Garden of the Hungry

The Crow's landing

She woke up suddenly under the vastness of the stars, not knowing which affliction came first: the tachycardia making her body tremble or the sharp pain a few inches from her shoulder. It was an inexplicable agony, which culminated in a scream, swallowed by the howl of the winds.

Lying on a rock, she felt a cold kiss passing through the cloak and layers of leather and cloth dressing her body.

Where... Where am I?

An object pressed against her face and, when she raised her arm to touch it, noticed with astonishment that the fabrics from her garment stubbornly clung to the ground. It seemed stuck for some reason, but with a little effort, she managed to set herself free and feel what covered her face.

A mask?

Her fingers slid gently over the top portion of her face, covered by an acrylic thing. It had a long beak by the nose; wings spreading along the sides of the head; and a tangle of straight and curved lines, engraving complex shapes on the object's surface. She was definitely wearing a mask shaped like a bird of prey.

Her mind plunged into the void, and her thoughts – reveries as dark and empty as an immeasurable abyss – weren't connecting. She bit her lower lip in a failed attempt to wake up from the nightmare, nonetheless, realized she was already awake. In that moment, the fear embraced her and she despaired to the point of gritting her teeth. The intensity of the terror was rivaled only by her disorientation.

She bent forward over a weak and trembling knee and, struggling, managed to keep her balance. She felt the cold air filling her lungs with each breath. The snowflakes touching her eyelids sought shelter in the cavities of the mask.

The woman wore a quilted leather doublet, covered by a dark fabric and a heavy graphite cloak, with a hood draped over her back. On her hands, she had leather gloves; on her feet, suede boots.

She rubbed her eyes and then assessed her surroundings: a clearing encircled by coniferous trees. Their leaves, embraced by the night, were covered with snow. Her feet were on a round and flat surface about 9 yards in diameter, apparently shaped by human hands, where the snow was falling less regularly than around it. She observed that, under the sole of her boots, the floor showed intertwined sinuous and geometric drawings.

What is this place? Looks like some sort of shrine built in the middle of the forest...

Shaky hands groped the mask until they located the strap fastening it to her head. She tried to loosen it and snorted after realizing how difficult it was. When she was about to lose her mind, a sudden click soothed her. In a hurry, she threw the crow mask angrily over the bushes, letting out a growl.

Her face, pale, with delicate freckles on the cheeks, expressed the weariness from a long journey, while the reddish and tangled hair gently danced in the wind, as a fiery veil. The eyes were brown, almond shaped and intense.

She couldn't comprehend where she was, where she came from or why she was dressed that way. It was bewildering to her. Every question in her head turned into hazy memories. However, there was an even more crucial matter to address:

"Oh my God! Who am I?"

She babbled to the wind as it carried her away, without answers. She imagined herself running through the trees, crying for help, but common sense took over her. At last, she chose to be cautious and stay put, since there was no way of knowing what kind of threats lay in the woods.

After sitting down, she kept a wary eye on the forest ahead, but, throughout the night, nothing happened aside from leaves hustling and other indistinct noises.