P1

It was not so many years ago when I came to this place and made my home among the hanging trees of the forest. I came here to find a peace that was lost within myself and it was the breeze and the smell of the air that drew me here and convinced me to stay. Now, with the smell of blood and fear in the air, I find I must go. Where my feet will take me now, I do not dare to ponder for the fear of not knowing may force me to stay within these walls and doing so will be the death of me, if death could come to those as damned as I.

I surely doubt they will miss my passing, in fact, I am sure they shall celebrate wholeheartedly for the beast that has tormented their souls is now gone and they may now live wonderfully simple lives and leave me to envy them. My travels are at night when the light of day can not be poisoned by the sight of my being, slithering down the path that brought me here so many years ago, hidden by the trees like the comforting arms of a psychotic mother.

P2

I woke one morning, finding myself staring into the eyes of one almost as twisted as I. The cat like eyes, the thin nose, the ever smirking mouth from which you expect the very smoke of hell to exude in spiraling curls of delight. It’s lips curled into a snarl showing the perfect teeth whose pearly white surface gleamed in the filtered sunlight yet sucked the very life from the air it touched. It said no words but it’s eyes told a story I feared yet longed to hear for it was my own and the thought of another even knowing those thoughts let alone living them out thrilled me, sent my blood racing and I too formed that demonic grin that almost separated my face into two parts, equally twisted.

I stood for it was the correct thing to do, I stepped back because it was instinct that drove me, I drew a knife because I’m not dumb. It saw the gleam that bounced off the edge of the blade and it’s grin grew wider, colder. Those wisps of smoke I imagined were shards of ice and it’s eyes burned like vacant passages leading to a larger place where shadows play hopscotch with eyeballs and dead rats. My knees turned to slush and my body turned limp but right before I could fall into those lovely eyes of death, it was gone as quickly and quietly as it came with no hint of what path it took let alone how to bring it back.I simply shrugged, put the knife away and pondered what to kill for lunch for it was about that time of day and besides, by the time I found something it would most likely be time for evening meal.

P3

I was luckier than I had expected for dinner came early this night in the form of a rabbit who most likely spent it’s days playing in the sun, feeding on clover, looking at the world through it’s big brown eyes and bubbly attitude, that is, until one of my arrows pierced through it’s chest and caused blood to gurgle from between it’s lips in thick sputtering bubbles.

I hung it upside down from a tree and cut the fur from around it’s legs then made another cut down one leg across the crotch and up the other. From there it was like pulling off wet clothes after a nice dip in a lake and it even had that wet sucking sound when I finally pulled it off of it’s head. The next step was to finish the whole cleaning process which I did by starting at the head then made a nice cut down it’s belly to remove all the wonderful things that were keeping it alive and happy. Internal organs are so passé when your dead and roasting over an open flame, at least, that is what I have always found.

One open fire, two meals and one call of nature later Mr. Rabbit was now well on his way to become grass for his fellow hoppers to enjoy. I, on the other hand, continued on my walk and only thought of him when I burped up the pepper of which I used too much. I have pondered many times on the subject of how to become one with the wind. Who knew the only thing I had to do was be born a rabbit.

P4

I soon came upon a castle of well known fame whose courts were filled with song and dance, colors that danced in the passing light and smiles as fake as the hourglass figures that gave them. Hollow laughter came from the depths of it’s halls and echoed like the cries of desperate beasts trying with all their might to escape from the walls that imprison them. I thought of fire licking at the tapestries and crawling along the walls like a thief in the night whose only goal is to save the tortured creatures within and I could not help but smile, could not help but day dream of the yellow and orange savior, but, alas, no light, only the dark of empty, living bodies.

I hurried past and soon came to a small town that had built itself near the walls of the castle for no other reason than protection but the seedling that falls too close to the tree soon dies for the lack of sun. It was wilted, lifeless and unable in so many ways to fend for itself and because of this it reeked of death. As much as this lovely smell lured me I knew I had to move on, go on to the next place for this already had the gift I had to give. No need to ruin an already good thing.

P5

It was on a moonlit night that I came to the outskirts of a small trading town whose hustle and bustle was still alive with the smells of food and the sounds of busy merchants bargaining over spice, silk and dried meats carried from across the sea. I was met at the gates by five guards who eyed my lack of goods as if I were a threat so to qualm their fears I simply smiled and stated that I was a traveler from afar, brought to these lands by tales of interesting trade and purchases that could only be made in a city of such fine culture. Maybe it was my winning smile, how confidently I carried myself or even the gold I put in their pockets, but, either way, I was let into the city and told not to let my face be seen by the light of day or my eyes land upon the sight of their daughters for they would rip me apart and put me on the four corners of the city. I thanked them for their warm greeting and made my way through the streets making a mental note to make sure all of their children would see the face of god before my job here was done.

My first concern was lodging and though I would be just as happy sleeping in the alleys the thought of waking with a guards sword to my throat was not appealing, at least, not right now. Signs outside of various buildings told me what I could find inside such as clothing, armor and one gold piece worth of love. At the center of this mass of commerce I found my destination in the form of a bar that doubled as an inn. As I walked through it’s doors I was greeted by loud shouts and the smell of sweat and ale but from the looks of the establishment there wasn’t much difference between the two.

I bypassed the tables and made my way to the bar in hopes that whomever was the owner of this place would have lodgings left for me to use. I was greeted by an amazingly clean gentleman whose garb was in good taste and kept clean by a leather bib like one used by a blacksmith. He offered me a generous smile and inquired how he could help me. I informed him of my need and with a simple nod and an open palm he informed me that for five gold I could have a room with complementary breakfast for one months time. I handed him ten and simply said, "Two" and he agreed. He raised his fingers to his lips and with a sharp whistle a lad of no more than ten summers came running to my side and took me by the hand, leading me up the stairs and down a hall where we finally stopped in front of a large door. It was then that he pulled from his pocket a large iron key to open the door revealing a single room with a bed, wash sink and table. From the boy I took the key and palmed him a gold piece at which he grinned widely, bowed and quickly made his way back down to the bar below.

The few things I had I placed in the room before locking the door and going down to the bar. In the short time that I had been busy upstairs most of the clientele had left for the night and left the keep to clean up after them. The lad who had shown me to my room perked up as he saw me come down the stairs. He ran to me and offered me a table and a bite to eat. I could not help but smile at his enthusiasm and so I accepted his offer and took a seat at the nearest table to myself.

He darted behind the bar and soon returned with a large round of bread and a small flask of what seemed to be the house ale, not the slop whose smell, at the door, had greeted me. With that I tipped him one more gold piece and sent him on his way so I could enjoy the small treat set before me.

Though most of the bar was left to for my own personal use there was one other who still lingered in the corner far from the light given by the fire that lit the heart of the room in a soft orange glow. It was contained in a dark shawl that mostly covered it from head to toe. It was only its light eyes that pierced the darkness and searched the room for unknown things. It was dark mystery that drew me but for now I knew my best bet was to continue with my meal and leave it to fate to bring us together as friend or foe.