Night Walk

Unable to fall asleep due to a sense of unease, I decide to slip from my warm bed and back into my street clothes to go for a late-night walk and clear my head. Breathing deeply of the cool, damp air, I head off in the general direction of the slumbering village’s garden.

The swirling fog amplifies the sound of my boot heels striking the cobblestones as I walk. The familiar path, cloaked in mystery, becomes a winding labyrinth. The air hangs heavy with the scent of damp earth and blooming night flowers, a heady perfume that both calms and excites me.

I can’t help but feel a sense of anticipation, a thrill of the unknown as I draw nearer to the heart of the garden. I wonder what awaits me when I reach my final destination. The fog whispers its secrets to me, quietly teasing me with glimpses of shadows barely out of my reach. I quicken my steps, drawn deeper into the swirling embrace of the misty night.

An angelic voice singing a pure melody pulled me swiftly through the final archway. There, I beheld the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Her back was to me. Dressed in a white gown and holding a wine-colored shawl about her shoulders, this angelic creature was performing for the roses in the garden.

I crept closer to her. Perhaps sensing my approach, she started to turn. But I was already upon her, my stiletto at the ready. As she faced me, I whispered, "Good night, my lady. I am Jack."