Chapter 1
“Catch up, Gabe!”
I cackled as the blurs of a thousand different shades of the verdant forest sped by– brambles catching on my tattered blue dress as they whipped my skin, drawing blood. The wind in my hair, my cloak tried to break free from my body. Flying–
“Slow down!” Gabriel called; his breath heavy as I led us deep into the dark of the wood.
Father had told us not to venture this far, but old Mamie Brooks said there were faeries and magic back here– that if we were quiet enough, we just might catch one. Maybe… Just maybe, they could bring Mama back to me.
“Brynn!! Wait up!”
He was further behind, his voice trailing off as I jumped through a part in the trees– A portal. A cave of enchantment hidden deep in the pines– the sun didn’t dare touch it through the canopy of dense trees. Inhaling a deep breath of growth– dirt, pollen, and sap in my nose–
“Brynn!”
“SHHH!” I hushed him– there were sparks in the air– ash on the breeze– magic… Faeries. Inside, I could see there were some streaks of sun attempting to bring life to the mangled ground– the roots of the trees tangled in a maze– a search for water, for light.
“Do you see one?!” Gabriel exclaimed in a hushed tone.
“Be quiet,” I warned. Pulling a small pouch from the belt tied loosely around my waist– I loosened the cinch. Inside, the sugar I had brought to lure the fae had been precious— it was all I could afford to steal, a luxury, a treat— something Father had worked all day to earn. It would be worth it— when he saw Mama again, he couldn’t possibly be angry.
Taking a pinch from the pile— I sprinkled the grains on the dead, twisted ground. Gabriel’s eyes lit up in the corner of my vision.
“Do you think they’ll come?” He whispered, stepping into me to lean into my ear— Mamie had said quiet, and she meant it— there were more than just faeries in this part of the forest.
“They have to.” Mama had been gone for a whole year now— she had been sacrificed, at least that’s what Father had said. All I knew was that she had been gone— a stone in the cemetery marking her place. Yesterday, Father and I visited her grave— today, I was going to ask the faeries to bring her back to me.
Eyes wide— scanning the void, the little amount of light breaking through was too dull to show much of anything. I settled back onto my heels as the soft chattering of birds came to silence in an instant— my heart stalling in my chest as a twig was snapped somewhere in front of me.
Gabriel grabbed onto my arm as he cowered into my spine.
Holding my breath, my chest popped out as I searched into nothing— not a shadow, a sound, or a heartbeat— just my own as it echoed in my ears. Frozen— I couldn’t move— counting the beats stopping my breath— thump, thump— thump, thump—thumpthump—thumpthumpthumpthump—
A crack— another branch breaking— Gabriel whimpered as two shining, green pebbles popped open at me in the darkness.
My leg stepping back— I caught sight of a black mass blocking a streak of light– smoke darkening as it swayed in front of me– hollow and solid– it oozed–
“Run–” I mumbled to Gabriel, but he didn’t move– taking another step back I stumbled over his feet, knocking him to the ground as he cried out– the emeralds dazzled my vision, and I couldn’t break free as the large fluid– feral– creature stalked–
Nudging Gabriel with my foot– staring down the predator– I begged him to go– to get out– as he clumsily pulled his feet underneath him and sprinted awkwardly for the break in the trees we had entered.
His breath was no longer in my ear, his cries quiet– I stood my ground for half a second– letting it witness my fear.
A screechy– twangy, gruffy growl left its body as it grew three sizes in front of me– my chin lifting as the green of its eyes rose into the sky.
Another step back– a mistake– as a gnarled root took my stance– sending me backward into the earth as it leaped for me. Screaming as it jumped, cold rotten breath in my nose, as it knelt into my face– pushing my head into the hard ground as my body tensed tightly, expecting it to crash into me–
Groaning into my senses, the air was thick and humid– my hair blew free from my face as it snorted– a mocking sound coming from its jowls– I blinked slowly. Magnificent swirls of green and gold– etched lines of black, breaking the colors of brilliant irises just inches from my own. The heavy blackness of the creature it belonged to blocked my exit. I couldn’t look away– the eyes pinned me where I had fallen– its body, not solid nor hollow– vapor– it clung to my lungs as I inhaled its mist–
“Get away from her!” Gabriel’s voice sounded from the opening in the trees as a rock flew past me– through it– and landed somewhere in front of us.
