Crash

14: I'm going crazy

Lyra-

I was up early like usual. Baine followed me out the door while Nathan slept peacefully. I sat outside, sharpening my knife with a flat rock to prepare for rabbits.

It felt odd, having another human presence here to talk to, to share stories with, to plan with. But I don't think he understands. He doesn't exactly get it.

He wants to run, to find a way out, but risk verses benefit was too high and I chose benefit. Winter in the mountains was brutal, and I knew that. I leaned back against the rock, listening to the birds singing. Just letting the morning mist roll over me.

Baine whined and perked his ears, knocking me out of my peaceful state. I grabbed my spear and held out my knife.

The birds stopped singing and the morning no longer felt natural. Soft, oh so soft giggling hit my ears and Baine whined some more. I couldn't believe my senses. 

"Shhh," I whispered to him, straining to hear.

It sounded like a girl my age, yet it was still childish. Melodious giggling bounced off the rock walls. I stood up and looked around desperately, what was I hearing?

Great I'm hearing things now. I'm going crazy.

A flash of white near the crack had my feet moving. I ran towards it, wielding my knife by my side.

Baine's paw steps followed me, but I was after that giggling. I stumbled when I saw it. A young girl, running through the trees in a white dress. That's right, a dress.

Oh my god, I'm going insane, I thought as I chased her.

"Wait!" I called. 

She seemed to disappear and reappear in the trees. Flitting left to right, ten to twenty feet in front of me. She giggled and continued to bound through the woods effortlessly like a deer. She made no noise other than her laughing.

Her dark wavy hair flowed out behind her. She effortlessly dodged trees. She'd fade and then come back in my vision. I crashed after her.

"Wait who are you?!" I yelled at her.

'Follow follow, oh follow follow,' she said, her voice light and airy as if it flowed on a breeze. It was in almost a singing voice.

"Follow you where?!" I called breathlessly.

No matter how fast I was going, I never caught up to her graceful bounding.

Her laughter filled the woods, 'oh follow follow.'

I cried out as a deep ravine seemed to jump out in front of me. I grabbed onto a tree to stop myself. Dirt and pebbles skittered over the edge out from under my feet from my quick stop.

I watched the girl fade into the trees, somehow on the other side, still giggling, still quietly singing 'follow, follow.'

"Wait!!" I called after her, but she disappeared and the bird song of the forest continued. I've heard of things like this from tribes in the Amazon....

They're all called different things. Figures that know what you want and try to guide you to safety or to death. They were spirits of the forest or other lonely souls. An old shaman once told me that you see them when there is nothing else to see or believe, when you are open to any option.....

I've never believed in the mumbo jumbo shit that people like to make up, but this was different.

"Lyra!!"

I whipped around to see Nathan, breathing hard he grabbed my shoulders gently.

"What are you doing?! Are you ok?" He asked breathlessly.