Hunted

I could feel myself float as if I was just some spirit that was a spectator to everything that happened.

The man slapped the other woman who cried hysterically while Suzy had only sobbed silently. He kicked them both and proceeded to exit the tiny weathered shack.

"I swear, if I could kill him with my mind…" Suzy said with a whisper of vehemence.

Wind blew and the sweet scent of open fields permeated inside.

The howl of a dog echoed in the still night. After making sure the man was out of earshot, Suzy got out a pin she had hidden beneath her ragged dress and picked on the locks of their bonds.

I didn't know why, but I felt myself being pulled outside by some invisible force. Before I knew it, the cold air of the swamps had welcomed me.

The bulky man who went outside had grabbed for an axe and went on to chop logs. Hunting dogs started to bark at the distance and I could sense their apprehension with the way they snarled in my direction.

Did they see me?

Was it me they had been spooked with?

What was I anyway?

I could see my body and I can tell that I had the same clothes I wore when I got to bed. But I am not entirely sure if this is just a dream or I had traveled back in time.

"Looks like your magic has gone for more than just electric shocks and telekinesis, sweet love."

"Aahhh!" I shrieked.

The laughter of a girl echoed in the open and with it the dogs barked and howled even more.

It was like an orchestra of unlikeable sounds mixed together to create the most disruptive, unharmonious, and maddening music.

I glared at the voice that startled me and I was shocked to see that there was nothing but a firefly that floated to my right.

"Who are you?" I asked, a bit perplexed and partly annoyed by the scare it gave me.

A sickening whistle of thwacks made me turn by head again to see the burly man had whipped at the chained dogs. Three large dogs with muscular bodies and big heads cowered in fear of his lashes.

The firefly circled around me and I could hear her soft giggles.

The dogs reduced their barks into guttural growls and the man went out further after he was done chopping logs. He left the axe with a loud thump and went on to grab a crossbow.

"Do you not remember me, dearie? You have seen me when you and the blind seer took a short trip to the past." The girl's voice said.

When the firefly mentioned the blind seer, it was then that I remembered when we were in the forest Will and I used to go to. A little girl's laughter was heard and with each giggle I could tell that their voices were one and the same.

The spirit of the forest.

"So, did I travel to the past too? But they don't see me. Well, except maybe the dogs who keeps on growling in our direction." I said, skeptical and a bit intimidated by this new development.

Ever since I have met the blind seer, more and more supernatural phenomenon had been happening to me. Not to mention a deity and now a spirit had shown themselves with a very annoying habit of surprising me with their sudden presence.

What did I do to deserve all of this confusion?

"This is a good opportunity for you, sweet love. When you sleep, you can travel into certain happenings of the past to help you with your mission."

I scoffed at the firefly. I wonder if there are more people like Juno and this spirit who loves to play with humans and see them struggle.

Why can't they just make things easier if they are so powerful as to bring my consciousness to the 21st century? What do they need me for?

After a long while, there was a cry from up into the dense canopies that sounded like disturbed birds. A flutter of wings echoed in the night and the all too familiar gait of the bulky man crushing mulch with his boots was heard.

He emerged from the dark with his hunt of the day.

In his right hand, there was the weapon he carried and with his left, a bunch of squirrels.

He threw the poor animals onto a pan and gathered some of the woods he chopped a while ago to make fire.

When he was able to build an agreeable size of a fire, he threw in the dead squirrels into the flames and let the hairs on their skin singed.

The man rolled up his sleeves and I noticed his right hand had some sort of bracelet where a cross was used as a pendant.

The look of the cross was too familiar I almost thought it was somewhat similar to —

Wait a minute.

I stood there thoughtless and unsure. I waited for the man to remove his hat so I could deny the hunches in my head.

I tried to walk closer but some force held me right where I was standing and I couldn't move any further. I wanted to inspect what he really looked like and see for myself.

I wanted to see his face for myself and I struggled to reach him with my arms outstretched to topple his hat aside.

"Hmm… this is such a peculiar predicament you are in, love. You clearly still have not much command over your magic. I can see most of the times your feelings dictate your capabilities and that is a bit unfortunate."

A sudden gust of wind carried the man's hat away but before I could even catch a glimpse of his face, the scene suddenly changed.

This time I was running with Suzy and the other woman. The chains that served them immobile were now gone. They were bare-foot and their breaths were labored from the exhaustion of running.

The barks of dogs were coming from behind us and it was getting closer and louder.

The woman tripped and moaned as she unfortunately sprained her leg. Suzy tried her best to support the woman and all I could do was watch in frustration, still unaware how and why this thing happened to her.

Three black dogs sprint past them and cornered Suzy and the other woman to a stop. They were worn and tears fell down their eyes as their doom awaits.

"You dare to run away from me, you worthless slaves!" the man came upon them with anger.

He grabbed for the woman's hands and lifted her up like she was some ragdoll. Suzy reached out for the girl while the man kicked her away.

THWACK!

Quite unexpectedly, a wooden branch had unfortunately landed on top of the man's head and he rolled down and pinned the girl and Suzy.

The foggy marshland and nearby swamp created an eerie landscape. Suzy heaved and got themselves away from the man who had lain face smacked on the ground. His head was a bloody mess and there was not a single movement left to his muscles.

Not even the rise and fall of his breath was perceptible.

"You killed him without doing anything but to lift your hands." The other woman said to Suzy with widened eyes full of fear. "It is true what they said… witch!"