A chortle from hidden lips– the creature took a step back– fresh air bursting into my nose, freeing my mind and my body– I scrambled– pulling my legs under me as I took off running for the entrance, the daylight, Gabriel–
There were no footsteps behind me– no creaks, or growls– just pretty, green eyes watching me retreat from the dark, the stare digging holes into my back–
“GO!” I shouted at Gabriel as I broke into the open forest– sprinting– panting– terrified–
All the way home– as fast as we could– we ran.
***
Father didn’t believe me. What I had seen– didn’t exist. He couldn’t tell me how he knew– why Mama had to leave if it wasn’t to protect us. Father had never really told me anything– it was Gabriel that had told me that Mamie Brooks, his mama’s mama, had told him that Mama had saved us all from some guy named Famint. I had remembered it happening differently.
The day that Mama had left us, we had all gathered in town. Father had called it The Culling, but Mama had cried and somehow it had mixed me up even more.
Why would everyone get together to be sad?
Later on that day, Mama’s name had been called– and I clapped for her, she won– but Mama wasn’t happy– and Father just stared at his boots, his hand grabbing mine tightly, hurting my fingers. Mama had leaned into Father, whispered in his ear– before he scooped me up, letting Mama kiss my head before he carried me all the way back to the cottage. Mama had never come home. She lived in the cemetery now– under a rock.
The dreams that came to me, the first night after seeing the creature– were nightmares. Green flashes amongst heavy black fog– swallowing me whole as I screamed. Father shook me awake.
“This is why your mother had told me to keep her away from the forest a year ago– little girls don’t belong amongst the deep dark,” he mumbled as he rocked me. His movements were kind– his words harsh– I cried. Sobbed– begged him to make it go away, to close the eyes that haunted me, stalked me– awake and asleep.
For weeks they were stuck to my eyelids as the dreams slowly started changing. The mass of oozing black began to appear farther and farther away, all the while its eyes watching me– taunting me, almost asking for me to chase it– it walked like a wolf, crawling, its massive head drooped, but predatory– the hazy bulk of its body dripping all over as it leaked its dark energy. I couldn’t. I wouldn’t. Not even if it dragged me off itself.
Until I caught sight of the edge of the trees a month later– near mid-autumn, in the sinking sun, twin emeralds watched me in the window of the cottage. It backed off slowly– testing me, teasing me… Come, it spoke– it begged.
Entranced, I watched it– they wouldn’t disappear, just dots in the distance, but there–
Come.
One foot took one step.
And then another.
And another.
On.
And on.
Until face to face with the entrance to the darkest part of the forest, it stopped.
“BRYNN!”
One step in–
“BRYNN–”
The other foot rising to join–
Grabbed.
Gasping– arms tightened around me, shaking me from a spell–
“Brynn, what are you doing out here?!” My father cried at me, shaky.
“W-what?” My voice cracked.
“I said– what are you doing out here?” He pulled me back to look at me– his eyes full of terror, we were walking through the woods… As if they couldn’t leave me for long, the bright green orbs appeared in my mind– I had followed the thing– the wolf– the creature– far into the woods…
Father slept at the foot of my bed for the next few nights after that– listening to his shallow breaths and light snores kept me awake– my mind spinning– the creature wanted me to follow– to come, to see– there was something it needed to show me– maybe it knew where Mama was.
The lie took shape in my brain as I planned throughout the night– in the morning I would be going back, back to the hole in the trees– back to the beast.
I wanted a faery’s help– and I wasn’t going to stop until I got it. Father would thank me when it was all done and over with– he missed Mama, maybe more than me. I would bring her home again, he would see.
