The truck’s brakes squealed as it came to a stop at the edge of the ancient wood, its exhaust backfiring in protest. He had been riding in the back of this truck for over an hour down Station Road, and he was finally here. The sun was already burning off the dew as it came up over the tree line, and the morning fog retreated from its burning rays. Sean climbed out, stretching the kinks out of his legs and grabbing his pack. He walked around to the driver’s side door and smiled at the old man. “Thank you for the ride, Mr. McBride,” he said, giving the man a folded, twenty dollar bill. “Are you sure you don’t mind waiting?”
“Bah, I’ve no need of your money boy. Just promise me you won’t go too far in there. Jus’ walk a bit, look around, and then come out. I’ll be awaiting here for ya.” The old man looked at the woods with a mix of awe and fear, wiped his brow, then rolled up the window.
Paths
Sean shouldered his pack and left the truck behind, stepping into the forest. There was no actual “path” out here in the middle of nowhere, but that’s the way he wanted it. He had his father’s compass, and had watched a YouTube video on the plane ride about how to use it. He was certain that he would be able to find his way back if he got turned around. He took a reading, then put it away as he started walking. His sister had warned him of the old stories, and of things that lurked in the dark parts of the world. She had always believed in that stuff; but not him. He gave up believing in anything when his mother died.
“Stupid doctors,” he said to himself as he walked over a moss-covered rock. The doctors had told her that they could save her; that her cancer could be put into remission because they caught it soon enough. She died anyway, leaving Sean and his sister to fend for themselves. They weren’t little children, he was almost twenty years old and she was a year older, but it was still hard. He walked on; looking at the massive trees and rocks, just soaking it all in, then his phone went off.
He had set an alarm so that he didn’t lose track of time, something he was prone to do, and he chuckled to himself as he hit the button to shut it off. He checked the time and swore, seeing that he had been in here for over two hours, the exact limit he had set; he hadn’t planned on walking for that long. Originally he had wanted to find a good place to sit, then he would open his mother’s folklore books and read a story to her, like a tribute. No time for that now, he thought, as he turned around to get his bearings. Nothing looked familiar. He took out his compass and set the dial, yet he saw the needle spinning slowly as he stood stock still. Crap.
Sean looked up and thought he saw where he had come from, or some rocks that looked familiar at least, and he started walking that way as he tried to put his useless compass in his bag. His attention was on too many things though, and he snared his foot in a tangled root and fell, his bone snapping like the dry twigs all around him. He cried out in pain and shock, landing awkwardly on the forest floor. His bone was sticking out like a white flag of surrender, and Sean watched his blood mingle with the fallen leaves as his scream echoed through the forest.
The pain was unlike anything he had ever experienced. He finally sat with his back to a tree and looked down at his ankle, cursing the ruined mess that would never get him out of this forest. He screamed for help, knowing in the back of his mind that he was far from anyone that could hear him. Fear drove him to try anyway, that icy grip on his spine that said he was going to die here, alone and afraid. He took a water bottle out of his pack and drank, then poured the rest over his wound, prompting another scream. He had to clean it or infection could set in, that much he knew, but as far as how he was going to get on his feet again, that was beyond him.
After two hours he tried to get up, but his ankle quickly showed him the error of his ways. As he stood it made him scream again, and he slid back down the tree trunk onto the bloody leaves. The old man, Mr. McBride, had to have left by now, so that meant no one was waiting for him except Siobhan. She knew he was going hiking in the Cloosh forest, but not where. They’ll find my body at least, he thought as he started to get light-headed.
Then he heard the singing.
The Lady
The sound was light and melodic, drifting through the leaves like a breeze. Sean looked around in a daze, but couldn’t see where the singing could be coming from, as it sounded like it was everywhere at once. As it went on the song took on more depth, gaining in pitch and tone as it drew near. His first thought was that he had drifted to sleep, but the pain in his foot every time he moved cancelled that idea immediately. The tune was catchy as well, repeating a chorus that he couldn’t quite catch, but that he could hum to. Over and over the lyrics drifted across the forest, finally getting louder. The voice seemed to focus suddenly, drawing into a single focal point as a lady
