Unaware

Alistair slipped through the woods silently, his long dark coat and worn boots concealing him from his quarry. He had been tracking his target for weeks and now he was closing in on it. He crested a hill and took in his surroundings. A break in the trees revealed the ruins of a homestead spread amongst the open glen. A brief glimpse of a shadow as it moves into an old barn, the only complete structure still standing caught his eye in the late afternoon light. His prey would be more dangerous during the night, if he hurried, he could catch it before the sun set.

He moved quickly down to the barn. It was made of wood and had been thoroughly weathered over the years by the elements, turned grey in color and falling apart in places. Yet of all the ruins in the vicinity, it had the only remaining roof. Alistair made his way silently to the large doors where he had last seen the shadow.

He paused listening for signs of his quarry, but all was silent. He drew the long metal rod hidden beneath his coat and held it down by his side. If the thing was inside, he needed to deal with it quickly before the darkness increased its power. He moved inside quickly scanning the interior as he kept his back to the wall.

The golden light of a summer evening filtered in from breaks in the roof. The old barn was filled with bright light and dark shadow. The area in from of him led straight across to another set of doors, held shut by a rusty chain and lock. To one side were stalls for holding animals now long abandoned. Carefully he stepped forward the rod extended in front of him. His eyes darted back and forth searching for indications of his prey. He continued forward checking each empty stall carefully until he stood in the middle of the structure.

"Who are you?"

Alistair whirled around. A child no more than 10 stood several feet away. She stood between him and the door he had used to enter the barn. Could this be his quarry? He didn't remember anything about it assuming different forms. He approached slowly to not scare the little girl.

"My name is Alistair," he said, "What's yours?"

"Chi," she replied.

"Nice to meet you, Chi, do you live here? Where are your parents?"

"There is no one but Chi," she said.

Alistair looked at her sharply trying to determine if she was indeed the thing for whom he hunted.

"Chi, did you see something come in here?"

"You mean the other one?"

He nodded, "yes, the other one."

"It isn't here anymore." She said indifferently.

He frowned at her words, "where did it go?"

"Away,"

"Where, child, it is dangerous and I need to find it quickly before dark or we'll both be in danger," he stepped towards her, looking around for any other movement, but saw nothing. He looked back down at the child.

"It won't harm Chi," she said with a certainty that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

"How do you know that Chi?"

She stepped closer to him. Her dark eyes seeming too large for her small face.

“Chi has it, where it can’t get away.”

A sharp searing pain penetrated his side and he gasped as a cold numbness began to spread through his abdomen. He stared back at the child in bewilderment, as he stumbled back. Had she stabbed him? He had not seen her hand pull a weapon from beneath the simple smock she wore or even move. His vision was starting to blur at the edges and his balance was leaving him. Was this some sort of toxin? He tried to raise the rod to point it at her, but his hands would not obey. They felt so weak as if made of iron.

He stumbled to one knee unable to remain. He blinked rapidly trying to clear his vision. The child continued to stare impassively at him. He stared at her, trying to concentrate on her features. Something did not look right but he could not figure what it was. Her skin was pale and translucent, yet seemed stretched over her frame, not like the skin of a child but of someone much older. She smiled up at him and he realized her teeth were sharp and jagged as row of needles. His lower body went completely numb and he collapsed on the floor unable to move. He watched as she moved next to him.

“Do not worry,” she crooned to him as his vision darkened. The last thing he heard was, “No one gets away from Chi.”