It was a normal day that you will find every times you have awake from slumber, so as I but but only... in my thought. I received a letter from my sister. They have a child and wanted me to visit them. I thought this was a good news. I was really excited to see my nephew. I quickly looked for the location of my sister. I found out that she lived in a village beside large mountain. Climbing any mountain would be terrible idea for a person like me. Map by map I searched for other ways to reach my sister . I found nothing. It would take too long, my probably could walk when I arrive if I choose to walk . Luckily, I found out that the village wasn't located right beside the mountain, but its surrounding hills instead. Still, I knew I couldn't possibly climb such thing without any help. That leave me no choice. I had asked my friend Mark, an outgoing man with burning passion yet an expert of travelling. Of course he agreed.
In that day it was cloudy. Only a dim light could be seen through that dense dark clouds. I walked out of my house to met with Mark with his packed bag full of necessary stuff. We journeyed by a carriage through the long pathway. We passed a large seemingly endless field of grasses and flowers. The wind blew passed the carriage, so as my face and sleeping Mark. For many people this may seem a wonderful times, and it is. That was a time I wish to confine forever.
We traveled to the point that the carriage could not went any further. We started feet walking on a slope of the hill. I looked back to the field of grass that we had passed right before Mark called me. I look up... and saw it. The Grey Mountain, at least that's what it's called. A large towering stone surrounded by a hill that is incomparable in size, and it is the same hill we would cross.
I was stunned for a moment until Mark called me out again. He told me that if we hurry, we might be able to get to the village or at least some houses by the night. We journeyed through the hill almost entire day. Mark was truly a knowledgeable person here. Often time that he got carried away, but also saving my life few times too. The journeyed went well, only the environment wasn't seem too. It was cloudy all day long. Even if there weren't anything ahead, often the time I looked up...up to that colossal mountain covered by the raging clouds. There I felt, for the first time in my entire life to be...overshadowed and powerless.
Mark and I sat down for a moment before we enter the woods. While we were having some food, I noticed something. A wooden sign in front of a woods and I went down to checked it. It was an old wooden sign that the letter was so distorted no one can even read a single letter. I was started to be a bit off, But Mark did not. He seem more excited. Having a urge to look what lurk inside the darkness. The last emotion I saw when he still.... a human.
Nevertheless we still have to went through the woods. That leave me no choice but went through it .The sun started to went down by the time we went into the woods. This even made things worst. We were leaved no choice but to stay a night in the woods. We set down in the best place for rest. Mark used his skill to make a bonfire. After the meal we couldn't slept, so we started a conversation. Mark showed me what he had collected along the journey. I wasn't familiar with them, true I was a book worm, but nature is not in my favor. He also stated that one of those which looked like a bluish stone could sold a high price to a merchant. I asked him for stone so I could look at. he gave it to me and told me that it doesn't matter, we were friend anyway. I took it and went to sleep.
After that we went asleep. I thought of the sign I seen before. The mountain that towering above. I looked at it, and suddenly, I heard a sound. A sound inside a bush. Mark heard it too. here it begun.
First we thought it was an animal. But as I turn back our bags of supply had lost. I and Mark was panic, but Mark keep me calm. he told me it just an animal looking for food. He told me that he was going to brought the bags back. I was hesitated, but Mark had more experience than me. we both lighted up our torches, then our bonfire exhausted. I there was now panic, I started to get scare, yet again Mark keep me calm. He told me that he would help me out..together. He told me to lighted the bonfire up but...the wood wasn't there anymore. Now only light we had was our torches. I who was lived quietly was now scared and frightened. I ask Mark what to do. He reply calmly that we had to find our supply, but I know in his eyes...there was a sense of fear in it.
We walked through the woods. Dark and seemingly silence. We searched and searched but still.. nothing had been found. I was frightened and told Mark to leaved the supply and tried to walked as far as we could so.. we might be able to find some houses, but Mark did not agree. He told me that he was going to find our supply...but I know that was a lied. His eyes was the eyes of a curious person.
