Playing Tag

Glowing red eyes stalked the child through the verdant forest. The brunette hummed a nursery rhyme, her wordless song breaking the odd silence that had fallen. Dressed entirely in green from her ballet shoes to her ruffled dress and even the ribbon in her hair, she blended into the surrounding woodlands. The tightly huddled trees overhead gave the aura of a winter’s twilight in the middle of the summer day. Hidden in the shadows he crouched and watched as she pirouetted around the obstacles in her path. He slunk after her, never allowing her out of sight.

The child, Ariana, swept through the trees. She inhaled the scents of the forest: the sweet scent of jasmine, the musky smell of unseen animals, the musty scent of the fungi and lichen, the freshness of the grass and bushes and leaves. She stopped humming and tilted her head to the side as a faint rustle reached her ears. She peered into the dense underbrush around her but only saw the wild growth of the native flora. Laughing, Ariana bounded away. The creature growled and leapt up towards the buoyant little girl. How dare she frolic in his woods. He gave chase.

Ariana’s face lit up. She glanced over her shoulder. She gave another shriek of laughter, accelerating her already breakneck pace. Light filtering through the canopy overhead glinted off leathery black wings. She spun around to face him with that toothy grin. He skidded to a stop, the full light of the sun hitting his black scales. She danced backwards. He reached for her with black talons and a snarl of negation. She laughed and took another step. She stumbled. She fell. His eyes widened in horror. His claws clutched empty air.

Ariana scrambled to her feet looking around in terror. She had broken free of the tree line. Nearby a crystal blue river gurgled. Children’s laughter pierced the valley. A glance back to the dark, foreboding forest revealed nothing.

“Hey! Get away from there!”

Ariana jumped at the loud voice and turned to the large man ambling towards her. She managed a half-step back before the man grabbed her arm. She tensed. He knelt in front of her.

“It’s not safe in the forest,” he said, his voice gentle. He slid his hand down her arm to clasp her hand. “You don’t look familiar, sweetheart. What’s your name?”

“Ariana.” She whispered, trembling.

“Hello, Ariana. My name is Matthew. I live right down there,” he said pointing to a small cottage in the distance. Ariana’s gaze followed his finger to the cozy home. Several adults clustered between the forest and the houses nearby. They clutched their children to them, staring at the little girl.

“Where are your parents?” Matthew asked.

Ariana peeked over her shoulder back towards the murky woods. Matthew stared over her head into the dark. He sighed.

“Come, child.” He rose to his feet, holding her hand. “Nothing human can live in that place. I will take care of you.”

“No,” Ariana cried, pulling back. She twisted away in desperation. Fat tears fell in streams.

Matthew picked her up and carried her towards the quaint home. Ariana wriggled in his arms reaching over his shoulder.

“Shh,” Matthew soothed. “It will be okay. I will take care of you. You aren’t the first to have lost your family in that netherworld.”

“No, please. Daddy! Daddy!” Ariana screamed.

“It is too late for your father, little one, but you will be safe with me. I will protect you.”

The demon watched from the darkness. He released a screech that sent the villagers scrambling towards their home. He raised a hand towards the edge of the shadows unable to rescue his daughter. “I will come for you,” He whispered. He bid the wind to carry his message to his child’s ears.