Layla
Masses of trees greet me as soon as I step outside. Every tree stares back at me, silent and eerie as if they are frozen in time. Time is cruel and it has caught up with this place. Ivy crawls up the building and many bricks are chipped and discoloured. Overgrowth has been able to grow freely without interruption. Lichen spreads across the thick bark of each tree and the shrubs around are large and prickly.
Branches sway in the tense flowing wind and a flutter of familiarity flows within me. This is the exact feeling I got when I was in that Trixala simulation. I need to get out of the woods but I don't know where to go? I always knew how to get back to my shack when I came from Lakeintown. Maybe I'll do that. Aim for the city. I'll be back in familiar surroundings then.
The tops of the trees are so layered that it's near impossible to find any large gaps between them. I can't see where the skyscrapers of Lakeintown are. This limitation means that I'll have to take the only other way. I'll have to go further into the forest.
As I walk deeper into the bleak woods, odd rays of moonlight break through the smaller holes within the canopies and light a somewhat path in front. Puddles flood the forest floor and I'm careful of the slimy, thick mud as I walk tree by tree.
I'm always checking behind me which is a habit etched in my mind. It keeps me wary of my surroundings but it's put to use when I look back again and there are numerous yellow orbs of light within the darkness of the trees. The yellow orbs? There must be at least twenty of them but I'm not as scared of them as before because I know that they aren't really there.
"You're just a part of my mind. Stop it" I shake my head willing for the orbs to disappear but they are still prominent and glowing bright.
Maylock and Zack haven't seen them so why am I the only one that has? Are they just a part of me that will not leave? A part of me that has been scarred permanently?
"Leave me alone" I call out but multiple growls arise in response. Multiple growls? These growls turn into loud snarls and from the instant change of pitch and vicious tone, I run.
My feet pound the ground with each quick step I take. Mud splashes against the backs of my legs and paint them but I keep running until the pain of lactic acid builds up and causes me to slow down. My legs burn with rage as I lean on a tree to contain my heavy gasps.
But then I hear another growl...
Have I completely lost my mind?
My breath hitches when I turn around because the more anxiety inducing coloured orbs are staring straight at me. The monster. I'm locked in its red gaze until it disappears, so I push off the tree and run, not caring about the searing pain in my legs.
As I keep going, the number of trees decrease and the branches are sparse of leaves. The thinning overgrowth around and receding trees causes the night sky to open out from the space. Wow. But my awe of the night sky is suddenly converted to shock as the ground ahead cuts off completely.
The rocks crumble as I wobble unbalanced and in fright of falling to my doom because I'm at the cliffs. Acres of trees spread below the sharp jagged edges.
When I manage to stabilise myself, I step back to be on more solid ground which calms my heart. Now I'm safe and away from the edge, I'm able to look out to the night sky and take time to capture its entirety. It holds a shining moon with gleaming stars that cluster, bright and striking. It's beautiful, but the unpredictable and scary nature of this forest smothers its beauty. This is proven instantly as sticks snap behind me. Every nerve has started to tingle and the hairs on my arms prickle.
I gradually look behind me, slowly turning my heel to come straight in sight of whoever is standing there but to my shock, it's not a person but rather a wolf, a black-haired wolf with yellow eyes. Yellow eyes? The one I always see at my shack has blue eyes. There's another one?
The behaviour of this wolf is completely different to the blue-eyed wolf as its producing a low and gravelly snarl while its top lip is curled up showing sharp, pointed teeth. Its dark fur is ruffled on its head and matted with mud under its belly.
The wolf prowls toward me, ready to attack so I don't look it in the eye. I step backwards defensively, trying not to aggravate it even more but I'm running out of ground and getting closer to the cliff edge.
I don't make any sudden movements to encourage this wolf to pounce on me but with another step back, I slip on the mud. The unstable rocks on the cliff face crumble beneath my feet and I lose my balance.
I flay my arms as I am about to fall and see the world and entire life zoom past me when I feel something around my waist pulling me back.
Maylock.
"Got you" He grins as our eyes lock. His warm hands meet at the small of my back which keeps me secure and away from the cliff edge.
"No kidding" I reply breathless as I push out of his hold.
A growl rumbles making reality come back to the both of us and we just stare at the wolf because there is nothing else we can do and nowhere to go.
When the wolf starts to stalk closer, Maylock comes in front of me with his arm out, like he is protecting me in some way. He gets a black, long cylindrical device out from his pocket and flicks the lid open to show a red button which he presses. Birds flutter out of the trees and the wolf stops and bows its head.
Maylock pushes the button down harder which seems to turn the frequency up as I can even hear it. It's a high-pitched continuous humming sound and it is excruciatingly painful.
I fall to my knees and yelp out in pain as the noise is unbearable. I cover my ears to try and muffle the sound. I have no concept of what is happening around me, whether the wolf has gone or if this horrible noise is ever going to stop.
"Layla" Maylock's voice echoes but then solidifies as the noise has stopped.
He kneels to my level. He looks the same, anxious but the same nonetheless and I wonder idly why he doesn't look like he has just heard nails scratching down on a blackboard amplified double time. How could he have not heard it?
"That wolf is gone, so let's head back" He looks up and scouts around, narrowing his eyes in concentration and thought. "I haven't been completely honest with you so we'll talk when we get back to Miscellania" he holds out his hand implying that I should take it but I don't.
"No, I'm not going back. I don't see why we can't talk now" I stagger up. "You owe me big time" I cross my arms.
"I know but we just need to go." he beckons me but I stay where I am. "I don't want you to stay here any longer" he warns, looking nervous. His gaze isn't set in one spot, it's darting around everywhere and studying everything. "Get away from that cliff edge now. Come on" urgency reaps through his voice. His eyes are wide at his demand.
"Will you calm down Maylock. I don't know why you are so uptight."
"Layla, you don't understand" he runs his hand through his hair.
"No, you don't understand what a bargain means" A subtle growl rumbles but I am too fuming to concentrate on where it came from. "You made one with me and I've heard nothing. I am not going back to Miscell-"
"Get down!" a blur shows in front of me, the sight lasts for mere seconds until I feel something around me. It takes the same amount of time for my brain to process that I have been tackled in the stomach by Maylock and I am on the mud-laden ground.
When I sit up the blur comes back and heads straight into Maylock, the force of the blow was so powerful that it knocks him straight off the cliff.
"Maylock!" I scramble up toward him but I am not fast enough to reach him. His arms and legs are blown forward and gravity takes hold of him. He plummets into the trees below. The branches consume him.
He's gone.
I'm looking down at the trees, shaken at what I just witnessed. Why did I let my anger take over? Maylock would still be here had I focused my attention on where that growl was coming from.
"Stupid Guardian, I thought he was never gonna go" A gruff, deep voice arises and it prickles the hairs on the back of my neck. "But I guess they aren't gonna leave you unprotected." There's a curl of a growl and I turn around to be met with bold red eyes within the darkness.
The large red orbs of light get bigger and sticks crunch and snap in the wake of footsteps. The fearful monster of Folklore prowls out and into the moonlight.