Into the Fire

Night, in an unnamed forest on the outskirts of Clearspring Village.

A tawny owl perched high atop a towering pine tree. It's powerful claws clutched a branch so hard it was leaking sap. The owl's head slowly rotated and then did a double take. There... scurrying in the darkness... the owl's incredible senses picked up on a tiny movement in the undergrowth. It sat patiently on the branch for a moment and then was gone, silent in flight.

The owl arrived at the forest floor with unstoppable momentum and before an unfortunate mouse could let out a squeak, it was held aloft in the claws of the merciless predator.

"What have we here?" A horrible unfeeling voice asked from within the darkness.

What looked like a hand in a black glove shot out from the inky blackness and grasped the tawny owl that had not yet gone far with it's prize. The owl struggled but it was to no avail.

The body that the hand was attached to was veiled in shadow but had a vague, humanoid shape.

This figure held the owl up to it's face and some of the darkness parted to reveal a grinning mouth. This mouth had most of its teeth missing and the ones that remained were black and rotting.

"A treat! A treat for me..." The figure spoke and a trail of saliva dripped out of their wide open mouth.

"Crunch!" They brought the owl to their lips and took a bite. Wing, and flesh, and bone were swallowed whole.

"Cawwww!!!" The owl let out an inhuman cry that was both bone chilling and pitiful.

"Crunch. Crunch." Suspended in midair, the figure continued to take bite after bite. The owl's cries grew weaker and weaker until they disappeared entirely.

They popped the last bit of owl and a traumatized mouse into their mouth before licking their lips in satisfaction.

This being was about to continue on its way when it paused mid flight.

"Oh... not one, but two treats." The figure didn't sound as excited as when they caught the owl as it descended towards a small clearing in the forest. They moved like a living shadow; formless and weightless.

They swooped down without a sound but unlike an owl they didn't have to catch their prey. The dead body of a man with a bloody, caved in face, wasn't going anywhere.

The stench of fetid corpse permeated the air but the figure took a long smell like they'd landed in a field of flowers.

"Fear, resentment, and cruelty just waiting to be unleashed." The figure stated, pleased.

They raised their obscured arms high and a dark miasma billowed out in thick plumes. The smoke was blacker than night and before long the figure, the corpse, and the entire thicket we're all lost in a malevolent cloud.

...

Mayor Slocum didn't say a word. She sat at the head of the table, with her eyes shut, silent.

Rebecca had just finished explaining what had happened in the woods that afternoon and an especially nervous Dr. Maarten had also given his medical opinion.

Charlie thought he was going to pass out the whole time. Even though he just had to back Rebecca up by corroborating that he did in fact fell like crap and couldn't remember everything. The mayor had such a presence and authority that despite knowing they were hiding what happened for good reasons, it felt so terribly wrong.

Old Joe was fidgeting in his chair nearly as much as the doctor and broke the silence first. "Well? Are we done here? No dangers to the village here, unless you count this crazy kid." The old man flashed Charlie a venomous look.

"Apologies." The mayor said, opening her eyes. "I was lost in thought for a moment and I've kept you long enough but... do refrain from using words like 'crazy'. That is no way for a village elder to address a child." She said and wagged a finger at Old Joe. "Am I clear, Joseph?"

Old Joe nodded meekly. It seemed like being chastised by stern women was the old man's weakness.

Mayor Slocum adjusted the glasses that were just a little too large for her narrow nose. This subtle movement captured the attention of everyone at the table.

"Let me just make a few things clear." She started by saying.

Hearing this, Charlie felt like the hammer was about to drop. All their lies were going to be exposed! He looked at Rebecca, she didn't meet his eye but looked perfectly calm, which gave Charlie a great sense of confidence. He wondered how she got to be such a good liar.

The mayor continued, "You we're both farming around midday when you, Rebecca, noticed that Charlie was acting strangely. He was speaking to himself and growing increasingly agitated. Before you could go over to check in him, Charlie ran into the woods, screaming."

She took a measured breath and squinted at Charlie. "You don't remember why you ran into the woods, only that you had an awful headache. There was no one else in sight so Rebecca chased after you herself."

The mayor switched focus to Rebecca. "Since Charlie had lost his faculties we rely solely on your account from this point forward. You almost lost sight of Charlie but managed to follow his trail and eventually caught up. He clearly wasn't in his right mind and as you attempted to calm him down, he struggled. The both of you tussled and not realizing where you were standing fell together down a low cliffside and into a forest stream. During your fall Miss Markham broke her ankle and Charlie received a cut on his cheek that bled profusely."

She turned back to Charlie. "The only saving grace was that the fall snapped you out of whatever episode you were having."

