The Tale Of Shalom By: Princess Of Light (Part 2)

Both Shelia and Jarred continued to walk through the village. The night was warm and the sky was cloudless. The stars seemed to shimmer more than usual and the silence made both Jarred and Shelia a bit uneasy. All you heard throughout the village was there tiny footsteps brushing through the grass and the wind blowing. Ahead they could see hill tops and mountains; holding the compass they stopped to see which way was east. Following the direction they continued on walking. They spoke with the other children about the event, and only one accepted the invitation to join them. The others were to scared to leave the village, especially at night. The other boy that agreed to join them was John Youngin. He was the only child out of his family, very unusual, and he always bragged about the journeys he went on with his father. So Jarred offered to bring him along, anyways if they were ever in trouble John should know what to do.

They stopped at a house only a few streets down from where they lived and searched for John’s bedroom window. Annoyed that Jarred invited John along, Shelia stood firmly with her arms crossed as her brother searched around the house. Finally noticing an open window with a rope, Jarred picked up a stone and threw it gently up at the window. Ducking into the brush Jarred waited for a reply.

“Jarred? Shelia? Is that you?” said a familiar voice.

Jarred looked up and seen John leaning out his window. He motioned for him to come down and join them. John slipped out the window and down to where Jarred stood.

“Do you have everything you need?” Jarred asked.

“Yes, plus something extra,” John said grinning.

“Oh, what would that be?” Jarred asked curiously.

“While we were listening to the old guardian’s blessing I managed to take this, but don’t tell anyone.” John said.

Staring down he seen a large scroll within John’s hands. As they opened it, wide eyed, they seen a map of the ancient world compared with a map of today’s world. It was hand drawn and along side the edges were foreign writing and symbols. As they were studying it Shelia came around to meet them.

“What’s that?” asked Shelia.

“Nothing,” John said quickly placing the hand drawn map inside his pack.

They stood quietly for a few minutes knowing they were about to embark on a dangerous journey.

“Are you ready?” Jarred said finally.

Both nodded and they proceeded. The village was wide but short so the three decided to take a shortcut through the woods. As they entered the outskirts of the village they took out there flashlights and entered the woods. Among the tales told by the old guardian was the story of the “Haunted Woods”. It was an old folk tale about the two woods meeting by a narrow bridge connecting the village to unknown land. Yet, nobody has ever traveled over the bridge due to a strange creature within the woods, guarding carefully the untouched land. They say beyond the bridge is where the source of magic for all creatures lies. All the people that attempted to cross turned victim to the mysterious creature and that is where there spirits remain.

“Did you hear that?” asked Shelia.

“Hear what?” said Jarred.

They continued to walk and Shelia stopped again. They looked around and seen nothing.

“What did you hear?” asked Jarred.

“Laughter…don’t you hear it?” Shelia said with a shaky voice.

They huddled close together and listened. Nothing.

“It’s just your imagination,” John said annoyed.

After about 5 hours of walking the three grew tired, hungry, and weak. They stopped and set up a small tent that Jarred supplied in his pack. The three slipped into the tent and zipped it up. After finishing a few small snacks they packed they all laid down to rest.

“Should someone guard the tent?” John asked.

“I will,” said Jarred.

Eventually Jarred was alone while John and Shelia slept. He opened the tent and peered outside. He noticed the sky had grown darker.

“That’s strange, it should have been dawn by now,” he said to himself.

Just then as he zipped the tent up he felt two powerful hands grab him through the siding. Pulling him further from his spot the tent began to tip sideways. John and Shelia suddenly woke in terror as they seen the hands trying to get through. Grabbing Jarred by his feet they desperately tried to pull him free, but the hands were to strong. Looking up at the shadow against the tent all they could hear was laughter.

Show all stories by   Author:  11097 ( Click here )