The Void

This is just a small, incomplete piece.

The Void By Smokey

There are myths of Dark Forests, too many to count, though none that you’ve ever believed. Endless ground, slanting, perfectly diagonal, beautiful golden trees which turn pure black deeper into the nightmare, where creatures appear lacking eyes, yet always trailing behind, making sure you are never alone in the dark abyss. They’ve rumored that once you have succumbed to the darkness, you received immortality, a dream come true to all men. Though these things seemed impossible-- there you were. You stand at the beginning of the Dark Forest. It was true; everything.

Something is calling you in-- a dark, low murmur that lingers throughout the air, coming in forms of echoes or gusts of winds, that brought dancing shadows high in the trees-- you tell yourself that you don’t want to enter for the immortality, but for the rising curiosity. Just like anyone else, you know curiosity killed the cat. Eagerly, you walk onto the grassy dirt path, which keeps an even tilt. Immediately, you hear chirps, different from the familiar feathered-friends. They’re beautiful with songs instantly becoming enticing, sweeter than anything. You fall into a daze by their charm.

Yet you know you have to continue, and if there was any point in entering, it was to find out about the forest; to gain understanding.

Looking back, you expect to find the all-too-familiar clearing that belonged to your parents cabin, the one that you travel to over summer breaks, but all that was there became a part of the forest. Trees appear in endless rows and columns, an unknown source of light seems to fade further up the path-- the direction of where the forest started. I just now set foot in the forest, not even five feet. Already, you have lost yourself.

The chirps start to get louder, drawing the attention back to the original direction you’ve planned for. Birds fly overhead-- you can’t see them but surely they’re there. Loud enough tweets go off to tell you they’ve perched themselves among the trees, becoming your audience. Soon enough, accompanied by squeals and quiet squeaks of the small hidden creatures. You look up, taking in a quick breath to build confidence-- though you’re wise enough to know that the forest won’t release you, yet.

You exhale, and walk at a brisk pace to finish this journey. A shadow crosses your vision-- your eyes fall off to the end of the dirt road, hidden behind darkness-- you attempt to find the figure. Though all that you can notice, becomes the completely new set of hues that fills the trees. Leaves get darker, the sparkling golds and yellows that enticed you to entered have vanished, even the ones that you’ve passed have disappeared. No trace of the sun-like reminders guide you. Now, light blues, purples and oranges come into view. The beautiful golden leaves have fully became the new set of hues. You excitingly continue,  almost content with never actually seeing the creatures that are the assumed source of the noise, only slinked shadows or

the movement of tall grass with a tail or leg vanishing within. For all you know, those animals

have been saving you from themselves. No one knows what to expect from the dark.

As you descend, blackness swallows the light. Chirps and squeaks lessen, just like the colorful trees. More dog-like sounds start to echo from the distance, making you stop to survey your surroundings multiple times. But not anymore, you force yourself to face forward with every growl and clawing screech that seem to come from the back of your neck.

With a final whimper, everything grew darker, being almost impossible you had sight. Only the dark outlines of timber kept you from going astray. With the recent barks and growls beginning to die down, you start to worry. Darker sounds began to rise as you put one foot in front of the other. Hissing, laughing, panting, whispering, screaming. Everything sounds so close, as if they waited for a signal, for their strangling chain to be cut.

Darkness swirls around, wind pushes in random and quick gestures, screaming fill your ears, footsteps echo behind, trees topple towards you, your body weakens. You fall, helpless. All thoughts that clouded your mind vanish. All that it left, is you and the black sky.

Reaching to the sides in order to prop yourself up, a tiny prick stings your finger. You reposition your leg and feel around at the area on the ground with the bottom of your torn shoe, all to no avail. Pardoning the distress, you hoist yourself back to a standing position, taking a moment to fully gain balance-- feeling a wave a dizziness. You stare at the ground and uncertainty rushes over. The path, which you’ve trusted for so long, had no tilt whatsoever. Instead of the constant hill, you stand on a perfect plain of forestry. In a heartbeat, you sprint in the assumed direction of the way you came from. Counting the seconds, minutes, hours, before collapsing. For the upteenth time, a sense of helplessness washes over.

The noises rush back faster than you could count to one. You’ve forgotten about their existence as you’ve attempted escape. Though now, bark and growls are in your ears. They seemed to be mocking you as you rest on freshly scraped knees. A single, cold and wet trail falls down your skin, defeat.

You are insane. You are an entity made of glass and feathers-- broken. Fragile things, are you and your kind.

For the Void to have silence, is for the sky to bleed. For the Void to have laughter, is for the sky to have clouds.

This is not a forest, as you have called it. You may refer to this location as the Void. You may continue to roam our grounds, with your shaking legs and tear filled eyes.

Another creature is finally loose from its chain, free to join the other wandering souls. The question is, will the others accept it?

Congratulations, you have received immortality, with this, death is not an option-- you may exist here for as long as time allows.

You are not alone in this place.

Run.