Kahlil just grinned, glancing to each around the fire. He dimmed the flame itself, darkened the woods around them through some subtle manipulation of the light. He raised a hand as he started his tale. A tree to the side wavered, creaking to and fro.
"A sound, faint, distant, but still heard."
He snapped a branch farther still from the camp.
"Something snapping, or being trampled on. The man sits in his room, reading. The room is silent except for the quiet fire burning."
Another tree creaked, closer.
".Just the the house settling, nothing more."
Another branch, snapped.
"Perhaps some small animals outdoors."
The wind picked up, billowing through the trees and causing the firelight to sputter and almost go out.
"Was that the wind? The man stands up and peeks out the window. A clear night is all he sees, the full moon brilliant in the sky. Laughing at his nervousness, he returns to his book."
Creak. "The man now silently chuckles at the sound."
Crack. "How could he have been scared of some sounds."
Again the breeze came through, rushing between all present.
"Must be breezy out tonight."
A dull thud sounded between the trees in the distance.
"…Did that come from within the house? The man stares into the fire, trying to calm his jangled nerves."
Another tree creaked. Another branch snapped. The wind continued to howl.
"…Will the sounds never cease?"
Another thump. Closer. Moving through the trees.
"Closer, he thinks, the sounds are getting closer. He shuts the book and closes his eyes, and thinks of something besides his wild imagination."
Something was there. Or was it? The sounds continued through the forest. The creak of a tree, as if something large had leaned against it like a child walking through rows of corn. The heavy footfall of something large. The snap of a branch under foot. The breeze, as if something large just out of sight had let out a breath. Then faster. Step by step, closer and closer.
"…a pause? The man moves quietly, slowly, towards the door with a nervous gait."
Another thump. This one purposeful. In the distance, still in the darkness. Directly behind where Kahlil was sitting.
"…a step back…"
Another dull thud.
"…yes, it's getting closer. "
Thud.
"…he stares at the door, trying to somehow see through it…"
Thump. Whatever it was, now seeming to stand just in the edge of the firelight.
"…he reaches slowly for the doorknob, hand shaking, no longer able to take not knowing…"
A tree just beside the darkness shifts and creeks. Was that a shadow on it's bark, or a claw?
", a loose floorboard, near the door outside…"
Another step. Where was it? Was it just hidden behind Kahlil?
"He slowly opens the door…"
A great shadow formed behind Kahlil. Red eyes burning in it's skull as it charged forth. And
screamed. An inhuman shrill as the shadow swept over the gathering like a wave, disappearing as soon as it came. The Jedi nodded slowly as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"Silence."
BB-610
|
Valery Noble
| Sayuri Hatoko |
Silas Westgard
|
Jasper Kai'el
| Kuzon Lu’ten |
Thelma Goth