Prologue.

I should probably explain how this all began...how all of this happened...how I came to be here.

This adventure of mine, the wonders I've seen, the joys.

The pain, the despair, the stress...

all of this began...the day I met him...

I don't even know where to begin...

I had been riding hard one day, trying to get home on my motorbike, as night fell, the miles ticked on my, my hands starting to feel the strain of holding the throttle open, my legs tired from the vibrations running through me. My High vis jacket was one of the only things glowing in the darkness outside of the occasional orange street light, the light from my headlight and tail light trying to pierce through the darkness and fog. It had been an unusually dense mist falling, and it was only going to get deeper and deeper the longer I took. The music playing in my ears through my ear plugs was the only thing distracting me from the hours that just ticked by.

The woods around me grew in both density and foreboding. In the light, they were trees, sparse of leaves, tall and thin, something you'd see just about everywhere in the countryside, but at night...they were wooden giants, claws reaching out in an attempt to grab something...me perhaps. I tried my best to ignore it, but it kept clawing away at my psyche, every tree a threat as the army of timber grew in number, in size, and in how close it was to me. When it started, they were a good few meters away from the road.

Now, the road was starting to lose it's safe haven nature, the trees advancing closer and closer. Paranoia loomed, and the fact that I couldn't change from a song that fit the situation too well wasn't helping at all. I hadn't seen any other signs of life in a good hour or two, people with too much sense to be on the road at this hour, in this weather, in this light. And yet I was at least a good 3 hours away from home...things weren't going to get easier...at all.

Salvation came soon. A Road sign, a guide in this troubled time, this black as pitch disturbing presence that was only broken by the civilisation given to me. I nodded, reading it quickly, smiling inwardly as the message on it was clear: a Service station up ahead. I quickly looked at the dial, seeing the fuel gauge extremely low, lucky to get me this far. I patted the bike with my hand, nodding a few times. Thanks girl, you got me this far, and as we turn in you can take a break.

And as I turned in, I quickly looked at the place I was pulling into. An old fuel station, still manned, no cover to the building, just a few pumps, a small building next to it containing the shop and the cashier on duty at this dismal hour. It was in disrepair, I wouldn't be surprised if the pumps had been here since...well, whenever this place was established. At least the 1950's. The sign with the prices on was rusting over, with a few figures having fallen off. The tarmac was full of potholes and in some cases missing entirely. And the trees...they were so close I wouldn't be surprised this place was in a little world of it's own. My paranoid mind was making faces of the bark, some were giving evil smirks at their next victim, others were giving judging glances at the intruding presence into their sanctuary.

I will admit, In my mind I was debating all too much if I should get out of here, go down the road and hope I find another station before I run out of gas. The gamble might have been safer. But as I pulled up alongside them, turning the engine off, I mentally committed, steeling myself for this...ordeal. At least the price was good. 90p a gallon? Saving. And as I removed the helmet, losing the suffocating sense of entrapment behind a plastic visor and tough material, taking a deep breath as I looked around, running my hand through my hair as I got my bearings once more, looking over at the cashier and nodding to the old guy.

I spent a few minutes filling it up, looking around before walking in. There was this...air...I don't know how to describe it but something didn't feel right...at all. I just can't quite put my finger on it. The darkness, the fog, the cashier giving me the ey- oh boy. Well, maybe I can work this to my advantage. The lack of light in there doesn't fill me with hope, never mind the lack of space for just about anything at all. I juggled my keys in my hand, leaving my helmet next to my bike, putting the high vis jacket on the seat, walking over to the door with a small sigh.

My jacket...my actual leather one...yes, I know, I'm wearing black jacket under the Yellow High Vis. So Sue me. Anyway, my leather jacker was flayed, torn, the road hadn't done too many wonders for it, as I'm pretty sure I'm going to lose the sleeve if I'm not careful. The four pockets on the front weren't too big, enough to store a few minor things, like my mobile at this very moment in time. My jeans were even more torn and stained then my jacket, mud, water, god knows what else flying up from the road to slam it. And then this is without going into my boots, slamming along the ground as I tried to remove bits of mud that had stuck to the side as I had gone. And no I don't mind staining the wooden floor with whatever muck was on my feet. If he was concerned this place wouldn't be as messy as it was. Besides, I have to clean my bike after this...less mess the better.

"Well, Well, well..." He spoke, his voice having that ol' timey tinge to it, like you'd hear in one of those radio adverts, clear, though quick enough that you don't hang too long on his words. It was middle of the range though, not too deep, not too high pitched. I could tell he had been here along time, and, as he was giving me a few nods, looking me over, part of me worried that he'd drown me in old conjecture about how it was better in the old days. His face though...aside from lots and lots of wrinkles, obviously showing his age, one eye had a scar skirting around it, and his body was well built so...I assume he was an ex-soldier of some sort. Saying that, behind him was this old rifle. Looked like one of those pre-World war 2 rifles...admittedly it's badass that it's even here but still, how the hell did he get one.

"Bit late to be out on the road isn't it? I'd 'ave taken a stop and taken a break for the evening" I chuckled, giving him a nervous nod before grabbing a pack of chewing gum.

