０１．

夢

叶

    A thick blanket of fog hugs the air and ground around you; thin enough to see a few meters ahead, but somehow you can't help but feel a sense of exigency. While you can't see a vessel of immediate threat, you can feel something stalking your every move, something malevolent, something malice.

    “Who are you?” Your voice echoes across, nothing but a low hum seems to respond. With a step forward, you hear the soft crunch of the dry leaves beneath your weight. Its volume echoes uncomfortably, causing a stir of anxiety within you, “What- Where am I?”

    With each step forward, the haze lifts slightly allowing you to make out your surroundings. You stand in a lush forest painted red and orange by the season; with the chill air confirming that it was a fall evening. The haze faintly rises, thinning out and you walk from what is assumed the innermost part of the forest.

    The lingering gaze remains, not faltering even as you move further out into the forest. The malice grows and causes a shudder through your body; a feeling of envy, anger, and greed drowns your nerves.

    “Who are you?” The words echo further as you speak with more volume and conviction. That false sense of courage, now shattered as soon as an amalgamation of what were the tree’s shadows gathered to reveal a horrendous looking monster. Its steps were heavy, as it slowly approached you, the air now thick with hostility, like a muggy feeling clinging to your skin. The malicious aura pressing down on your chest. “Wh-What the hell?!”

‘Don’t be afraid.’

    As if they were a spell, those words cast a feeling of relief over your body, alleviating the pressure that was once there. Instead it felt like you were submerged in water, movement slow as the monster paused in its steps. It nearly felt like the world in itself stopped, and a warmth began to pool in your body.

‘They can only sense your fear.’

        The voice gets softer as what felt like its influence became weaker. Your body grows lighter as the world begins to move again; the monster’s breath now made apparent to you as the fear that deafened your senses had been lifted. True to the voice’s word, the monster stood firm in its spot and looked as if it didn’t know where to proceed. Even with a step back and onto a small pile of dried leaves, the monster showed no indication of awareness.

‘Do you want me to help you?’

        “Who are you?” Skeptical of the voice’s intentions, you speak up while still eyeing the creature in front of you.

‘I can make it go away, but not like this.’

    “How do I know you won’t just harm me too?” The monster made its first move, blindly walking around the area with its malice leaking and creating pressure once again.

‘Because I already helped you once.’

    There was no arguing the statement. The voice, though suspicious, had proven itself a vessel of safety in the least. Even if they may cause harm or ask for payment later, did you have much choice in the matter?

‘We can only help if you say it.’  

        Irritation bubbles within the pit of your stomach, and you make to bite back a snappy remark when the words echo in your head. You want to scoff at it, but you could feel the pressure building and the fear creeping up from within you.

        “Devour, o baku! Devour my dream!”