In the dark of night

In the darkness of the forest with only the moon illuminating the clearing from the prying eyes of the shadows I stared longingly at the stone coffin, her body encapsulated within the marble statue that stood over her grave. Her body and her face were so life like; each curve had been almost made to measure.

I clambered atop of the coffin only to be near to her, I ran my fingers gently over her beautiful face and closed my eyes as I pictured in my mind her sweet seductive smile each time I did so when she was alive. Despite keeping them closed my eye lids could no longer contain the tears that I wept as I mourned my loss and was forced to open them once again. I did not bother wiping them away, I left them to run down my cheeks as my dry skin absorbed them with hesitant pleasure, I knew it would only make matters worse as the salt would dry them even further but I no longer cared, she was gone and life had become pointless.

I fell to my knees before her marble likeness my hand clasping hers so cold and unfeeling, I would look up and she would return her gaze to me with nothing more than a lifeless smile.

So drawn I was to her statue I did not realize the silence that had overcome the clearing until there was no sound at all, not a birds twitter nor a night creature rustling through the undergrowth… Nothing.

What little warmth that was here had left me and replaced by a sudden chill in the air, and my surroundings had all of a sudden become eerie and frightful. Out of sheer paranoia I shot a curious glance towards the shadows of the forest to my right, I watched the darkness within the trees, I watched it as if there was something there, I could feel a foreboding presence watching me back.

I dared not relent my gaze for what might happen if I did, something or someone had within them enough fear to freeze the very hearts of the creatures who resided in this forest and therefore I had to be cautious, I had to be stealthy.

I stayed upon my love's stone coffin, her marble statue looking over me as I slowly moved my left hand around my side and grasped the hilt of my sword that rested there. With as much silence as possible I softly drew the blade from its scabbard and kept it there ready, ready for whatever it was that loomed in the darkness threatening my very soul.

I visualized in my mind the path that I had taken to get here, I took in every detail of each root and branch that might in anyway hinder my escape if I manage to get that far.

This darkness was no place too be for such a mind as mine, already weak from the loss of my beloved it would take very little for me to see things that are not there… but surely the silence! The utter silence must count for something… there is something there I am sure of it, it taunts me, it's trying to drive me mad with paranoia… what ever it is it will not win, it will not take me.

With cat like grace I slid… neigh slithered off the stone coffin my eyes not averting from the darkness that I watched so vigorously, I see you there hiding I know that you are there, near me and you shall taste the tip of my sword.

Once I had sure footing below I began to walk side wards towards the path that I entered the opening from one leg crossing the other my sword held before me as threatening as one could towards an invisible enemy.

I dared not speak aloud for it to only break the silence and mask any clue that might be heard. My footsteps were harsh enough as my black boots pushed through the long grass, each stride making the slightest hissing sounds as they swept along the blades then the crumbling sounds of crushed leaves under each step that I took.

I glanced in the corner of my eye the silhouette in the moonlight, each step that I took dragged me further away from her, the one place that I longed to be. I could not help glance at her one more time, my last look at beauty before fate had its way with me.

A sudden crack of a broken branch echoed from the silence of the dark shadows which shot my gaze back towards it, it felt as if a lifetime had passed in that very second it lasted, but it was long enough for my thoughts to propel me towards my exit as fast as my feet could carry me.

I hesitate to say the same could be said for what ever it was that taunted me from within the darkness as it gave chase, with the map in my mind to guide me the noise of my running was like a whisper along the path, giving me ample advantage over the desperate actions of my follower as it failed to miss the awkward branches and roots that plagued any unprepared traveler of the path.

It took me less than a minute to reach the other side of the trees and into the open landscape of the gardens of my family's estate; i leapt over the short bramble bushes that followed the long path that lead all the way up to the mansion, the sound of my running along the gravel would have masked any other noise that followed.

I dared not look back I dared not look into the darkness for what I feared to be there lurking. I have faith in my sword and its sharp edges yet I have none for what it may strike from within the shadows, if it is what I think it is then I shall need a bigger sword to slay it.

The short cut grass of the lawns drew a darker shade of blue as the moon illuminated each strand in its presence. The cold night air pierced my cheeks as I drew closer towards the doors of my home, despite the fear that ran through my veins my heart filled with hope as I thought of the safety of my sanctum.

Yet I was glad that the fear held on, I was glad that the fear pushed me to run so fast as the sound of a two beat stride like that of a four legged creature would make began to catch up with me, my eyes began to water from the cold air made worse by the dread that followed by the unkown of my future, every grim thought flowing through my mind pressing me to run faster.

It drew nearer still as I could hear its breath panting with ferocity, the grittiness of each breath was filled with savagery that only me in mind and nothing else.

I eyed the doorway of the servants quarters, it would have too do I doubt I could out last my predator in this race. The doorway was small and the corridor beyond it was narrow enough to only fit two persons side by side in a squeeze.

I cleared my mind and pictured my path, I have been in and out that door many a time before, I know each lock and bolt upon its reverse. With my senses now keener from all the adrenalin flowing through my body I was sure that I could open and close that door in one swift movement.

My thoughts were quickly interrupted by a sudden growl from behind me, by any guess it told me I had mere seconds before I was to be leapt upon, it too must have worked out my plan and was not about to let me succeed but it was too late.

I threw out my free hand towards the handle and pressed down on it, its well oiled locks opened without hesitation and the door opened as if a bolt of lighting was behind it pushing. I threw my sword to the ground as I threw my self against the wall whilst still holding on to the door handle, giving me enough leverage to swing around behind the door and slam it shut drawing my hand away from the handle at the very last second, enough time to swing it at the black heavy bolt that sat at the middle of the door and with a virile strike slammed it across.

