The Cloaked Figure

The sun’s smiling rays spread across a vast field, touching the skin of a young girl resting beneath a willow tree, it’s roots sinking deep into water. Her heavy eyelids began to close as she drifted off to sleep. Dark brown hair spilled across her shoulders in a tangled mess, her breathing beginning to deepen.

Something stirred amongst the reeds growing in the water nearby. Whispers began to erupt. Eeriness ran through the undergrowth. The soft breeze growing cold as grey clouds rolled by, covering the sun like blankets. Aspen shot up, her piercing sky blue eyes searching. Everything was dead silent. Shivering she got up, noticing the change in weather. Goosebumps forming along her skin. “Strange” she muttered. The whispers started again, this time muffled. The sounds caused chills to run through her. Stepping towards a dense group of trees, she noticed something placed upon a rock surrounded by reeds. Curiosity pulled at her. Pushing aside the uncanny sensation of being watched, she moved towards it. “A book?” She thought “Where did this come from?” Its leathered surface was black as midnight, smooth with a complex pattern swirling along its surface. Picking it up, she flicked through pages of intricate drawings. Measurements and detailed notes on precious stones went from page to page. One of the sketches tugged at her attention, it’s colours holding her in awe. Underneath it scrawled the words “colour changing”. She reached out, stroking the page.

Aspen was so absorbed by the notebook she didn’t notice something snaking through the water. Vines and roots shot out curling around her ankles. Shrieking, she fell backwards, the book flying, landing amongst bulrushes, disappearing from sight. Ice cold water hit her skin, darkness surrounded her as she went under. Struggling, she kicked out in fury trying to loosen the roots, but they only grew tighter pulling her down faster. Panic was flooding her veins making it harder to breathe. The above world fading away as she was pulled to the depths.

A dim light shone below. Aspen’s lungs burned. The glow growing stronger. Fear radiated inside her as thoughts of confusion raced through her mind. The light pulled her in, dropping her into an empty abyss. The roots let go vanishing back to the surface. Gasping aloud she finds air. Her eyes wide with fear. Wind rushes past her face and through her sodden hair. Falling through emptiness she plunged into a dark cavern below. SPLASH! murky waters surround her once again. Submerged below she fought for the surface, coughing she climbed to her knees in the shallows and crawled onto a wet surface. Weeping with joy at the chance to taste the sweet air she so desperately longed for just moments before. The cave was dim, lit with luminous amber rocks.

Struggling to her feet, knees shaking she lifted her head to see where she had fallen from. The mouth of the cave was six meters above her, streams of blue light flowed around a black hole, like a barrier stopping water from pouring through. Frowning she muttered “This can‘t be real.” “Oh but it is” a masculine voice echoed out. Startled Aspen tripped over a loose stone, causing her to fall on her backside. Grunting, she shuffled backwards in fright. A squeak peeped from her pale lips as the silhouette of a tall figure cast over her. “You’ve been chosen” a booming voice let out. Causing the water surrounding her to ripple. “Ch..chosen?” Aspen stuttered, for what? The figure loomed closer. Unease flittered through her stomach. “That book was not meant for just anyone to open,” the shadow called out ignoring her question. Tingles ran through her spine as she recalled the peculiar notebook. The figure was now one meter away, a hooded cloak hiding his features. “If you were anyone else that book would have eaten your fingers.” “Eaten my fingers!” She exclaimed, “that’s impossible.” Still wary, she stood to face the mysterious man. “Impossible as all this?” He asked, gesturing around him. Aspen abruptly spoke, remembering what he said before. “If I’m chosen, why on earth was I dragged by my feet, nearly drowned and dropped like a rat into some den?” The man chuckled softly. Continuing to ignore her words he pulled a deep purple marble from his cloak. Not a marble, Aspen realised, a gem. Gasping in realisation ”that’s the one I saw!” She exclaimed, It’s polished facets now gleaming in the faint light. Intently admiring the stone in his grasp he began to speak. “To you humans it would be worth great value, perhaps a small fortune, say… twenty thousand dollars.” His eyes sparkled as he delicately placed the alexandrite into her cupped hands. Aspens eyes grew as she stared at her palms. “Use it wisely” he told her. Aspen looked up in puzzlement, but before she could question him, he had whipped something from his side and was blowing it into her face, white particles surrounded her. Scrunching up her nose, she unconsciously slipped the stone into her back pocket. Discombobulated, she frowned as her mind fogged over. Tiredness washed her from reality. Fingers dug into her shoulders as hands pushed her backwards. The world tipping, the roof spun to fall beneath her. She fell through the gap that was once above, causing her to be engulfed by the cold murky water once again.

Aspen yawned wide as her eyelids fluttered open. Her body warm from the sun. Branches of the willow swaying in the soft breeze. Stretching her arms out wide, frowning as she noticed an uncomfortable bump residing in the back pocket of her shorts. Disconcerted she reached in and pulled out something smooth. Deep blue and violet colours danced along its cut surface. “How…” she began, then paused. Memories flashed through her mind. She inhaled sharply, shuffling back from the water she jumped up to run, stuffing the stone deep into her pocket whilst making an oath, to never return.

A dark shape emerged from the undergrowth, watching as she fled. Sinister silence surrounded him as he disappeared back into the thicket.