Lygophobia
Finally, something to post. The first piece of summer and it feels good, by the way- I totally just finished this and emailed it to my hopefully soon to be creative art professor a whole 5 minutes before the end of the 30th, the day it was due. Gotta love that. Hopefully it's not too terribly in need of revision yet. Enjoy~
The skyline faded gently with the sun’s departure; light violet hues blended with darker blues and slowly bled themselves into darkness. Darkness descending like a thin blanket caught by the winds. Darkness enveloping all beneath it.
Man-way could sense the black mist filling his nostrils with the scent of night. It wasn’t appetizing. He was trapped in the forest now, a labyrinth leading away from the pleasant glade that had existed a short while ago. With his eyes still adjusting, he darted off through the gloomy branches. There was a reason no one wanted to be around here when the light went down and he didn’t want to find out what that was. A loud howl arced across the woods. Too late.
The crush of leaves underfoot sharpened and the outlines of trees became clearer as adrenaline pumped into his system. With each quickened step he cursed the snaps and snickers that rang out in his mind, screaming to the world his location. That and his heaving breaths, but he had the strength to run. A fast exit was more important then a concealed one, after all what couldn’t be caught need not worry about being found.
*Flicker*
‘What was that?’ Something caught the corner of Man-way’s eye.
*Swish*
Another one. A dark blot seemed to dash between the trees as he ran by. He ran faster. *Fft* *Fft* A shape on his left, one moving with him on the right.
Man-way cut a fast right. He leapt over a low branch and split off to the left again. If he kept moving erratically outward he’d be fine.
*Ffftt* A shade streaked in front of him.
Man-way paused. He was surrounded by them, by these stalking shadows darker then the night itself. The shuttling sounds rang out in his ears and stung his mind. Everywhere he turned he could see the blackness leaping from tree to tree. It encompassed him and threatened to consume him, to become him.
His eyes focused on a strip of bark, trying to pick out the rough edges. There was a squirm and he turned towards it only to be confronted once again by the tree’s skin. With every turn the shadows seemed to keep pace, always watching from outside his vantage point. They darted back and forth across his vision, always shifting away and returning to darkness.
Tension oozed throughout Man-way’s body, not even the hunt of a great Mammoth or defending against the ferocious cats produced this sinking sensation in his stomach. Unsure of his options he readied himself. A form swept around him. One slinked past his arm. Another disappearing by his right. At last a shade grew in front of him before slipping out of sight, and he was gone.
Man-way ran faster then he thought he could. His heart knocking against his chest, he sped off through the wood. He would go through those wretched blots too, if he had too. The tattered undergrowth was beginning to die back. Ahead of him the trees broke away and all he could see was night; yet he ran on, away from the shadow and into the unknown.
The open air sprawled out in front of him as Man-way jogged further from the forest. The twinkling flickers of the stars above comforted him yet the moon’s warm glow was strangely absent. Still the plains and rolling hills offered him a view of the expansive nothingness. A nothingness absent of lurking shadows.
He lurched off the way he thought he came this morning, ready for a safe place to slumber. As he trotted off he glanced at the lights above and watched as a never-ending sea of cloud swallowed them. A chilling breeze blew past him as he rounded the first hill, seeing only countless more.
As his pace sank into monotony, the hair on his neck began to rise with the dropping temperature. The breeze was taking on a low-winded snaking sound as it cooled him to his core. The crisp rustling of wind swept leaves rose from the ground and joined with the faint whistle. Man-way reached the peak of the next low hill and began a soft trot down it’s slope.
‘Maaaaaaann-’
“Who’s there?” Man-way called out. Silence. He decided that perhaps he should walk a bit faster to keep him warm. He started a brisk jog across the plain.
‘Maaaaaaann-’
He paused.
‘Waaaaaaayy’
He looked around. Nothing but the impenetrable haze of darkness. No one at his back and no one ahead of him, yet something was calling to him. Then again, he could hardly see where he was going, much less what could be going to him. He started jogging a bit faster now that he was on level ground.
‘Maaaaaaann-’
He broke into a run. He pushed himself to the fastest speed he could manage. Still the voices kept up.
