The Cursed in the Middle of the Forest

Now it’s your turn.

Your hunger for flesh goaded you. Lust devoured you. I was once like you. A very long time ago. Hunting. That was my living.

I came across this forest. One hut standing in the middle of it. It took me until nightfall to slaughter that wild boar. There, a single lamp shining through the window. I dragged the wild boar and set it beside a locust tree, as curiosity had consumed me.

She sang a lovely hum, the lady in a silky white gown. Her curve accentuated. Even the voice, I should say, was amorous. Lechery made me throbbed. I couldn’t control the demon in me.

I knocked on the door and it slowly creaked in. A comely smile welcomed me.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” she said.

I didn’t move to enter. I pondered how in the world she’d been waiting for me when it was only the first time we met.

“Come inside.” Her tone seemed inviting me to bed.

She turned around and walked gracefully. Her skin was pale as moonlight. I stared at her bottom, covered with her dangling blonde hair. I imagined thrusting behind her, savoring the pleasure.

“I know you’re hungry,” she said.

I thought, hungry for what? “You’re alone here,” I said.

She smiled alluringly. “We are alone.”

We ate and talked too little.

“Come with me to bed,” she said after the meal.

It took my breath away.

She moved to the small room and stopped by the door. The silky gown slid down against the smoothness of her skin. The lamp struck half of her naked body. I completely forgot the word ‘resist’.

We were naked on the bed. She was pumping over me, my hands kneading every bulge of hers. We moaned simultaneously. The firmament was ours.

Then, I woke up from a deep sleep. I rolled over onto the bed and found out she had left me. I stood up and pushed the door open a little. The air smelled of burning leaves. I looked through the gap. There she was, wearing a headscarf, sitting at the table with betel nut and smoke on a black bowl.

“How’s your sleep?” it was a feeble voice of an old woman.

I slowly walked over to her. A wrinkled face grinned at me.

“Who are you?” I said.

She laughed raucously.

I hastened around the house to search for the beautiful lady I had made love with. No one was there beside me and the old lady.

The old lady kept on laughing, a laugh that ridiculed me for what I had done. It echoed around the hut. Relentlessly.

I gazed through the window, out to the forest. I rushed to the door and yanked it open. There was darkness, not even a shadow. I got back in and headed to the window. Forest. How did it happen? I never knew. I jumped out of the window. Darkness. I was free-falling in an endless Stygian expanse for a moment and crashed in the same bed I had been with her.

The old woman’s laugh eventually diminished, yet she was there sitting by the table.

“You are cursed,” she declared and laughed again, endlessly.

It happened over and over again.

There had been many people, most of them are like me, a hunter, who passed by. I’d seen them through that window. But, it’s only you who bravely come in and make love to her.

Now, I can laugh like her.

By the way, before I leave, do you mind telling me what year it is?

Thank you. So she has imprisoned me here for almost half a century.

Farewell to you.