The next day, I was up when Father had risen– he stretched and readied himself for his chores– he didn’t even look in my direction before he left. Once he was gone, I stirred– jumping to my feet and lacing up my boots in an instant. Slinging my small bag over my shoulder I left– heading straight for the spot where I had seen the creature– to track it, follow–
“Hey!! Brynn!!” Yelled a huffy voice from behind me– I turned to spot Gabriel barreling towards me, his blonde curls wild in the wind, his face red and puffy.
“Go home, Gabie,” I warned. I couldn’t watch his back and mine.
“B-Brynn, you can’t go! Mamie s-said i-it was a f-faerie!”
“I know.” Giving him my back– I took another step past the tree line– my eyes shooting to the ground the thing had stood on as it had watched me just days ago. Amongst the wild green weeds were spots black with rot– the ground had nearly decayed and sunken beneath the patches still alive– like craters had formed below its dark oozy presence. My eyes followed the drips that led further into the trees– a trail. My lip twitched as I took a step forward before a hand was pulling at my arm–
“You can’t go, Brynn– what if it kills you? What if- what if it eats you! W-what if it takes you, Brynn…”
His eyes were nearly bulging out of his head as he shook my arm– I swatted him away. “I have to find Mama, Gabriel!” Why didn’t he understand?
“S-she’s dead, Brynn,” he whimpered.
“Pft– how do you know? Father sai–”
“Her name was called– they picked her– the cicadas–”
“Stop– Gabe– just stop, are you coming with me or not?” I didn’t want to hear whatever Mamie had told him– I was going to the faeries– I would bring her home.
His eyes wide– his mouth trembling– he nodded. Gabriel followed me always, whether I wanted him to or not.
On we went– my eyes to the ground, my heart stuttering– the dark stalking creature heavy in my mind’s eye, as if it approved of my path as we walked straight for its domain.
I stopped only when we reached the hole in the trees– the place it had assaulted us, chased us. I had forgotten how dark it was in this part– my feet begging to go back– to leave– the energy in the air singing with the soft calls of the birds and the skittering of small animals.
“Stay here, Gabriel,” I called over my shoulder.
“No! What if–”
“Stay here, if I’m not back by dark, go get Father.”
“B-but–”
“Listen,” I cut him off again, “I’m going, and I need you to do this for me– please…”
His eyes weary and full of unshed tears wobbled at me as he lowered his head. “Be careful, Brynn. If you see it…”
“I’ll run, promise.” I reached an arm out to him– my pinky pointing straight out. He took it– wrapping his own around mine, a pinky promise. Something we would never break, no matter what– I cursed myself as I did so. I didn’t plan on fleeing the creature– I was going to get on my hands and knees and beg in front of it– for Mama, for Father– for all of us. I wouldn’t risk Gabriel in the process.
Turning on a heel– I broke the gap in the trees– the dark swallowing me whole as I continued to follow the inky black death the creature had left behind for me, like breadcrumbs. Patting the little pouch that was secured to my belt– I still had the sugar, the lure, if it didn’t make itself known. In my other hand, I held a small rock– iron. Mamie had told us the fae didn’t care for iron, the pebble wouldn’t do much– but maybe if I threw it at it, I could run, if this all went bad…
The hum of the forest– of the residents of this ancient wood, harmonized the further I went– the trees becoming thicker, taller– I felt like an ant amongst the ground, searching for something I may never find.
Hours– the trail led me deeper and deeper, the chill in the air nipping at my heels as I pulled my cloak tighter around me. I was alone– really alone– and my heart started to beat heavier in my chest with each slow step. Fumbling around, the light seemed to vanish– the path hard to see as I wandered on.
I was met with a decaying old foundation, illuminated by a streak of light from above– a house– destroyed and fallen as the boards lay rotting amongst the forest floor. Small, it reminded me of home– a ramshackle cottage left to the elements– to the creatures of the forest.
I inched closer, my wide eyes scanning the decrepit cabin– there was something in the air, on the breeze, something pulling me towards the structure– just like before, when the creature had lured me out into the woods.
