A paranormal offering this week :) ‘Tis the season, I guess.
(Archives are on the website, if you want to read the offerings of past weeks)
——————————-
The Wild Hunt
(c) 2008 by Maura Anderson
The blustering wind blew painful needles of freezing rain against her almost numb cheeks. Arms wrapped around her knees, she ducked her head and huddled under the scant cover offered by the violently moving trees above her. The forest’s huge hemlocks and firs shook and swayed in the storm that had appeared out of nowhere, loud groans and cracks accompanying every gust.
She couldn’t stop shivering. Her plan for a soul-clearing midwinter hike in the old forest hadn’t equipped her to cope with the severity of this sudden storm. The distinctive smell of imminent snow grew stronger and a sense of dread made her stomach clench in fear. She wasn’t carrying the right gear for a night in the snow and it was a long hike out from here in woods she wasn’t familiar with.
Another gust shook the trees and she looked up to see the rain now mixed with small flakes of snow. Even the air seemed to be heavy and colder than just a few minutes ago and the trees were eerily shadowed by the storm’s darkness.
Did she stay here and try to wait out the weather? The weather forecast before she left had been clear so surely it couldn’t be a large weather system and may pass quickly. But there was no way to know for sure.
Did she try to get out? The visibility wasn’t good and would only get worse along with the weather. This wasn’t an area she was familiar with and she wasn’t on a groomed trail.
Much as she didn’t like it, the choice was obvious. The sour taste of dread mixed with resignation made her swallow convulsively. There wasn’t anything else to do and she wasn’t a quitter, dammit.
Mind made up, she turned her back to the worst of the freezing rain and tugged off her small pack. She pulled out the survival blanket she always carried and one of the protein bars stashed in the pocket. After unfolding the thin silver blanket, she settled against the craggy bark of the huge tree she sheltered under. Once wrapped in the blanket, she slowly ate the protein bar and sipped from the CamelBak built into her pack. Not too much, just enough to get what passed for food down. She’d need that water later.
Gradually warmed by the foil blanket, she tugged her wool cap over her ears and watched the snow grow heavier as if she were looking into another world. It felt like another world, really. Even the normally peaceful energy of the deep woods was different. A sense of waiting, of anticipation, almost a sense of dread kept her on edge.
Maybe she could get a little rest at least. Jennifer settled herself a little more comfortably and made sure the blanket was firmly tucked around her then closed her eyes. Despite the situation, her eyes slowly closed and she dozed off.
*****
Jennifer jerked upright, heart pounding. What the hell?
She stared into the white world surrounding her. What woke her up like that? The snow had stopped but she could just see the layer of fluffy white on the trees and scattered on the ground the trees hadn’t protected. Night had fallen but the full moon pierced the remaining clouds to give some visibility. It looked beautiful but it was waiting for something.
She realized there was no sound. No animals, no birds, nothing. Something was very wrong.
Whoooooooooo
The sound cut through the tense air. Jennifer cringed back against the huge tree. No animal made that sound.
Whoooooooooo
Closer this time. It was louder and send a jolt of fear through her. Maybe she should try to leave now. It was night but the moon’s light would help.
Before she could decide, she heard a howl. Then another. Wolves? There had been reports of wolves in these woods but they were rare and kept away from people. Wolves were her totems but she didn’t really want to meet one in the wild where she was at their mercy and might be their dinner. Or midnight snack in this case.
A quick prayer to the Goddess and she tried to calm down. The wolves wouldn’t care about her. The weird energy was only her imagination. She couldn’t even convince herself.
Breathe. Just breathe.
Eyes closed, she focused on calming herself. As soon as she was able to take a deep breath, she sighed and opened her eyes, only to see movement across the small clearing.
Three huge wolves, fur dusted with snow, ran into the clearing. A second later, a tall man in dark clothes followed them.
She tried not to move. Not to draw attention to herself. Her heart pounded so hard she was afraid they could hear it. She didn’t dare even take a deep breath for fear the crinkly survival blanket would give her away.
The wolves stopped in the clearing and proceeded to roll in the snow, yipping and nipping at each other. The man seemed to glide toward them, moving with a grace and quiet that seemed unearthly until he stood next to them.
“Come on, guys. Enough of the goofing off. I still need to feed now that you have.”
Even the man’s voice was compelling and eerie, despite his obvious amusement.
The wolves stood and shook themselves, snow flying off their fur and coating the man’s black pants. Then they seemed to shimmer in the moonlight, growing somehow indistinct. The shimmering ceased to reveal three naked men crouched in the snow.
Loading ...
Oh nice! So who is Mr. tall and dark?
Did our storm influence this?
by Jo October 4th, 2008 at 4:19 pmMr. Tall and Dark could also be called Fang Boy.
Hmm – maybe partly our storm but I’ve had an idea for a while on a different take on the Wild Hunt.
by Maura Anderson October 4th, 2008 at 4:24 pmI was right then.
Oh good, I love the wild hunt. I’ll be watching.
by Jo October 4th, 2008 at 4:29 pmAwesome and soooo atmospheric. I love the way you described the impending storm and the heaviness of the air. I definitely want more of this one!!
by Robin Snodgrass October 4th, 2008 at 4:39 pmThe wild hunt. I love it. Your descriptions are so fab. I am jealous of your flash fiction prowess.
by suzanne lazear October 4th, 2008 at 5:55 pmOk this read like an excerpt and I am ready for the rest of the story. So is this Herne the Hunter or another version of the Wild Hunt?
by Lindsey Ekland October 5th, 2008 at 12:42 amVery cool Maura. Very evocative. I could feel the cold, smell the snow, anticipate her dread and excitement. I’ve never read any shape shifter stuff, but you might just make a convert of me!
by Claire Thompson October 5th, 2008 at 3:32 amLove, Claire
Amazing as always! I sooo want to know what happens next!
by Amy October 5th, 2008 at 9:03 amMagnificent, as always. I’m looking forward to the rest of the story, LOL
by Melinda Barron October 5th, 2008 at 10:17 amMel
LOL – thanks Suzanne. I actually think the Friday Flash stories have helped me with the descriptions.
Lindsey – this is a mutant version based on the celtic mythology behind the Wild Hunt (I’m a mythology geek) but with a twist and a half. I have it on the list of stories to write but the list is huge so probably-someday-it will be a full story.
Thanks, Claire – maybe I’ll try to convert you! I write such a mix that I’m sorta hard to pin down.
Thanks Amy!
Thanks, Melinda!
by Maura Anderson October 5th, 2008 at 10:30 amMore,much more pleeeeeease!!!!
by Arlene Rosenberg October 5th, 2008 at 2:52 pmI like the buildup at the end dear. Very compelling!
by Sascha Illyvich October 24th, 2008 at 11:04 am