A Flicker of Fear

A Flicker of Fear

The night grows around me like a smothering fog as I walk down a path toward my home. Clouds wipe the sky of moonlight, starlight, and all hope of illumination for my way. My haste allows limbs to reach from inside that darkness to slap against my face as I rush toward home. In the absence of sight, it is all I can do to feel my way down the path from tree to tree, expecting, at any moment, a ghoulish apparition to launch itself upon me from beyond my narrow range of sight.

From the corner of an eye, I perceive a wiggle inside shadows as it juts from that darkness to grab my attention with fear, gushing into the back of my mind. My pace quickens until I stumble, then another limb breaks beyond the wall of shadows, speaking to me of a presence unknown, grinning at me from outside the reach of my eyes. Terror rises within my heart like a drum, thumping inside my ear. Then I see it, just inside the shadows, hidden by a branch with rustling leaves. A hideous, revolting form with no resemblance to humanity. It possesses only hunger, with cheeks spreading into a grin, dripping hideous delight.

I freeze in place, searching for a retreat, wanting to run, fearing any noise might divulge my direction and solicit its attack. I stop inside a spreading mist of silence and turn, but when I look again, it is gone.

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