A Misguide From Desperation

Inspo: A broken pocket watch leads a man to a cabin.

The dim moonlight scattered through the giants’ arms and onto the misshaped path below. Howling was carried through the embrace of the wind, filtering out to tickle the weary hearts trying to lurk through the darkness. Eyes so bright blink out and close in periodically, scour the forest floor for the unsuspecting prey to come along. Big or small, tall or short. Hardened or soft. Either way, their extremities were always ready to ensnare with lightning speed.

By the time wolves have wailed with maidens, the slumbering fog has reached both of its arms; interlocked. The slow cool clouds trinkle and hug, bend and slither, around woodland families and lonely travellers. Its blind gaze does no such thing as discriminate but to cover all in its smothering arms.

For it was sensing a sole heart beating in the epicentre of the woods. A lost creature, looking for its love, who is misguided by the darkness.

A man with fair of skin and a body packed with layers, trekked across the winding path around the feet of sleeping giants. His untamed locks have been relishing this freedom of the woods. Streaming down like the rain and covering its master with disguise. It gives cover. Gives an illusion. Makes him look like he belongs there.

The soft crunching of leaves and his shallow breathing is the only noise during this night.

Crunch.

Breathe.

Crunch, crunch.

Breathe, breathe.

His very breath illuminates the journey ahead, which has also managed to clear his mind of his worries. Sinister dread. These worries have become a maelstrom of feelings, thoughts and fears over this very walk. Should I continue? What if my husband is really not there? Maybe they were right; he might be dead. But, like the storm of his internal world, he had long grown to a swirling mess of determination and slight hysteria to finding why his husband disappeared and why the only clue was a locket which contained a poem.

‘In the dead of night, the cabin groans.

Seek me out, if you’ve known.’

Well, he might not ‘know’ exactly what he means but he does know the clues left behind. Locket, cabin, night and forest. The possible path of finding his husband or… be met with nonsense that his delusions have spun. No! I cannot think that way. I must find him. He thought to himself. He cannot rest until his beloved is found. No matter what.

The locket was obviously a gift for him, as it was embellished with gold roses and strings of pearls. The cabin is the location where he will be found, and the night and forest are the walk towards the cabin. Straightforward enough. Hopefully.

The bright moonlight slowly dimmed through the evergreen leaves, reeling in its once radiant fingers from the pathway.

“Just my luck. Why can’t it be easy for once?” He groaned and reached out to grab his flashlight.

He smacked the flashlight a couple of times to make sure it’s working well, the light flittering momentarily. At the exact same moment, a pitch-black shadow passed the corner of his eyes.

He turned, and yet, nothing. Just some branches swaying against the wind.

Must be a creature passing by.

The man continued on, now with light properly shining the path ahead. However, he didn’t feel alright. Not so much if he didn’t put the flashlight on. He thought to himself that it’s just because he isn’t comfortable with such a stark contrast in his journey. But regardless, there was one thought that prevailed to the forefront of his mind: even with severe effort to push it down like the rest.

So, to just entertain his mind and distract himself from the discomfort creeping up to his spine, he finally let it whisper into his ears. The thought drew him back to a memory. A memory that he thought he buried decades ago.

It was the late 2000s, around the end of his high school education and into the great, big, world of college. It might’ve been around or after his grandfather’s birthday—who knows really. Even he doesn’t know precisely. His grandfather had just recovered from chemotherapy and wanted to do some hiking with him. Of course, the family opposed such idea but, with the seeping sympathy still flowing out of their hearts, they reluctantly allowed the two men to go out.

The man remembers his grandfather being the one who believed in the supernatural. Ghosts and other childish things. His grandfather was one of the reasons why he too believed such things existed. But the old man wasn’t the kind of supernatural believer that told haunting stories, often with messages concealed between the lips of words, or even go on crazy expeditions to seek out the spirits. Rather, he made jokes, often inappropriate but the kind that made you laugh in discomforting or, often than not, scary situations.

However, the hike wasn’t filled with the joyful moments or even inappropriate joking he expected his grandfather to not resist doing. It was rather… Quiet. Off putting. It was like he was regretting taking him on the hike. What was he feeling that day? He thought.

His grandfather didn’t speak at all during the preparations for the hike, nor did he do so in the beginning of it. The man obviously felt disturbed but didn’t push his grandfather to speak.

It wasn’t until they had reached the first checkpoint on the hiking trail that he spoke to him.

“… Bud. I don’t think you’re happy with me.” his grandfather said with sorrow.

Not happy with him? He was far from it! It was his grandfather that seemed unhappy, not him.

“What do you mean, pop? Of course I’m happy. I’m with you. You know… like the good old days together.” He had said with forced glee.

The grandfather didn’t seem that satisfied with the answer, so he spoke again. This time with a concerned face.

“If you want to go back, tell me. Okay?” He said firmly and put an even firmer hand on his shoulder.

“Yes, yes, pop! I know. I know. No need to worry.”

He and his grandfather continued to hike further and further along.

