Sunday, 28 December 2008

Scary walk (dramatized)

It was cold, late and getting dark. Perfect time for a long route in the forest. The air was cristaline and the sun was setting. There was some snow on the souh slope of the mountain.
After climbing up the trail I found a disturbing dead sheep: something ate itss eyes, ears and stomach... the chupacabra (better, the cupaoveja) is out there!
There were big dog tracks wich means it could be a wolf, but that will be unusual, they live 50 km on the north.
Watever, the sun was falling, making the snow and frozen cristals growing on the vegetation shine like gold, and I reached a village.
The village was still with no dogs or any sign of life on it. Just few bliking christmas lights, marking the gates of the living, while the rest of the houses stood dead, doors shut, blinds closed. At the end, some frightened sheep looked at me from a fenced garage. They made no noise, just stared as I passed in front of them.
Soon the light dissapeared as I sank into the valley, but I knew my way. It was a very pleasant walk, after it got dark and I realized it could get later but not darker, so I stoped to enjoy stars.
The forest made the weather warmer but the trail was more difficult to see. I was singing and then, typical forest craks made me feel observed and vulnerable. The night was pitch black, no moon or any light, and when walking among the low trees, I had to imagine the path rather than seeing it... It runs along a very steep mountain, so if I had to run I would totally lost the path and probably fall few meters. The river sounded far at the bottom.
The unnerving feeling was increasing as I walked among the trees, darker than black... something grabbed my face and I discovered it was just a spiny bush... but in my mind, every bush was like a skeleton hand trying to catch me. My breath was becoming heavier. I looked back. The problem of turning back is not the fact the fact that you are actually so scared that you are suspicius, is letting the fear flood your heart and numb your brain, so the only thing you expect to see is a pair of eyes glowing in the dark, right behind you, and even more unnerving is to see nothing.
The town was not even close when I twisted my ankle. It didn't seemed serious, but it was a warning. I had to be careful. But every legend from this mountain, every superstitious belief, every strage story I've heard and every horror I have ever imagine were chasing, me a stream of nightmares with invisible hands and glowing eyes. Once the horrow has clamped your brain, it doesn't leave it easily.

Of course I arrived safe and nothing happened and it was cool (well, I twisted my ankle other time), but just to point that in the forest, or in the jungle... the night does not belong to the humans! And that monsters live inside you!

Happy winter solstice!

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