Mayor Slocum shut her eyes again and rapped the knuckles of one hand down on the table. "In conclusion, now hurt, wet, tired, and with one broken ankle between you both, it took a considerably longer time to make your way back to the farm. Is that the long and short of it? Anything else to divulge?"

"No, ma'am." Rebecca answered and let out a tired sigh. "I'm just glad Charlie snapped out of it when he did or we both might have frozen out there tonight."

Old Joe gave Charlie a look that was anything but grateful, though he stopped once the mayor glancd his way.

"Quite right," said the mayor, agreeing with Rebecca. "It's a miracle you children made it back relatively unscathed. The whole incident could be said to have been caused by Mr. Clearspring here."

Charlie's hackles went up when he heard this name. He'd always hated he took his surname from the village since he never knew his own. It was a tradition intended to foster a sense of belonging but it only made him feel like more of an outsider.

"But..." The mayor continued while giving Old Joe a warning glare. "... it was not of his own accord and he is as much a victim as Miss Markham."

"The fault here ultimately lies with me." Mayor Slocum said regretfully. "We need more careful supervision at the farm so a situation like this never occurs again. I've let lasting peace cloud my judgement, even the older children cannot be left entirely to their own devices."

Charlie couldn't help but feel impressed, he thought he'd be getting a tongue lashing but the mayor was taking full responsibility.

Mayor Slocum promptly rose to her feet. "Now, it's getting late and we'd all best get some rest."

"Charlie." She said, addressing him directly. "The doctor said you'll need looking after for the next week and as such you'll stay with me. Come along."

She didn't wait for him to reply before nodding to the others and taking her leave.

Charlie was struck dumb, of all things he hadn't expected an invitation to stay at the mayor's house. He didn't know if he could take being in the terrifying woman's company for a whole week! And being looked after? Would she tuck him into bed, spoonfeed him soup, or sing him lullabies? The thought made Charlie shiver all over.

He rose to his feet to follow the mayor and hopefully convince her he was better off staying at the doctor's. He gave Rebecca a wry smile of relief which she returned with a wave goodbye. It seemed like they'd gotten away with it after all. It wasn't over yet but some of his fears had been for nothing.

"Thanks for everything doc!" Charlie said to the doctor who had been doing his best to disappear into the woodwork. Dr. Maarten jumped at suddenly being thanked but gave Charlie an awkward smile as he left the room.

"Good riddance!" Charlie heard Old Joe loudly say when he got into the hallway.

...

Charlie caught up to the mayor just outside the doctor's house. They were on a side street just off the village's main square and the night was broken up by porch lanterns and the flickering of candles and firelight from windows and doorways. No one else was out on the street but the comforting sound of people busying themselves inside their homes was all around.

The mayor had a long stride but with a little effort Charlie matched her pace.

"Um... I really appreciate the thought but it might be better if I stay at the doc's... in case I have another fit... right?" Charlie asked but didn't have the nerve to look the mayor in the eye as he spoke

"Nonsense," she said while not breaking stride. "My house is just down the street and the good doctor has other duties. He can't be bothered to stay at your bedside at all hours. My home has enough space to accommodate you ten times over, you will want for nothing as you recover. My son, Peter, is about your age, so you can room together and he can keep an eye out."

Charlie blanched at the thought. Sharing a room with Peter... blahhhh. 'But then again... I'd be able to order him around... have the golden boy wait on me hand and foot! No no no forget it... as soon as his mother isn't looking he'll probably just go back to treating me like air.'

On one hand Charlie wasn't eager to return to his secluded, empty shack. On the other, he was even less eager to be stuck with Peter... and his terrifying mother. Forget about healing, he'd probably feel even worse after a week!

So, he grit his teeth and spoke up once again. "Even the doc said there probably wasn't anything to worry about. So... as long as I take it easy I can just rest at home... I think..."

Charlie trailed off because the mayor had stopped walking. At this point Charlie did look up and when he saw her looking down at him and frowning, he felt like some poor injured creature, separated from his kin and in the clutches of a fearsome beast.

"Do you think me a fool, Mr. Clearspring?" She said with a frightening chill in her voice.

"Wha... of course not!" Charlie waved his hands frantically in denial.

"No?" Mayor Slocum took a step closer, looming over Charlie. He wanted to take a page out of the doctor's book and disappear into the ground.

"Then why are you skirting around the truth?" She was staring down at such an extreme angle that her glasses started to slip.

"Why, have you lied to me?" She asked with dreadful certainty.

The knot in Charlie's stomach that had just been starting to loosen, tightened up again with a vengeance. The soft light from the surrounding homes seemed far far away.