‘Waaaaaaayy’
The ground tilted up once more and Man-way tripped over himself in his rush. Frantically pulling himself up he stumbled further up the hill. “Keep away from me!” He started shouting, “Away!” He was on his back climbing backwards on both palms now, yelling at the night. The hill gave way and a shining glint appeared on his side. Hastily turning he saw the orange flower blooming in the night. “Fire!” His invisible foes forgotten Man-way hurried to the flame growing from the risen earth.
“Man-way, my friend! We thought you were gone for sure,” an older looking man in grimy animal skins greeted him as he approached the fire.
“Elder-beard! I’m lucky to be here tonight”
“Then let us celebrate our fortune. Come feast with us.” With that a young girl took Man-way’s hand and led him to men roasting flanks of meat.
The flame’s many tongues leapt up and licked the sky. The warm glow on his face let Man-way forget the terrors and bask in peace with the light. The gods had blessed them this evening with a stout fire and Flint-striker’s skills at feeding the beast were growing. In time they might even make fires as wide as the forests and high as the massive mountains. But for now Man-way contented himself with the thought that while he did not know what was out there, he knew he was safe in the grasp of the flames.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was a Tuesday morning in Ms. Nina’s classroom and the students were already glum from the stormy weather outside. The day had started gloomy and had only gotten worse as the black clouds choked out the sky and rumbled with ominous tension.
“Alright class,” Ms. Nina began, “Today we’re going over the Old English tale-“
*Crack* The sky screamed out as light and sound roared outside the window. The lights in the building snapped off in unison.
“Aaaiiieee!!” Some of the jumpier students screamed.
Ms. Nina took a moment and let the wave of darkness settle over the classroom. “Well then, I guess we’ll get into Beowulf tomorrow. Now listen up guys and I’ll tell you a story....”
______________________________________________________________________________
“- he knew he was safe in the grasp of the flames.” Ms. Nina took a sip from the coffee mug beside her as the class took in the end of the tale. “Okay, now who can tell me what they think of all this?”
Scanning across the blackened room the students were all motionless. Slowly, Lindsey rose her hand. As the center of attention she slipped her other hand inside her bag and pulled it out. Turning it on she pointed the flashlight straight into her pale face, spreading it’s image of light across the classroom. She spoke out in a serious tone, “Man fears the darkness, and so he scrapes away at the edges of it with fire.”
The skyline faded gently with the sun’s departure; light violet hues blended with darker blues and slowly bled themselves into darkness. Darkness descending like a thin blanket caught by the winds. Darkness enveloping all beneath it.
Man-way could sense the black mist filling his nostrils with the scent of night. It wasn’t appetizing. He was trapped in the forest now, a labyrinth leading away from the pleasant glade that had existed a short while ago. With his eyes still adjusting, he darted off through the gloomy branches. There was a reason no one wanted to be around here when the light went down and he didn’t want to find out what that was. A loud howl arced across the woods. Too late.
The crush of leaves underfoot sharpened and the outlines of trees became clearer as adrenaline pumped into his system. With each quickened step he cursed the snaps and snickers that rang out in his mind, screaming to the world his location. That and his heaving breaths, but he had the strength to run. A fast exit was more important then a concealed one, after all what couldn’t be caught need not worry about being found.
*Flicker*
‘What was that?’ Something caught the corner of Man-way’s eye.
*Swish*
Another one. A dark blot seemed to dash between the trees as he ran by. He ran faster. *Fft* *Fft* A shape on his left, one moving with him on the right.
Man-way cut a fast right. He leapt over a low branch and split off to the left again. If he kept moving erratically outward he’d be fine.
*Ffftt* A shade streaked in front of him.
Man-way paused. He was surrounded by them, by these stalking shadows darker then the night itself. The shuttling sounds rang out in his ears and stung his mind. Everywhere he turned he could see the blackness leaping from tree to tree. It encompassed him and threatened to consume him, to become him.
His eyes focused on a strip of bark, trying to pick out the rough edges. There was a squirm and he turned towards it only to be confronted once again by the tree’s skin. With every turn the shadows seemed to keep pace, always watching from outside his vantage point. They darted back and forth across his vision, always shifting away and returning to darkness.