Time passed by as I followed Mark and his searching. It had been a very long time, I could only thought in my mind that we should get out. I know Mark wouldn't listen, and that's leave me no choice. It was dark...so dark there, as my torch started to get dimmer and dimmer, I heard a sound. Something inside a bush...again. I stunned for a while until I noticed that Mark walked ahead me. I tried to ran to him, but the I heard a sound. It was not from the bush...it's Mark's. He scream out, but not in a word. I followed to sound to find him. As my torch getting dimmer as time time passed. I still running.
I ran into what suppose to be a middle of the wood. There I heard sound from everywhere. I shouted his name, but only the same sound answered me back. No matter how much I tried...only the same thing happened. I continue shouting until I heard a sound of something cracked. I walked too the sound. My torch was now only bright enough for me to see my hand. I continued walking, calling bis name until I stepped on something. I looked down with my torch and I saw it! A severed arms lied on the ground. I felt down with fear. I tried to looked to it carefully. Yes.. It was Mark's. I was shocked, unable to do anything until the sound touched my ears. It was a scream, but it's now hard to identify what is it. I was hesitated, many things entered my mind at that moment. Could it be Mark? Or other person's? Or it just a trick. I couldn't do anything. Then I decide, my eyes stared at the woods as my own legs start ed to moved...back! I ran away...ran away from my friend. I cried inside my mind, but still ran away...
I ran without any sign to stop. Then as I ran... something followed me. I started to ran faster even I was very exhausted I need to...My torches was almost exhausted completely. Even then I still looked forward. It was a dark way. I couldn't saw the way..just ran as the thing that follow me. Nothing is in my mind now, it was completely blank. Suddenly I stumbled.... I felt to the ground. My torch gone completely dark, so as my sight. I couldn't saw anything, just sound of something that followed me. Then.. I heard a shot. A shot from nowhere saved my life. With no word to expressed I looked back. A large bulky man stood behind me. He shot a few more times. Then the sound stopped. I didn't hesitated to ran toward the dark to looked what hided inside. i touched it feral fur and I suddenly realize.. It just a wolf. I felt relived for no reason. It decapitated my friend's arm. Just as i got carried away I noticed something.. its head..its head was clean! I shocked and started to looked at its body. Then the man came beside me. He told me that it must be starved also pointing at it skinny body. I couldn't expressed anything. It all happened so fast. as I was sitting down the man asked that would I come with him or not. It's obvious now..isn't it.
I ended up at the cabin of the man. He told me that I could have a night here. I was in shocked there. Did I leave my friend, or is he dead already. is it possible for him to be screaming for my help now. I remembered the sign. i need to know, I must know! I waled to the man and asked him about what on earth is going on here! The man replied me that nothing now is free. He saved my life, just that. He need to offer something. As I was angry and upset with the man. I had no choice but to do as he said. I showed him the blue stone that I got from Mark. He seemed surprise and suddenly accept my offer. I sat down as he told me a story. He said that he lived here long time ago. There it was a normal hill. Of course the shadow of Grey Mountain always cover this hills, but it was only a few years that these incidents happened. He said he remember the first time he heard a screaming noise in the woods. The first time he rescues people like me. Some were noble person but some didn't worth saving. I realize that he might not know also what lied behind the darkness. I then asked him... was I wroth saving? He replied only.." What do you thing".
i couldn't sleep that night. Everything poured into my head like pour a jug of water into a whisky glass. No matter how much I concerned.. it's not going to change anything.
I traveled to my sister village. I told them that Mark was died from an accident. After that a few day I felt ill and stayed at my sister housed for a while. I traveled back by using the way that avoid the hill completely. It took me for three full day to got back, but that didn't matter anymore. When I came back here. It took a while for me to interact with people. I know I couldn't let this got away.. I need to do something! I didn't care my look anymore. Place by place I went to publish my experience any way possible. It took me almost a year until I came across a mysterious person. He listen to my story and decide to publish this story without hesitation, like it was his routine. i didn't care that, not anymore. If there's way to told my story to other person I will do. And I did it, at last.
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