Forest
SNAP! A twig breaks loudly under his heavy sole. His boots breaking roots, crushing leaves and smashing anything under foot. The forest is wild and dense, full of mystery and noise. Yet so was he.
A quiet rain falls on the man as he tramples his way through. It doesn’t disturb him, nothing can keep him from his mission. His breath is labored and unsteady. He vaults a fallen tree and a loud thud echoes as he lands upright. His eyes are hyper focused on his target.
The forest is full of life, sounds and smells. Wet leaves and petrichor fill the air around him. He continues, not allowing the scents to disrupt him. He is tracking his prey, he can’t let it get too far. In the distance he can smell perfume, the scent of Juniper Berries and Jasmine permeates everything. Obliterating the smell of the forest. It makes him sick.
He closes in on her, she’s running on fumes. He could go all night and he would. She trips over a turned over tree and screams in agony. Not only is she caught, she’s hurt and alone. These things mean nothing to him. He stands over her, those big boots slick with water, mud and muck from the forest. She cries and screams as loud as she can.
‘The forest can’t save you.’ He says, a sick smile creeps onto his lips. He laughs and slowly pulls out a knife. The girl clings to anything she can to get away from him. She’s thrashing left and right. She kicks and claws at the forest floor. He grabs her wrist and drags her to a clearing.
The moonlight illuminates their figures. The forest watches with much interest. The woman sobs and gives up, succumbing to her fate. The blade glows with an intensity as he moves it just inches from her face. She shakes and shivers, her beautiful hair dripping with debris.
The man brings the knife closer, she can feel its cool edge on her skin. The man’s eyes are dark, he looks possessed. In one swift movement he stabs her in the heart. The womans limbs drop and her breath leaves her body. The man stumbles back onto his feet and retrieves his knife.
‘I have more work to do.’ He whispers to himself as he returns to the dense, dark forest. Before long he disappears, leaving behind his latest victim. He kills for his home and all intruders will be sacrificed. The woods call to him to do their bidding. He obliges, carrying out the orders like a man with no soul. For this is his dwelling.