Okay, this is the opening chapter [rather prologue] of second part of Hensel And Gretel series. It was originally envisioned as a two part series, but now feel it might turn out to be a three part series... maybe longer too. As of now its titled "Prologue" but rest assured it will be named soon [Marshes of Forgetfulness, Again].
*** Prologue ***
The lead wolf flared his nostrils and snarled. The smell of the prey filled his senses and dripped from the fangs shining in moonlight. Rest formed a circle around the little boy, whose eyes were still following the distant silheoutte of a lil girl running away into the darkness, a distant wistful look glazed his eyes. One of the wolves behind him made a slow move. Leaves rustled under its paw. The little boy jolted back to his place in the center of a circle of wolves. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and opened them again. In that one moment the woodcutter's son had almost become the man his father one day wanted him to be.
Five wolves. He weighed his odds, but then, he didn't really have a choice. Only if he had a weapon to fight, an axe, a spear, a twig... anything. Suddenly a sturdy branch fell near him. He picked it up, could use it as a club. The wolves paused, looked at their leader. His eyes narrowed, knees bent and nose almost touched the ground. And then he let out a roar and one of the wolves jumped at the boy from behind. Pure instinct made him turn and WHAM! The club hit the wolf staright on the jaw and he fell on the ground whimpering. But the little boy had no time. Leaping bodies, slashing claws, snapping fangs and a blurry club waiving around was all a pair of distant crying eyes could see.
The boy was winning the battle, could have, but fate willed otherwise. Fighting and roling on the ground to escape attacks he had reached the edge of the marshes, The Marshes of Forgetfulness. The lead wolf leapt at him and sank his fangs in his shoulder. He rolled to get him off and kicked him. The lead wolf let him go. But the boy's right leg touched the marshes. And they pulled him in. A mist rose from the marshes. The boy tried to scream, hoping for a rope or anything to hold on to. But no sound escape his lips. His last breath escaped his lips, only to be imprisoned in a bubble that escaped to the surface and finally broke free. A faint sound swept through the forest and the village like a shockwave, a name...
*******
"Gretel"
"Gre-tel..."
*******
It wiped the little boy's memories, every sign of his existence. The boy was now just a mist, mist of a forgotten memory meant to dwell the netherworld of the marshes. The lil boy was forgotten by all, and so was his name... a name that never existed, except for in a deep dark corner of a girl's mind.
And he waited for her to remember.
[to be completed soon]
No comments:
Post a Comment