Now, this is where this memory began to be murky and unclear. He didn’t quite remember what really happened next, just that he and his grandfather continued without a word to each other and managed to go in the same exact forest as… the one he was in right now. Huh, how strange. But regardless, his grandfather and him managed to go to the final checkpoint and it looked like it was going better than the beginning. His grandfather actually made a joke and smiled like he used to. Until he didn’t.

On that day specifically, his grandfather was determined to go beyond the hiking trail and into the parts rarely walked through, in what must be decades. There were multiple signs urging them to go back, and he was keen in listening to the signs than seeing where his grandfather thought was going to be another story for the books.

He bickered and begged, pleaded and argued with the poor fella to turn back. And yet… He didn’t listen. He continued, with a face he didn’t know he could conjure up. Resentment and anger. The man never had experienced such thing from his favourite grandparent. It didn’t feel good, and it didn’t do anything to quell his fear when he saw him walk off the main path and head towards the trees.

Before he did go though, his grandfather asked him to stay put to wait for him until nightfall. It didn’t really sound like a request though; more like a plea before something bad was going to happen. And it maybe it was. He never returned.

A roaring erupted from the darkening distance, drawing his mind from the sombre memory and into the present moment of his walk. He snapped his head towards the direction of the loud noise. His eyes beaded out in focus, trying to see what could possess such volume.

His breath left his mouth.

There it—they stood. Two silhouettes of men in the distance. Standing and facing his direction.

One looked considerably hunched over, while the other stood casually as if he was caught in conversation.

Then it struck him.

The last moment of seeing his husband was when he brought his mug of hot chocolate, when his husband was talking all so friendly to his sister. Caught in the same stance. His grandfather was hunched in the same position too when he disappeared through the bushes.

However, the moment he pointed his flashlight to them, shaking hands barely holding the handle, they were gone. As if they just didn’t make those noises.

Ugh, stupid sleep deprivation. Just dumb visions playing with me. He thought to himself.

The man was shaken regardless of the denial he was shoving into his mind, for he didn’t feel quite certain anymore. So, just as he felt the breeze pass him by, once calming and now chilling, he hurried towards the location of the cabin.

He started to run, urging his legs to speed up despite the clear exhaustion setting in. The terrible noise boomed through the trees and this time he didn’t take the luxury of looking at their directions. It was just stupid visions, as he believed. Nothing more. The path turned from dirt to untrekked undergrowth very quickly. A good sign, he told himself.

His heart started to pound against his ears, screaming out to stop and rest. But he couldn’t—wouldn’t. The feeling of shivers trailed down his spine, despite the growing heat rising up in his body and he didn’t think too much about it. The man already knew something was there following him and wasn’t going to let it take him away from his beloved.

Breathe.

Crunch, crunch.

Breathe, breathe.

Crunch, crunch.

Whatever it was, it’s catching up—fast.

The man sped up faster, and faster, to the point he felt his lungs burn desperately.

No… I’m so close, I can’t be claimed by this cruel forest. He sadly thought.

Just as he thought a hand grabbed his hand, he collapsed onto the cabin porch. Out of breath and disoriented, he didn’t comprehend it at first. Expecting the killing blow and the sound of laughter or screaming or whatever it was going to make when it eats him, he tucked himself close. Eventually though, he unfurled himself and sat up.

No monster or creature or person. Nothing. Just darkness being kept at bay with light—Wait, light?

He wobbly stood up and nearly gasped in surprise. The porch has light! It has light!

“Oh phew… I made it. I really did.”

Just as he was catching his breath, his hands on his knees, the door swung open. If it wasn’t his already breathless state, he would’ve gasped so hard.

There, standing in the doorway, was his beloved. He hugged him fiercely and kissed his mouth. He felt tears stream down as he laughed. When he looked up, he could almost believe he finally found him.

But it didn’t quite look like his beloved. His face looked off. His eyes aren’t brown, they’re blue. Something was wrong—really wrong. What was actually going on?

“Lucas?” The man said tentatively.

‘Lucas’ smiled too wide and nodded.

“Yes, Thomas. It’s me.”

His heart sunk.

“My name isn’t Thomas. It’s been Benjamin ever since we’ve been married.”

He stepped back and was quickly grabbed.

He snapped his eyes down to ‘Lucas’s’ hand and noticed they were pitch black.

“You’re not leaving.”

His body was instantly crushed against its chest and he let a deafening scream. He flayed and fought against this imposter. This—whatever it is!

“You were such easy prey.” Its deep voice hissed into his ear.

As all feeling started to befall to numbness, he felt the very world slowed down. Like a slow-motion scene in a movie.

He heard his name, and he desperately looked back to the porch. Benjamin felt utter hopelessness.

There, running frantically, was Lucas. The read Lucas. Face with a crooked nose and blue eyed.

And late to reach him.

A piece of paper flutters to the ground and begins to wither. The true words are revealed.

‘If you hear my disappearance, make sure you remember my appearance. If you feel the groan of pulling, do not go for it is seeking.’