by Aaron Lynch
Aaron Lynch
Copyright © 2019 Hangman Publishing
Cover illustration © Aaron Lynch
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the express written permission of the copyright owner except for use of quotations in a book review.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the authors imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locals or people, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Editor: Kimberly Daries
Chapter 1
No wind blew across the field as Lisa lay dazedly among the grass. The air held the cold of a winter long since gone refusing to allow the tepid weather of spring to arrive. Neither bird nor insect or cloud dared to mar the perfect light blue sky, yet, a silent hum of orchestral instruments stained the air, playing somewhere unseen. Standing, she examined the endless expanse of emerald, ankle high grass. The ground felt as ice, a welcome relief for her travel worn feet. How far had she traveled? This she couldn’t answer, but she knew she had to continue on towards the horizon, towards the sounds.
Trudging forward only accentuated her loneliness. The only thing coming into view after hours, or perhaps minutes, she could never be sure with time flowing so strangely in this realm, was an incredibly tall column. It appeared simply to sprout from beneath the field, growing steadily as she drew closer, looking to scrape the sky itself. Its width was immense, consuming the horizon with every step she took, as if her movements were commanding it to do so. Despite being so massive, no detail of its surface could be determined at such distance. Lisa tried to reason what the odd shape could be, feeling she’d seen something like it in her travels, but a white haze pushed back her intrusive thoughts, restricting her from dipping even a hand into the shallows of her mind. Eventually she gave up, the throbbing being much too painful.
Closer she drew and still nothing could be said of the material this column possessed and the louder the humming became. The nature of the eerie tune remained a mystery, every sorrowful note melded together into an unrecognizable flurry of murmurs. Lisa stopped, ogling at this new and strange thing for long moments. A twinge of fear gripped at her heart. Scowling she took a deep, calming breath, ridding her of the bothersome feeling. There was no reason to feel like this! This thing was hardly dangerous, or, perhaps it was? The thought was but a dying flicker of a candle. Up until now she’d come across nothing, no animals, no trees, not even a breeze had passed in her journey and the uncountable hours blurred together, dissolving into one incredibly long day from which she couldn’t escape by neither sleep or the passage of time.
Nevertheless she walked on, determined that somehow she’d reach something, anything, eventually. Now finally she had and she wasn’t going to squander this moment on a bout of uneasiness.
The wall stood nearly a hundred feet high, appearing, from this angle, as if rooted not in the ground but the sky. The many branches, wide deciduous leaves and purple flowers of the hedge created such a thick veil all but a few speckles of light broke through. A gate half the height of the wall, and constructed of the finest quartz with intricate carvings of strange birds, snakes, deer, and other indistinguishable forms, underneath a canopy of shadow at the bottom, stood within its enveloping braches. Carved into its center a leviathan, with long webbed frills along its back, shrinking as they wrapped to its tail and even longer antenna, sat coiled against the rock as if it were flat ground and not hung precariously above, its head dangling with its eyes closed. A long vertical line broke through its center, though hidden once at the serpent, revealing the door to be consumed into both sides of the bramble along its border when opened.
Gasping at the spectacle, she drew closer, never having seen anything so beautiful in her life. The gate seemed to shine and sparkle in the perpetual sunlight bathing the never-ending field around her.
Though the rock was gorgeous, it had a strange brooding air about it, the leviathan in particular, as if it could hurt her by simply being in its presence. She scoffed at the ridiculous thought, reaching out uneasily to the light speckled stone. A simple carving couldn’t possibly attack. She nearly placed a hand on the gate before pulling back feeling something tug at her blue dress. She spun around to catch the assailant but, unfortunately, only succeeded in startling the little creature calling her attention. It cowered low in the grass awaiting her to strike it. Crouching down to come face to face with the whimpering red fox Lisa reached out to its head. Surprisingly, it accepted her affection with great enjoyment, standing again and panting. Its breath oddly didn’t smell of iron or mould, an odour common among carnivores, but instead had a pleasant scent of some indiscernible fruit and its fur held the softness comparable to a duckling.
“Well, aren’t you a peculiar little girl,” Lisa said, with a sombre, yet relieved smirk. She looked back to the gate then again to the fox. The little creature backed away, its ears tilting back. “It makes you uneasy, huh? That’s alright... I don’t like the looks of it either.”
The fox backed farther away looking about to turn tail and run. Thinking perhaps her voice was startling it Lisa took a careful step towards the petrified animal before crouching down and outstretching her hand once more. This proved a mistake. It whimpered before spinning around and running.
“Wait! C-come back!” Lisa shouted forgetting her previous wonderings, but to no avail.
The last bit of red tail vanished around the colossal hedge in an instant, leaving her alone once again. She turned back to the gate, perplexed. It hadn’t changed in any noticeable way, not a branch had been snapped nor flower stood out of place. Hesitantly she approached, but took not a step before freezing, held by the spectral hand of fear, real fear, on her shoulders.
