I Write In 2020

The Forest of Lost Souls

Lines = 30

Night falls
Evening shadows stretch across the forest floor
They seem to dance and shimmer in the moonlight
Yet these shadows are not the ones we expect
They are not the ones that take the daily form
They don't lay about
They are not connected to trees
They come from the trees
But as the night deepens
They step away and move freely
Collecting and connecting in the deepest part of the forest
Where no one dares venture unless they become lost
Stories of darkness pervade
In whispered moans and grunts
They concoct their plans
To lure their victims into their realm
Before daybreak they slip back into the trees
And wait,
Wait for the unsuspecting soul
To wander into their midst
Then they set their plans in motion
Confusing the person until they cannot find their way
Lost in the maze of toppled tress and upturned roots
And vines that wind through the forest
Then as darkness falls
They stretch and swell
Devouring the lost soul
Who is their captive
Silencing his screams as he claws the earth
And disappears into the bowels of the underworld.

Notes: ▼

Written for -

FORUM

Fabulous Fantasy Contest   (18+) A fantasy short story and poetry contest. CLOSED #2125220 by A E Willcox

Prompt:

Short story or poem.