1/9/16
The Water's Edge
The wind glided silently through the darkened forest as the leaves of the many aspen quivered in its wake. Moon light piercing the canopy with its silver light as two girls walked their secret path. Their faces shaded by the dark only to be revealed by soft patches of light. In the middle of these woods lay a secluded lake where the twosome would often convene. For here, it seemed, the two could be truly alone, away from the world and its meaningless problems, away from the prying eyes of society, and from those who may look upon them with disgust and anger. On one of the many stony outcrops of the lake, these kindred spirits sat silently side by side gazing across the moon lit water. Stars reflected vividly off the water as if the cosmos themselves were contained within the shimmering surface. Quietly the two turned to view the beautiful visage of the other in the dim evening light. They whispered softly, so they might preserve the tranquility of lake and its beauty. They spoke of the future, and of themselves, and of things they could tell no other.
This continued for a time, and the two were so engrossed with the words of the other that they did not notice the wind come to a stop. The atmosphere dropped, as hulking grey clouds blew in from the east. Slowly the lovers became aware of an ominous feeling in the air. The wind picked up again, only harsher and bringing with it the first drops of the rising storm. The once still water turned choppy as a strange mass rose up from the depths of the lake. Seemingly indifferent to its surroundings, it trudged forth onto land. It stopped a short distance from where the girls stood, paralyzed with fear. This creature was unlike anything they had ever seen. Its flesh seemed to melt off as if it were made of mud, and its body was embedded with rotted leaves and broken twigs. It almost seemed that the creature was nothing more than a poorly sculpted pile of mud shaped to look like a horse. Except for the eyes.
Its eyes were dark with slits for pupils. It gazed coldly, moving what might be considered its head until it made eye contact with one of the two girls. The mud beast affixed its stare on her. Suddenly the creature's pupils widened as did those of the girl's. Slowly she walked towards the creature of mud and sticks, reaching for it as if it could reveal the secrets of the universe to her. Her lover tried to stop her, calling her name and trying to hold her back to no avail. The rain intensified. She was wholly fixed on the creature and nothing could stop the yearning she felt. A yearning she herself did not understand. As she approached, the other could do nothing but watch, for she feared this beast whatever it was. Without knowing why the girl climbed upon the back of this strange beast. As she felt the creature's flesh, it was indeed mud, her hands sunk down into the creature. The strange yearning vanished and the realization of her position struck her. She let out a scream.
Upon hearing this, the mud beast's once lethargic movement became rapid and wild. It turned around to face the water, its prey struggling to break free. In one swift movement the evil creature bounded into the water, plunging into the cold depths. The girl continued to struggle as she and the beast sunk deeper into the abyss. She felt her limbs fatigue and her vision blurred. As her oxygen ran out she glimpsed one final time the moonlight glistening off the surface of the lake, this time from below. She thought of her love as her consciousness began to fade and she drifted off into oblivion.