The door hadn’t moved, no light escaped its central split, no figure within the shadows shifted, but one thing was different. The leviathan’s eyes had opened! Before she could move, it slithered down off the slab to the grass leaving a swirling divot in the quartz behind. It vanished beneath the sea of emerald before encircled its speckled body around her, trapping her like a pig for slaughter within a pen of scales. It coiled its remaining length before her leaving it to look the part of a massive pile of discoloured, web-frilled rope adorned with a head. It flexed the fish-like fins behind its eyes and underneath its chin and its antenna flowed like a gentle stream from its nose tip at every breath. Raising its head, it glared at Lisa with solid black eyes.
“W-what are you?” Lisa asked, unable to think of anything else.
She could try to run, but the thing would pick her off in a single strike before she got one hand past its serrated spines. Despite the hopelessness of escape, she chanced one instinctive step backward. The creature pushed her towards its head with the tip of its tail, and she made no further arguments to its suggestion.
“I am the one that guards this gate,” it said, its deep voice trailing off with a sombre hiss.
Lisa looked to the gate again hearing a rise in the murmurs of music within.
“C-can... can you tell me what this place is?” the words came out as a bullfrog’s croak through her constricted throat forcing her to cough.
The giant uncoiled slightly to gain enough length for its head to come level with her, its scales sparkling brilliantly as it moved.
“All who enter this land are drawn here; it is the natural order of things. As for inside, it is the desire of all and the reward of the true, many have come to me claiming they are worthy of its embrace but too few prove they are ready to witness its glory.”
It spoke with the upmost air of
regal presence, tinged with the sadness of a long solitary life filled with nothing more than guarding its precious door.
Lisa blankly stared at the serpent with even worse confusion consuming her. She went to speak, but the creature cocked its head so quickly only a meagre gasp escaped her lips. The thing’s gaze seemed to bore to the very depths of her mind. Its spell immobilized her, forced her to stand like a frightened deer as it slithered its way through her thoughts. Finally, it relinquished its dark tendrils and she stumbled back into its rough body.
“Hmmm, interesting...” it said heaving a long contemplative sigh, its antenna fluttering about. “Others minds have pleaded, begged and squabbled for me to let them within the moment they arrive. They have lusted for their chance for so long it blurs all other thought. But you... you are not like them. You seem hesitant, afraid... why?”
Lisa fought to keep her expression calm at the insult to her composure, forcing the urge to shout and rave in defence down with a hard swallow. What good would it do to argue with this thing? It could kill her in a second if it wanted. Furthermore, if she called it out as a liar, of whom she was still unsure, just because she hadn’t seen any of the others this creature spoke of didn’t mean they weren’t real, no benefit to finding where she was or why she was here would become by arguing. Taking in a much more noticeable breath than what she wanted Lisa braved taking a step towards the things head.
“I-I’m not, afraid! If I were, wouldn’t I have run?”
“A weaker human would, but no... You are proud; you feel the need to prove your distance from the common flock that traipse to me in troves. However, your mask is unneeded... I am not your enemy. I can help you, if you are willing.”
“S-so can you tell me why I’m here?” Lisa cursed silently for her nervous tone.
The leviathan shook its head. “No, I am constricted to telling you only of where you are meant to go.”
Lisa tapped her index finger to her lips letting her eyes wander back to the gate, to the other carvings of the odd, misshapen animals greeting her with the same familiarity. Still, she couldn’t tell what they were.
“I’m meant to go in there? Why?”
“Yes, as are all who come to me. Why this is, I have never been given the knowledge.” Lisa tried to speak but the thing quivered its many frills before continuing. “Nevertheless I, unfortunately, cannot allow you in. You are... not ready.”
“But you said I was different,” Lisa retorted, folding her arms across her chest, proud of her point. Luckily, it disregarded her rude tone lowering its head again level with her.
“Different does not mean ready...” it hissed back, “nevertheless, I believe you were lured here prematurely for another reason, a reason which will prove your worth and allow me to make an exception. You see... I am missing a crucial item that allows me to open the passage. A mischievous spirit, of whom I cannot even speak the name, has stolen it. Retrieve it for me and I shall allow you passage through the gate.”
Lisa stood frozen with intrigue rather than fear, her unease of the leviathan’s ferocious air dissolved into the misty depths of her racing mind. Why should it need her help? Couldn’t it take back what was lost by its power alone? She looked again to the gate, the scent of pleasant flowers and the sounds of music drifted through the still air. It felt as if they pulled her, whispered in her ear to come closer, to give in to the promise of what lay beyond.
Shaking the thoughts away, she asked, “Why can’t you get this thing?”
The creature suddenly freed her, uncoiling to its full length and turning back towards the gate.
“If you do not wish to help me, or yourself,” it sighed, “then be gone...”
It slithered its way up the stone back to its static place encircling the gates center. Lisa turned to walk away. What responsibility was it of hers to get this thing, this key, back? Just as she stepped, the serpent spoke again.
“It is a shame no others will ever again enter the soft embrace of their destinies. Even you will be drawn back only to be rejected. But no matter, it is your choice to rob everyone of their purpose.”
Lisa turned back to the thing now wrapped lovingly around its home, its head hung low from the center staring at her.