Come, it spoke to me– called to me– my feet obeyed, hitting the tiny porch– the wood nearly caving in, I took careful steps.
Creaking under my weight, the call was loud– a solitary word pressed into my mind– come.
The door was free of its hinges– the empty dark of the room in front of me begging for me to enter– to search, to find.
Hands on the breeze– on my back– pushing me inside– I was swallowed of the encroaching sensation of need, my brain no longer firing information to my body– come– it was all there was–
Inside, there was nothing– the walls too far off to see– the space clear– no shapes appearing amongst the broken furniture that had given way to the crumbling of time and weather.
Come.
Come.
Come…
It beckoned– my legs obeyed– my mind hazy and humming with electric pulses of something I didn’t understand…
Kneeling amongst the dirt on the floor, I stopped. My body hovered above a spot that made my skin crawl– I couldn’t shiver– my hands greedily smacked the floor as my fingertips dug into the board– pulling it from its place on the ground. It came loose, and absently I tossed it aside– to the wrapped parcel slightly aglow within– it produced its own light, the air alive with it fully on display.
Leaning in to touch it– to pull it from the depths of the floor– it singed my fingertips– a spark, recognition– it spoke to me– old foreign words I didn’t understand rattled off in my head as I froze– stuck to the floor– stuck to the thing in my hands– it whispered to me…
The trance, fully capturing my small frame, lasted for too long– I sat and peered at the thing in my hands for far too long– before I finally dropped it– and like a smack in the face, my movement came back–
I peered around the now darker room– the streaks of light leaving as night was falling upon me fast– I needed to go– to get back, Gabriel would be running to Father if I didn’t return soon–
Hastily– I grabbed the cloth-wrapped parcel, feeling it sting my skin again as I rested it under my arm– I had to go.
Following the trail of black rot out of the maze of the darkest part of the forest– I hustled. Nearly running, until I could see the hole of dull light– the end of this magical place– home. Two silhouettes stood peering in the entrance– one short, one tall– Gabriel had gone to get Father. Draping the cloak over my right arm, which had secured the small magic package, I headed towards them and the presumed tongue-lashing I was about to receive. It was barely dark, and I cursed Gabe under my breath for not being just a tad more patient. Fear always ate him alive– and he had been scared of everything.
“And what do you think you’re doing, young lady?” My father's voice was stern– half panicked– the bite of the young lady cut deep.
“I–”
He raised a hand, “Save it. Gabe here has told me everything.”
My eyes staring daggers into the small, huddled boy next to Father, I burst forth from the deep dark. My so-called best friend cowered farther into Father’s side as I headed for him.
Father stepped in front. My head peered up at him, I caught the devil in his eye.
“This stops now, do you hear me, Brynn? Finished– you cannot bring your mother back.”
Betrayed. Gabriel had betrayed my entire plan– to the man who never believed anything beyond work, eat, and sleep. My eyes were tiny slits, I hugged the package to my side– trying desperately to conceal it.
“Home. Now.” Pointing to the direction of our cottage– he waited for me to start. I gave him one last sour look before I stomped the entire way home.
I thought Father would have been happy– he missed Mama; I know he did… And now, I had a real piece of magic– real hope– I just had to figure out what it was– what lay beneath the rotted cloth–
Father slept at the end of my bed again that night. All the while, I laid awake– the hum of the square treasure calling to me from under my bed– I could feel it through the mattress as if had wanted to implant itself beneath my skin.
Come.
Come.
Come.
Staring at the ceiling for the entirety of the night– when Father had left– I jumped to, diving under my bed to retrieve the package– it was still there, humming, glowing– begging–
I caressed it– mine– whispered my own voice in my head, before I quickly unraveled the object– to give way to an old, rotting book. Uneven pages and a twisty spine– the tanned leather cracked and rough– there were no words on the front… The energy tripled in the room, the voice nearly hollering at me to open–
I did– before my eyes rolled back into my head, and the world left me in one thick wave of unending darkness–
Come.
