to tree, it's tongue stuck out from its mouth to the side of the face. It seemed to the enjoy the chase, it was fast but not enough to catch her like it was trying to exhaust her instead.
Loosing her breath, Ashley slowed down almost falling when a small bush with spikes caught her skirt. Seeing that she slowed down, the creature jumped out from a tree to the ground few feets from her, walking towards her slowly
Ashley looked around for anything she could use as a weapon, her eyes landing on a stick that had sharp spikes around it not far from her, she quickly picked it up, the spikes pierced her hand but she didn't care
She clutched the stick ready to hit the thing if it tried to lunge at her, blood dripped down her hand, the creature snarled at her noticing the scent of her blood more liquid dripped down its mouth, Ashley cringed disgusted by the sight of the slimy looking liquid dripping from its mouth.
Taking a slow step back as she faced the creature not shifting her gaze from it with the fear that if she looked away for one second the thing might lunge at her. the thing growled at her noticing her slow retreat, it bent it's hand ready to jump towards her...as it jumped Ashley closed her eyes swinging the stick around carelessly, time passed she felt nothing, the stick didn't even hit its target.
"If that's how you swing a weapon, you should have been dead an hour ago" the voice of a man said mockingly
Ashley opened her eyes to see the pair of silver eyes she could never forget, looking down at her his brows drawn together in anger and worry, the creature laid lifeless under his leg like he just stumped on it.
Relieved that she was no longer in danger, her legs gave out sending her to the grassy ground with her hand on her chest, she dropped the stick sighing heavily
Kyle watched silently as she tried to calm her breathing, his frown deepened seeing her bleeding palm, squatting to her position he gripped her hand softly making her flinch "how did you hurt yourself" he asked
Ashley didn't answer, wondering why the strange man even cared, seeing her unwillingness to answer he was about to ask her again when his gaze caught the bloody stick by her side
His brows twitched, at the thought that she assumed that that stick could harm a shadow creature, it would have fazed right through it. Deep down he was relieved he came here on time
Attempting to pull her hand away from him, his grip on her hand tightened "Ouch" she cried out, making Kyle release her from his hold
Standing up he said "Come with me" with his hand stretched out
Ashley looked up at him, like he just said the most ridiculous thing "No thank you" she replied, getting up when she confirmed that her legs could hold her up
Kyle watched her silently as she dusted her skirt with the back of her hands, straightening her clothes
Satisfied that she looked less out of it, she walked passed him like he wasn't standing there, walking towards the direction she ran from...it was already dark and the fog had thickened, she hadn't even noticed soo much time passed while she was being chased by that creature.
Taking a few steps further, she stopped realizing she was lost in a dark damp forest with a strange man
'could this day get any worse'