The Non-Human Society

Chapter Twenty Eight - Vim - Snack In The Dark

      "Why's it so dark?" Lomi asked.

"Because the sun cannot reach here," I said, glancing to the treetops above us.

Very faintly I could see little spots here and there. Sunlight peeking through the thick leaves and branches, only rarely and only for a moment. None of the sun's rays reached us down on the ground, no matter how much of it breached the treetops.

"Wasn't this dark at Lilly's house," she complained. She was walking closer to me than usual, and not just because the path we walked was overgrown with grass and weeds.

"This path is a little special," I said.

Lomi sighed, and looked to our right. She studied the trees around us, and the darkness that loomed over everything with a strong gaze. Had she seen something? Or at least, thought she had?

We were alone. Other than the trees, nothing else was here.

Not even bugs crawled around here.

Only trees, their roots, and the grass and weeds lived in this section.

And even if there had been something out there, lurking in the dark... there was no way she could see it.

Odds were she couldn't even see more than a few feet away from her.

"I don't like it here," she whispered.

"We'll be out of here soon," I reached out to pat her lightly on the head. Her thick fuzzy ears tickled a little. Did she need a bath?

Her ears twitched, as if in annoyance, but she said nothing. In fact she drew even closer.

"The forest at home wasn't like this," Lomi said.

"As I said. This place is a little special," I repeated.

"How so?" she asked.

Although usually I'd not care to reveal such things, I knew it would probably help her remain calm.

"A very powerful monster died here, a long time ago. Its blood soaked into the land, and ever since it's been like this. No matter how bright the day, it's always... dark and quiet," I said.

"A monster?" she asked, suddenly sounding even more worried.

Woops. Maybe I shouldn't have used that word to describe that beast.

"Well, something like it. You probably can't smell it, but there's an odd lingering scent here amongst these trees. It scares off all animals and insects. It's actually a miracle the trees and plants survive, without anything to support their ecosystem," I said.

"Eco...?" Lomi's confused whisper told me I had said too much again.

"Basically this place is seen as poisonous, or dangerous, to animals and bugs. Thus why it's so quiet," I said.

"Is it dangerous for us?" she asked.

"No. As long as we don't stay here long, or eat or drink anything that grows here," I said.

"Oh...?" she looked around, and I knew what she was thinking.

Eat or drink what?

Nothing was here. Though I've had grass gruel before, but I doubted I could let such a young girl endure such a poor meal.

"Other than our dim world around us, what did you think?" I asked her.

"Think of what?" she asked, glancing up at me. I noticed how her eyes squinted as she did.