Tension oozed throughout Man-way’s body, not even the hunt of a great Mammoth or defending against the ferocious cats produced this sinking sensation in his stomach. Unsure of his options he readied himself. A form swept around him. One slinked past his arm. Another disappearing by his right. At last a shade grew in front of him before slipping out of sight, and he was gone.
Man-way ran faster then he thought he could. His heart knocking against his chest, he sped off through the wood. He would go through those wretched blots too, if he had too. The tattered undergrowth was beginning to die back. Ahead of him the trees broke away and all he could see was night; yet he ran on, away from the shadow and into the unknown.
The open air sprawled out in front of him as Man-way jogged further from the forest. The twinkling flickers of the stars above comforted him yet the moon’s warm glow was strangely absent. Still the plains and rolling hills offered him a view of the expansive nothingness. A nothingness absent of lurking shadows.
He lurched off the way he thought he came this morning, ready for a safe place to slumber. As he trotted off he glanced at the lights above and watched as a never-ending sea of cloud swallowed them. A chilling breeze blew past him as he rounded the first hill, seeing only countless more.
As his pace sank into monotony, the hair on his neck began to rise with the dropping temperature. The breeze was taking on a low-winded snaking sound as it cooled him to his core. The crisp rustling of wind swept leaves rose from the ground and joined with the faint whistle. Man-way reached the peak of the next low hill and began a soft trot down it’s slope.
‘Maaaaaaann-’
“Who’s there?” Man-way called out. Silence. He decided that perhaps he should walk a bit faster to keep him warm. He started a brisk jog across the plain.
‘Maaaaaaann-’
He paused.
‘Waaaaaaayy’
He looked around. Nothing but the impenetrable haze of darkness. No one at his back and no one ahead of him, yet something was calling to him. Then again, he could hardly see where he was going, much less what could be going to him. He started jogging a bit faster now that he was on level ground.
‘Maaaaaaann-’
He broke into a run. He pushed himself to the fastest speed he could manage. Still the voices kept up.
‘Waaaaaaayy’
The ground tilted up once more and Man-way tripped over himself in his rush. Frantically pulling himself up he stumbled further up the hill. “Keep away from me!” He started shouting, “Away!” He was on his back climbing backwards on both palms now, yelling at the night. The hill gave way and a shining glint appeared on his side. Hastily turning he saw the orange flower blooming in the night. “Fire!” His invisible foes forgotten Man-way hurried to the flame growing from the risen earth.
“Man-way, my friend! We thought you were gone for sure,” an older looking man in grimy animal skins greeted him as he approached the fire.
“Elder-beard! I’m lucky to be here tonight”
“Then let us celebrate our fortune. Come feast with us.” With that a young girl took Man-way’s hand and led him to men roasting flanks of meat.
The flame’s many tongues leapt up and licked the sky. The warm glow on his face let Man-way forget the terrors and bask in peace with the light. The gods had blessed them this evening with a stout fire and Flint-striker’s skills at feeding the beast were growing. In time they might even make fires as wide as the forests and high as the massive mountains. But for now Man-way contented himself with the thought that while he did not know what was out there, he knew he was safe in the grasp of the flames.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was a Tuesday morning in Ms. Nina’s classroom and the students were already glum from the stormy weather outside. The day had started gloomy and had only gotten worse as the black clouds choked out the sky and rumbled with ominous tension.
“Alright class,” Ms. Nina began, “Today we’re going over the Old English tale-“
*Crack* The sky screamed out as light and sound roared outside the window. The lights in the building snapped off in unison.
“Aaaiiieee!!” Some of the jumpier students screamed.
Ms. Nina took a moment and let the wave of darkness settle over the classroom. “Well then, I guess we’ll get into Beowulf tomorrow. Now listen up guys and I’ll tell you a story....”
______________________________________________________________________________
“- he knew he was safe in the grasp of the flames.” Ms. Nina took a sip from the coffee mug beside her as the class took in the end of the tale. “Okay, now who can tell me what they think of all this?”
Scanning across the blackened room the students were all motionless. Slowly, Lindsey rose her hand. As the center of attention she slipped her other hand inside her bag and pulled it out. Turning it on she pointed the flashlight straight into her pale face, spreading it’s image of light across the classroom. She spoke out in a serious tone, “Man fears the darkness, and so he scrapes away at the edges of it with fire.”