“If there’re others here, why haven’t I come across anyone else? Why’ve I been wandering for so long, alone? Where am I, Snake?”
Her fear of the monster vanished and she took a heated step forward. If it truly wanted to kill her, it would’ve done so already. What it said made no sense at all! She’d walked for hours, or days, or years, she could never remember truly how long it’d been, the beginning of her walk was so, fuzzy...
But she knew for a fact not one person had ever crossed her path!
The leviathan lowered its head so fast Lisa faltered back nearly tumbling to the ground, but she regained composure immediately.
“If so adamant you are to find answers, bring me my key. Only then will I be able to show you where you are.”
Lisa gulped down the fear welling in her throat as the giant spoke. The serpent still hung close to the ground, eagerly awaiting her response, blowing about her long chestnut hair with every breath.
“Fine. I’ll do what you want, but only for answers, not to get into that,” she pointed to the hedge. The music still called, her fear swelling with every peak and valley of the eerie notes.
“Very well, but the two are one and the same...” it hissed, slightly annoyed at her firm tone. “Beyond this hedge, you will find the forest, home to a creature called a Nakki. A vile thing even I fear. It lives alongside the creatures of this place; they converge in those woods listening to its every word. Pay them no attention, their only goal is to make you lose your way; they do not deserve your trust. After this you will reach the cliffs, here, on an outcrop of land, will be a tree. The thief lives there, but you must be very careful with them. No matter what, never allow them to lead you across their bridge into the hollow center of the tree. Do so and risk being lost to its collection and become one of the dead stumps many bare branches.”
Lisa hesitated before saying, “h-how will I know what this thing looks like?”
She looked past the hedge as if already able to see the forest through its rounding edge, but there was nothing aside from emerald grass and a wall of flowered bramble.
The leviathan ignored her inquiry, retracting its head back and closing its eyes. Lisa stood for a moment watching its tendrils flutter in rhythmic breath before shaking her head and stalking off following the edge of the totem.
Intrigued by what lay beyond the thick brush, and wondering, perhaps, if the serpent had been untruthful of its bounty, Lisa stopped away from the creature’s sight, admiring the magnificent flowers adorning the wall. The music continued its call, telling her to come closer, inviting her to see what it held. Reaching out she pushed away the thicket of branches only to encounter yet another bundle of leaves and twigs beyond the hole. Lisa yanked on a branch determined to see what lay beyond. It snapped, stealing her balance and felling her face first into the bramble.
Hoisting herself from the tangled mass, she absently picked the leaves from her hair staring at the consolation in her hand. She chucked the severed branch back at its former body in a frustrated huff. Why couldn’t she get through this hedge now? If all were “destined” to enter, why bar it off? Why make it so none could catch even a glimpse into its inner depths? And why was she brought here only to be turned away?
Leaving the frayed and broken promise of seeing into the hedge lying in the grass, Lisa gave one last glance to the gate before it vanished behind the bend of the hedge. She reached the other side of the column after what seemed like hours, and she stopped, frowning at the nothingness before her despite the leviathan’s directions. How could she find this forest if everything but this hedge looked the same?
She whirled around to face the maze of branches again feeling a light tug on her dress. She put her hand to her chest in relief seeing the small,
friendly fox before her. It gleefully approached pushing its head into her hand.
“Huh, where did you run off too?” she smiled scratching the fox’s velvety ears.
The fox recoiled from her affection forcing the tip of its snout into her hand. A mass of warm, slimy wood dropped into her palm and Lisa brought the fragment of stick to her eyes. The branch of purple flowers, though covered in drool, was as perfectly beautiful as if still attached to its host.
“D-did you want me to keep this?”
The fox danced as it backed away, panting and baring a stupid grin.
“Well t-thank you...” she gave a false smile, feeling slightly a fool for accepting a present from a fox. The fox pulled on her dress again forcing her attention when she tried to walk away.
“What? I hardly think you know the way.”
It danced again before running a few paces ahead of her away from the hedge. Lisa shrugged. Why should she be hesitant of such a small creature? It twitched its head back between her and the horizon with every step it took. Seeing no other choice Lisa followed the happy creature through the grass, leaving the pleasant music and fragrant flowers behind.
Chapter 2
It felt as if they’d traveled for days before the column seceded beyond the horizon. Throughout the trek, Lisa had great difficulty keeping alongside the fox as it bounded towards the steadily darkening line stretching before them. Though she couldn’t make out individual trees, it was obvious the forest held a size equal, if not greater, to that of the plains. A bird not much different than an eagle, with a long flowing tail akin to a peafowl, occasionally coasted above the masses center. Her attempts to study it failed miserably, every time she tried it vanished, falling into the trees and leaving only blue sky in its wake. Perhaps it’d been a figment of her imagination? Anything could’ve been possible in this strange world, however, Lisa hardly doubted its reality, discerning it to be one of the spirits the leviathan warned. She could only begin to imagine what monsters lurked within the canopy. Horribly grotesque things with missing limbs, bloodied skulls and chests or even no chests or heads at all, floated into her mind. Shaking her head, she thrust the disturbing thoughts away into the mist.