"Yeah well...not everyone has that option these days" I told him, at least giving him some company for a small time this evening. "I've been on the road since...I think it was 9 this morning...some where around there"

"Well sonny, you've been on the road a long time then" He reached into his pocket, pulling out one of those old pocket watched, clicking the top down with his thumb to open it. "It's near midnight round these ol' parts" Holy shit. I'd have thought it were shorter...then again, it did look right, given the time of day. "Fog's not predicted to lift until...midnight at least. Weathergal didn't say how long it would take..." terrific...and here I am probably about to ride through the darkness of midnight...not the best time to keep going. "It was easier in the olden days. Roads were better lit, people walked around, you could ask for help. Then the town just upped and left." The town upped and left? OK, I'll admit now, I was only going to come here for the gas, but...well, might as well humour him.

"The 'Town' Upped and left?" I had to ask. I mean, come on, what else would you pick from that to pick as a conversation topic? That was the most 'normal' or 'interesting' from that. "What do you mean?"

I was walking around the shop at this point, grabbing a pack of what I hope are mints (well, the pack claims they are mints but they're the most misshapen and discoloured things I've ever seen in the history of mints. Seriously, these things are ugly. I don't even want to know what 'Darlings' are, or where they come from...never mind what they are actually made from) a can of coke from the freezer and one of those big bottles of water. You know the type, one of those that you pay a pound for and you get about 2 litres or so when drinking from your own tap is a lot cheaper...at least in theory.

"Oh, it all happened around 30 or so ye'rs ago. I remember it well" I walked over to him at this point, putting my purchases down and watching him punching in the numbers. Seems he wasn't too used to having people buy fuel, sadly for him. "One day, oh it was a fine day. We held our yearly celebration of the harvest, as we had done for thousands of years. Even the great King William the Conqueror couldn't take that away from us"

"Seems you had a good thing going there" I got my card ready, spinning it in my hand as he got the machine ready, his motions giving away more then the slight air of inexperience with the card reader. "So...what happened? I mean, you're still here, the town isn't"

"Well, the funniest thing...you won't believe me when I tell you" This should be good, and just as he's passing me the machine to put my pin in. "It was about...10 years ago...we were preparing for the festival once more, and with only 3 days left, I was here, in a foggy situation like this that we're experiencing tonight" I nod, feigning attention as I key in my pin. "I came out here to do my job, and when I went back, the town was gone, except my house which was...well...has been in better condition at any rate. Thankfully I still had everything...save my friends...my family..." He sighed as I passed him back the machine, the receipt being printed out for me as I put everything away. "Sometimes I wonder what happened to them"

"I don't blame you, mate" What? I'd wonder...though I'm presuming they went to another place or this guy is just delusional...I'm gonna take Delusional but come on, might as well see what I can do for him...right? "Either way...take care mate. If I see you again-"

"I hear it all the time, young'en. They'll see me again, they'll catch me down the road. Etcetera. I've heard them all at this point"He turned away, sighing...and then something caught me out.

The sound of an engine being revved. I blinked, the cashier turning to the window and looking out alongside me, a worried look ruffling that brow of his. I looked out as well, seeing something I was...honestly terrified about seeing.

A dark figure, sat on top of my bike, holding the handle bars and revving the crap out of it. I couldn't see too much of him...he was short regardless, not even tall enough to have his feet on the pedals.

"Son of a-" I shouted, running out of the store with the things I had bought in my pockets, swinging the door open. The figure looking over at me and jumping off before sprinting away. "YOU BETTER RUN!" I yelled, getting over to my bike as he disappeared into the mists. I didn't get any look at him...but he looked...short...like a child...and...stick thin if that makes sense. I could almost swear I heard 2 bells.

"Kids" ...what? I'm 22, I'm allowed to complain about kids. Still...I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. That...kid just tried to steal my bike...I guess the most I can real do is get out of here. Well, at least he got it started for me. I nervously chuckled to myself, putting my helmet on and getting on the bike, waving to the cashier before riding off once more into the darkness.

It was around half an hour later when it happened.

The Woods closed around me, the soldiers of timber coming ever closer, their branches ready to grab me and throw me to the wolves. The Paved road and lights that had been a comfort to me up till this point gave way to dirt trails and darkness. The most I could rely on was moonlight through the fog, and then it wasn't very good. The only bastion of hope within this world of confusion was the light on my bike, guiding me along as I went along.

I really should have stopped...I really should...I should have found a place to settle down and camp up for the night, despite not having any kind of tent. It'd have been the better choice. I was never the wisest person in the world.

It wasn't long until it happened. First thing I saw was a pair of lights in the distance, one yellow, the other purple. They seemed to be signalling some form of life. And given how bright they are, I know it has to be trying to get my attention. Is it a car? A camper? What?

Next thing I knew I was riding by a tree...when a Branch swung out, hitting my chest square.

I wasn't lucky...I lost my grip, my legs catching on the bike and keeping my stuck on as it slide onto it's side, trapping me under it as we crashed to the ground together. It kept slide, I on the other hand didn't. My leg got free, and I flipped over twice...then slammed my back into a tree, narrowing missing being impaled by a branch...and as Darkness overtook my vision, through the cracked visor of my helmet, I saw one thing.

A mask...Ornate...and spiky...with glowing Orange eyes...that pierced the darkness...