Follow.

She shouldn't have followed him into the darkness, he was baiting her . She was conscious of that, but it didn't stop her. Nothing would. There was nothing to go back for. Her home, her friends and her family were strangers to her.

She remembered him, she was so young back then. He had been passing through, she had wandered into the forest after dark looking for her doll. He had taken her. Taken her to his world. Taught her how to survive on her own, but it wasn't for long. She missed her father and her sisters, he had seen that. He took her back. Back to her real home, but she wasn't the same anymore.

She came back and it was a like dream, but they were worried. She was different now, she had been gone for way too long, she was one of them now. Her friends were scared of her, her father was worried. She was spirited away… but those who were never came back.

It wasn't hard for her to figure out that they treated her differently. They didn't understand her, were scared of her. She didn't choose to be this way. He had taken her; she was one of them now.

.

He spoke to her softly, taking her away from the world she had always known. She never saw his face, just remembered his soft touches, his roughed whispered words, his broad shoulders sheltering her from the harsh cold.

But he hadn't taken her, she wanted him. Wanted him like she never wanted anything else before her. She had seen him many times before always on the outskirts of town. He always seemed to be so close but whenever she tried to approach him he had fled. What did she want with him? He was different, he wasn't human she had known. The way the air smelt of burning wood whenever he was near and although she had never seen his face she knew he was handsome.

She could almost see his flaming red hair, drawing her near. She wanted to touch it, feel him. Know that he was real. She wanted to see his face, feel his warmth, have him hold her as he did before.

She rushed, tripping on her long cloak back into the darkening forest. Shedding her coat, she ran feeling the blood rush, the cold air whipping her face. She could see his figure, he was returning to his home. She had to get to him. She had to see him, feel him once more.

When she grasped the back of his wooly coat, he turned and she jumped into his arms. His arms slacked a bit until they embraced her fully.

"Why did you leave me?"

He didn't answer but put her down. "I had taken you away, if you had stayed any longer you would never be able to come back to this realm."

"But I want you…" there was a moment of hesitation, "do you not want me any longer?"

He chuckled, "Children who become spirited away don't usually want to come back".

"I am not a child."She whispered harshly.

"No you are not..",he paused looking her up and down " How long was it ago since I last saw your face."

"Too long. I missed you".

"And I missed you" The air was getting cold, she could see the warm puffs of air as she tried to calm her nerves.

She stared at his clothed face, seeing his amber eyes through the mask. She put her hand on his clothed mask. "I want to see you."

"Do you not see me right now?" He questioned, putting his gloved hand on top of hers.

"I want to see your face", she said again.

"This is to protect you. If you gaze upon my face you will never remember your family nor that you were human".

She paused. She thought about her five sisters growing older and their family growing each year with the newest member. She thought about her parents whom after twenty years still flirted . She didn't want to miss anything, but it seemed that it was already too late. She was living in the past. Stuck in a time when she was fully human, not half spirit as she felt.

Time had changed her. He had changed her. And for better or for worse she was another person.

"I am not that girl anymore, and I never will be" she said, she didn't feel any sadness because she had accepted the truth.

He enveloped her within his broad arms. "Then it is time to come home".

She nodded, then gently pulled off his mask.

She stared at him. Stared at the man who was soon to be her lover.

Knew that he was her future. She was his a long time ago. He was waiting for her to come on her own.

And like a child she followed him into the darkness