The Wilderness (The Prologue)

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    The rusty odour of blood and punctured skin hung uncomfortably in the air the way a noose hangs from a tree

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The rusty odour of blood and punctured skin hung uncomfortably in the air the way a noose hangs from a tree. Warm crimson tones blemished the snow, as if it were a paradox clinging to the frozen water.

    Tangled, soaking hair collected sticks and leaves as a body is dragged throughout the woods, staining the snow behind it. A girl huffed and grunted as she clutched a bare foot in her hand and tugged the body, weaving between trees, following the smell of burning wood.

    The crunching of sneakers caused their heads to perk up, eyeing the girl and the body that followed her lifelessly. They each backed away from the fire and allowed for the Butcher to drain the girl of her blood with the slice of her throat, and all too soon, burning flesh filled the aroma. They fanned out the smoke, hoping no predators would track them. Well, no other predators. They dressed themselves for the ritual, collecting their torches and masks, ready for their empty stomachs to be filled once again.

    They all sat in their respective positions. Hunter, Butcher and Mistress on either side of the Queen. The rest sat on their logs and waited for their meal to be presented by the Steward. Minutes pass and the Steward appears with a supply of meat, the meat of the Hunted. They all waited in the absorbing quiet of the winter for the Queen to signal, and as she did, they all grabbed cuts of the girl and devoured her, as if nothing would ever fill them again, and nothing ever would.

    The meal seemed to have lasted merely seconds, blood and myoglobin trickling from their chapped lips. They allowed themselves to lick any residue off of their fingers and taste their own mouths.

    Once the Queen was finished and cleaned up, she signalled once again, deciding that it was time to abandon their post and rid of any evidence. They took their seats, their clothing, the still wet bones of their victim, everything to make the area seem as if it was untouched. The Queen took the Mistress's hand and kissed it gently, not bothering to remove the mask that had been placed once again and the Mistress bowed in respect. One by one they all started to walk away from this part of the woods, leaving the Steward to clean anything that remained on the scene.

    And with that, Misty Quigley started to clean the woods.

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