There was a rustle behind me. Not from the wind. It was sharper, and disappeared as fast as it came. I froze. My body stiffening. Hairs rising. I didn’t dare to turn around.
Still staring at my trail, I considered running back. Running away, back to the safety of the house. But what if it chased me? Could I outrun it?
I didn’t hear it again. Only the gentle rustling of the trees. Then, I felt something approaching. A ghostly presence, creeping up behind. Breathing down my neck. It felt as if, at any moment, it would pull the soul out of my body. Snatch it away, deep into the forest. Leaving me as nothing but an empty husk.
I couldn’t bear it anymore. I turned around. My eyes darting faster than my stiff neck. Searching for the menace.
… Nothing. Just the black forest.
What I had heard, I didn’t know. I supposed a rodent. Or some other simple cause. But those possibilities didn’t calm me down. I could only think about that feeling and suppose the supernatural. A ghoul that only disappeared once I looked. Only to return after I relaxed.
Then I saw it. Hidden in the bushes, perhaps four or five leaps away, were a pair of eyes. Small, but glowing. Hugging the ground. Watching me.
Fear struck. I was truly frozen this time. Left with no option, other than to stare back at the gleaming moons. Glistening within the darkness. Patiently daring me to run.
My thoughts went blank. Losing awareness of my surroundings. My mind shut down as it waited for a response. Waited for it to make the first move. My stiffness became restlessness.
Then, my surroundings began to appear. The moon had returned, gently illuminating the forest floor. Blackened outlines turned blue, revealing their true identity. Leaves gained their individuality. Bark gained their texture. The ground gained its dust. And the eyes gained its body.
It was a purple creature. Four legged, its body as small as its eyes. It had fur and a long snout. It was hunched over, forming an arc from the tip of its nose to the tip of its long, shaggy tail. It didn’t look very threatening, but its glowing eyes still alarmed me.
I watched it, slowly encouraging myself to relax. My shoulders felt stiff after that, but I convinced myself not to stretch them. I shifted my weight backwards, but did not take a step. No sudden movements, I thought. Hide the fear from my face, and maybe it will lose interest. Now that I’ve observed the creature for a little longer, its fur became a dull red. Its eyes were not as bright as they were before. I wasn’t sure if that was because everything else was brighter now.
Then, the creature showed movement. It wasn’t a leap. Nor a pounce. It was slow. Its back legs bending in on itself, and its head lowering to the ground. Its tail fell flat on the ground and curled around its small body. The creature had sat down.
I was confused. I was no longer afraid, but I once again did not know what to do. The creature was still staring at me. As if it was now the one waiting for my next move.
I did what first came to mind. Just as slowly as it did, I buckled my knees and lowered myself to a crouch. However, my knees popped, splitting the silent night air. The creature’s ears perked up, like sharp horns on the sides of its head. I froze again, my arms awkwardly suspended and half bent around my sides. But the creature eventually relaxed its ears, giving me permission to raise my arms up to my knees and cross them under my chin.
I saw like this. Staring. For a long time. I don’t know why.
The creature barely moved. The only movement I saw was the sides of its chest rising and falling. Every once in a while, some kind of bird would call out, and the creature would turn one of its ears towards the noise. Then, once again, it would relax. But never drop its gaze from mine.
As I sat, I let my thoughts wander. I started to fall asleep. My eyelids growing heavy and shutting close. I almost fell forward a few times. Each catch, I would check to see if I had startled the creature. But it remained still.
I listened to the leaves rustle above. Comfortably wrapped around myself, I was at peace. It was strange. How I felt a connection to this creature, now that we were sitting together. Too far away to touch, but still close enough to judge each other’s expression.
I could now see its eyes behind the gleam. They were not menacing. At the same time, they were not curious. They did not move with mine. Simply expressionless. An emotionless display of patience. Like a sentry of the deep forest.
After what felt like countless hours of sitting, I decided I should go back. I thought about whether Father realized I was gone. Slowly, without a sound, I stood up. I didn’t know how else to leave my new companion. This time, it gave me its attention. Its gaze followed me as I rose.
I stood still, a slight shadow reaching out from my feet. It stopped right in front of the creature. Being above it, with its eyes gazing upwards, it now looked more like a puppy. Begging me not to leave. It wrenched my heart to see the creature like this, so I quickly turned around and walked back home. I didn’t hear it follow me.
Exiting the forest, I saw the house on the hill again. The light in the window was gone. When I got back to the house and tip-toed on the wooden deck to the bedroom door, I realized I had left the door open. I peeked around the door and saw my sister in bed. Still hogging the blanket. There were no signs she had woken up. Slipping out of my sandals and quietly shutting the door, I slipped back under the mosquito net and onto the bed. Quickly falling asleep.