The petrified traveler stumbled down the narrow, rickety footpath, His golden horse plodding alongside him. The dark wood was pulling him in, swallowing him up, and in some way absorbing him. He heard an unearthly growl coming from one side of him. He felt as if the shadows were hanging on his every move.
He staggered into a run, feeling a sense of someone watching him. By now he was sprinting. Sprinting into the unknown. He passed battered trees, and rotting leaves, getting closer to his destination. Or further away, the traveler couldn’t tell. He didn’t know where he was at all.
There was a well hidden pathway to his right. “This turning wasn’t on the map…What is going on?” His trembling voice muttered into the thin, black air. Now he knew he had gone wrong. He had that feeling again. Its official, he was lost. Not just in the woods, but in his heart as well. He was speechless. This was alright as he had no one to talk to but imaginary figures in the dark. At least he thought they were imaginary.
Hang on… There WAS a real life figure in the moonlight. There WAS a woman there. An old woman. Wearing a black cloak. That’s why he couldn’t see her. She had grey, thin, stringy hair. Not like how a grandma would be. No, They’re warm and cuddly. She wasn’t. She was scary. Quiet scary, even to a man the Travelers age. He didn’t dare call out. The traveler didn’t want her to know he was there. Although he needed to find that house. Luckily she wasn’t facing him and hadn’t noticed him. Well, That’s what the traveler thought. She hadn’t inched, not even moved a muscle. “What is your name?” Asked the unidentified woman peacefully. The traveler’s heart missed a beat. How did she know I was there? He thought uneasily. She was STILL looking the other way. He wasn’t going to tell her his name as he went by the traveler, and indeed they had never met. “That’s for me to know and you to find out.” He pronounced. Find out? Why did he say that?
He walked slowly forwards. “What’s YOUR name?” He requested. “You may not find that particular answer here. Yet I can tell you it is as pure as the sea and sky put together.” She said swaying. She looked so clueless, and lost. The Traveler didn’t know what she was trying to say, but it sounded wise. Although he didn’t question her, at least it made sense to the old frail lady.
“Ok… Do you happen to know where Gorman house is? The one that everyone says is haunted. You see I have been told by a man that goes by the name John smith, to go to that house and prove it isn’t haunted. I believe it isn’t, and between you and me he’s got some money to offer. But I don’t know where it is. Do you happen to know?” The traveler explained naturally, without thinking who she was, and what she was doing.
“It’s not haunted I live just down the road. Are they expecting you?” She answered with a note of suspicion. The traveler scuttled forwards. “I th-th-th think so.” The traveler stuttered. “Very well then. It is down that lane and to the left. Be gone and say no more.” She hissed, her spooky eyes glaring darkly back at him. The Traveler clambered forwards without looking back. “Thank you. I appreciate it…” And with that he stumbled forwards. He turned left after a few 100 feet. Then rapped hard on the fairly aged door. “Is anybody there?” Inquired the traveler, patiently. A rat slipped under the ruined gate, and shuffled across the Travelers leather boots whom he had stolen from a rich man who had taken them off for cleaning. The poor Traveler didn’t have much money, and didn’t like rats at all. He kicked the rat up into the earth’s atmosphere and out into the deep forest by Gorman house, (said to be haunted.)
“Is anybody there?” requested the traveler now rather impatient. The traveler could hear Phantom listeners chanting in the night. Although their whispers barely audible. He tried again now thumping loudly on the rusty moonlit door. “Is anybody there? Fine, tell them I came but no one answered. That I kept my word.” The Traveler shouted roaring with range. He was certain that his voice got carried though the whole town.
He felt the house and the listeners inside laughing deeply into their jumper sleeves. He felt embarrassed and intimidated that no one was there. Yet most of all he felt wrath, angry and disappointed. Now out of all of his bad luck on this hideous day, it had stated to rain. No, more than just rain. It was pouring down. The sky was really upset as if he has been crying bucket loads of water. Shed loads in fact.
The traveler Trudged all the way home, on this drab tearful day. He passed that lady once again, but didn’t stop to say hello. He was too upset to talk to anyone then. So he tried to ignore her. But it wasn’t that easy. I mean how on earth you can ignore the fact of an old lady standing in the rain. She said she was RELAXING! But he managed it. After he had passed all the towns and villages he was finally home, safe and dry.