The speed at which I did this in left me with no balance at all and consequently left me falling backwards onto the hardwood floor, its polished surface left me to slide along it a few feet before I came to a stop next to my sword. I glanced at it and with the sound of a claw tearing along the outside of the door I instinctly threw my hand for the blade and held it up pointing at the door with it still sitting on the floor.

It shook in my grip the light of the nearby candles reflected off its clear polished blade as its reflections danced along the walls around me, everything had gone silent once more nothing moved nothing breathed, I even had my own breath held as my ears scanned the silence for anything.

As the safety of my surroundings grew I slowly let out my breath, if I held it in any longer my heart would burst, I drew a sigh of relief along with it. I braved to think that I was safe for now, my body beginning to shake uncontrollably as the adrenalin had nowhere to go, but there was enough left for me to swing my sword once more as the door to my left suddenly swung open and one of the maids standing there before the tip of my sword in her night gown, a candle in her hand and a shrill scream from her lungs at the sight of my threatening posture.

The sound quickly brought me to my senses as I lowered the sword in sympathy to the situation, only for me to leap up onto my knees then to my feet with my sword pointing at the next door as it flew open to reveal one of the man servants wielding a poker from the fire in his hands.

"Come any closer and I will have you on the end of this ere poker!" he cried out in defiance, the dim light of the corridor left me unknown to him until his eyes began to adjust to the candlelight. Once he caught site that it was I who was causing all the noise his formalities quickly changed back to that of my loyal servant and begged that I tell him why I was standing there at such a late hour waving my sword about.

I made short of the situation and asked that they forgive my intrusion and asked them to return to their beds as I sheathed my sword and walked away. It was neither the time nor place for me to begin blathering about something chasing me. I had to make sense of it all to myself first before I could explain it to any other.

I made my way along the corridors of the servant's quarters into the main hall, my eyes darting this way and that looking for anything out of place. Something hunted me this night and I was not about to let it win.

The rooms were dark, void of any candlelight and the moon lit the grounds outside giving me the advantage of secrecy as I glanced out of each window that I passed. I continued upwards to my own room and sat in the chair by my window for hrs on end, nothing moved but the tops of the trees in the wind.

I must have fallen asleep at some point during my vigil as I awoke to face the bright sun of the morning with bleary eyes; I drew my arm up in their defense which urged Goodchild my personal servant to bid me good morning

"Quite an eventful night you have had master Ebetree, you seemed to have influenced the morning gossip as a devil eyed madman… I put a stop to it of course but still it leaves something to speculate"

I saw no point in trying to evade the question, I have know Goodchild since I was an infant and had become more of a friend than a servant to me, I tried to explain to him the nights events my visit to my darling Araline's grave and the events afterwards.

He humored me but alas with no proof of such things, persuading the narrow minded is a futile endeavor. He opted to telling me that whoever killed Araline was still at large and that my father explicitly told me that I was not to venture out of the house with out company, and especially not to go out at night.

I laughed it off, partly in madness as the watch made their futile efforts to find her killer, it has been a month since her death and I still insist it was no man that left those marks on her. I returned my gaze to the window as I decided to ignore Goodchild's advice, her killer was still out there and I would not rest until I find out the truth.

It was only moment after my servant left to fetch me my breakfast when my dear father came crashing through my door jolting my heart to skip a beat and then run like it did last night.

He bellowed his maddening rant at me, his usual why I am so foolish and how I am the only heir to his estate since my mother passed away before producing him any more children. I stormed out giving him a glance of vile hatred as soon as he mentioned that Araline was now also dead before bearing me any sons!

I hoped that his silence afterwards was of contemplation for what he had said; I hoped he still had enough of a heart to realize when he oversteps the mark.

I made my way outside to the patio that overlooked the gardens, it was a beautiful day and I needed the fresh air, I sat by the table nearest the edge away from the house and I stared towards the forest beyond. A thousand thoughts ran through my mind as to what I was to do next, I only paused my thinking for a moment when Goodchild arrived with my breakfast then went to stand a few feet away from me as I proceeded to scoff it down like a pig as I continued to think.

As I looked around the gardens and the trees beyond it I caught glance of the servant's door that I had ventured through last night. All of a sudden as my eyes focused I stopped and stared, the cutlery dropped from my hands onto the plate bellow making a sharp noise as they hit. I pushed the seat away from underneath me as I jolted to my feet and began pacing towards the door, white marks across its painted face drew my attention and at a closer glance my eyes grew wider still when the white marks turned out to be large claw marks that had managed to dig themselves into the very wood itself.

I swallowed what remained of the food in my mouth as I gazed at the size of the marks, and pointed them out to Goodwin who had followed me like the obedient servant that he was

"Those are to big a claw mark for any animal I know of Goodwin! What do you say to that?" I sometimes regret having such a grounded manservant as he pointed out how correct I was and it looked more like the markings made by someone swinging a garden fork or something similar. I shook my head in disappointment as he continued to point out that this "Mad man" could well be still around and might have tried to attack me last night.

He rushed off towards my father who had remained indoors with the intension of recommending that he send for the watch with this new evidence that the killer was still nearby.

I ran my fingers across the marks taking in each grove that it had made. This was no fork, this was a work of some oversized beast and only I knew of it… a tear ran down my cheek as my final though on the matter came to that my Araline was the only other one who knew.

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