I was walking for hours and I simply couldn't get rid of the feeling that something or someone, no, definitly something was following me.
No human would move like that thing did. From time to time, it knocked down bushes or broke branches like only huge animals like bears did, but then it didn't make a single noise at all.
Like it could move silently, but wasn't used to being that big.
'What a strange thought. If it is big, then why wouldn't it be used to being big.'
I didn't walk particularly fast, which was the reason I was not afraid of whatever was behind me anymore.
If it had wanted to catch up to me, it could have done so so already.
'But what could that...thing...be? Any monster would have probably already attacked me. If it's no human nor a monster, then what is it?'
Earlier or later, I would find out, I was certain of that.
——
When the sun finally disappeared behind the horizon, I decided to sleep through the night to avoid the nocturnal monsters.
In the night, the forest would become a lot more lively and with that, so a lot more dangerous.
So I climbed the tallest tree I could find and rested down, covered myself with my coat and simpy started listening to the sounds of the forest.
From the direction of my pursuer, a rustling could be heard from time to time.
After a while, noises could be heard from abother direction, hinting at the first arrival of the terrible beasts roaming the forrest at night.
Immediately after, noise exploded in the direction of my innocuos stalker.
It sounded as if the thing following me charged at the other monster.
A heavy impact sounded through the dark night as the charging pursuer colided with the other nocturnal creeper.
As a response, a shriek pierced the air, a shriek that was filled with pain, a shriek that send goosebumps drifting over my skin.
Silence. Not even a rustling in the grass.
My mind was racing.
There were two options what just happened:
The...thing...that had followed me before had killed the other monster and...protected me?
Or it had just died. In that case, I was in great danger. The noises had been to close for comfort.
If the hostile monster was still alive and so close, it might smell me, it might hear my breath or even see me in the darkness.
In every case, laying still and not making a single sound would be my best chance, my only chance.
In this darkness, it was unlikely for me to escape the hunter on the ground, should he still be alive.
So I decided to simply slow my breath and calm down as best as possible.
Listening to the silence, I simply lay there, on the tree in the middle of nothing.
I waited and waited, maybe 2 hours or what could have just been a few minutes. It was hard to tell.
Since the noise had entirely stopped, I decided my stalker won, and therefore, the danger had vanished-at least for the moment.
Quickly, exhaustion gained the upper hand and my eyes fell shut.
And with sleep, the dreams came back.
——
It was my mom.
Of course it was.
She stood infront of me, our surrounding a grey veil.
"Mom? Mom, I...you..."
Her lip curled up in a smile, her mouth opened, as if to say something.
She lifted her arms in a gesture that was clearly meant to protect me from something behind her.
But instead, blood was flowing out.
Her eyes were ripped open in shock, then slowly closed to make place for a peacefull smile again.
She lifted her arms in a gesture that was clearly meant to protect me from something behind her.
As her blood extended towards the ground like a tree growing down, the veil around us turned into a dark shade of red.
My knees buckled and gave in, tears running down my fave in streams.
I knew this was just a dream, but I also knew this was the cruel truth.
CRUUUUCK. The noise with which my mother had been unrightfully ripped out of this world, now ripped the veil around us down.
I shot down from the dream, my face still wetted by tears, my throat felt strained as if I had screamed.
I looked around until I remembered the last evening. The fight?
'Whatever died yesterday probably still lays there. I will have a look, then I will keep marching north.'
After climbing down the tree again, I thought about the previous night to remember from which direction the loud noises came.
Around thirty steps towards where the battle must have taken place, a confusing sight unfolded before my eyes.