Ditching the Demons

Why Taking a Shortcut Through the Woods is a Bad Idea

Unfortunately for Myra, the rain started up the moment she was out the doors. After taking out her cell phone and discovering that listening to the soundtrack for Labyrinth all day was a very effective way of draining the gadget's battery, she turned around. And saw Lucy locking the doors for the night. Deciding against begging the assistant librarian to let her back in so she could call her mom, Myra headed off in the direction of her home. By the time she was about a quarter of a mile from her destination her shoes were soaked through, her hair was dripping water, and her jacket was losing its effectiveness.

She contemplated her current predicament. Now, if I was a smart young lass, I would have brought an umbrella with me when I went out today. It's not like it wasn't raining when I left this morning. But that was different. It was brighter, warmer, and... ok, so I was lazy. I just figured that if it got really bad, I would run. It seemed logical then, retarded now.

Myra looked up and barely made out the lights of her house shining through the thick forest that occupied the block next to her home. She stopped in her tracks. A very important decision loomed ahead of her. Should she cut through the dark and spooky woods? The very same woods that (after a rather frightening experience as a child) she promised herself she would never enter again after dark? Or should she take the much longer way around the forest, thus prolonging her time in the rain, and lengthening the time until she would be able to enjoy the box of ice cream she just remembered was in the freezer?

Hmm. Ice cream... or avoiding uncertain death? The age long dilemma continues.

⌘⌘⌘

Quietly... carefully... ice cream...

(SNAP)

Bleep! I lost my concentration. Wet twigs aren't supposed to snap anyway.

That evening, Myra discovered that the strong desire for ice cream can be an acceptable substitution for bravery.

But it is also going to be my downfall unless I find a way to stay more focused. I mean, who knows what kind of freaky homeless weirdos are lurking in here? If I want to live, I've got to execute my mission in the most silent and sneaky way possible.

"Myra..."

Myra stopped dead in her tracks. She could have sworn she just heard her name spoken in a quiet, eerie voice. Holding her breath, she listened for it again, but all she could hear was the wind blowing through the trees. Deciding that it must have been a similar sound she had heard Myra attempted to continue on, but soon found that for some inexplicable reason, she was unable to move her feet.

In an instant the wind died down, and the woods became deathly silent.

"MYRA, DARLING!"

Out of the darkness, a person suddenly appeared in front of her; a very strange looking person. Although tall, he was delicate in face and stature. His two bright yellow eyes were framed by long silver-white hair that reached past his waist. And his entire body glowed a soft brilliance. Myra would have instantly thought him to be a spirit or ghost of some sort, but this theory was upset by the pair of furry white fox ears that poked out of the top of his head. To say that Myra was addled by this strange creature's sudden appearance would be a massive understatement.

Um...so what do I do now? she asked herself. He's just standing there, staring dreamy-eyed at me, and grinning from ear to ear.

"Myra, darling," he said again, "...you've finally come! We've been waiting so long for you."

This statement caused Myra to scowl in confusion. Waiting? For me? I don't even know this freak. Wait a second... how does he know my name? Is he some sort of creepy stalker/rapist who attacks girls in the middle of the night while wearing fox ears? Calm down Myra, just play it cool and get the BLEEP out of here as fast as possible. Ok, first, I'll say something witty...