The unknown path

Sally often walked in the woods but had never noticed the winding path before. The trees were so closely entwined that the branches made a canopy of rich green. The warm sunlight stole through the leaves leaving golden patches on the path below. The natural stillness of the woods seemed to deepen into a silence even the energetic birdsong seemed to fade away. The change was so gradual that Sally only noticed the silence when the shuffle of her feet in the leaves echoed through the trees. In the silence she heard the sound of water, saw a stream in the distance and left the path to have a closer look.

The stream was the most beautiful thing that Sally had ever seen, clear and sparkling. It was surrounded by soft green moss and flowers that gave off an intoxicating smell. Sally knelt down and trailed her fingers through the icy water.
“You should bathe in it,” Sally jumped to her feet, spun around and found herself face to face with the most beautiful girl she had ever seen. The girl looked no older than sixteen with wild dark hair clouding a delicate face. The girl had rounded hips and full heavy breasts and was unashamedly naked. The girl’s eyes mesmerized Sally, they seemed too for the delicate face and as dark as midnight. The girl took Sally’s hand.

“I am so glad that you are here, I’ve been so lonely.”

“Who are you,” Sally felt unreal.

“I am a wood spirit. I’m attached to that oak tree over there. I can walk around but I can’t go too far away, it hurts if I do.” The girl’s voice was like gentle breeze rustling the leaves but there was a hint of ice in it. The spirit removed Sally’s’ jacket and started untying her shoes before Sally realized it.

“What are you doing?” the wood spirit looked at her with her hypnotic eyes.

“I want to bathe you in the spring.” She pulled Sally’s shoe off. “The water makes you feel so nice.” Sally was powerless to do anything and soon she was as naked as the spirit.

The wood spirit took her hand.

“You are so lucky to be warm” and Sally realized just how cold the spirits hands were. They stepped into the stream and the icy water made Sally gasp. The feeling of the water flowing over her naked skin was so sensual she soon forgot all how cold it was. The spirit moved closer to Sally until their lips almost touched.

“What is it like to be loved by a man?” Sally was surprised. The Spirit looked at her with those endless eyes and in those eyes she saw her husband Paul, those strange black eyes seemed to draw her down into an eternally dark tunnel where she drowned in the darkness as she frantically searched for light.

Sally opened her eyes and found herself lying beside the stream, naked and wet. She let out an ear-piercing scream and scrambled to her feet. Standing in front of her she saw herself casually dressing.

“What are you doing?” Dressed again the spirit turned to the narrow path.

“I am going home to my husband.” Sally grabbed the spirits arm and a warm sensation of pleasure rushed through her icy body.

“What have you done?” The spirit pulled out of Sally’s grasp.

“Being in the stream at the same time switched us,” Sally rushed after the spirit. As she reached the path a pain like nothing she had ever felt before tore through her body, she collapsed, gasping. The spirit knelt beside her.

“Painful isn’t it?” She stroked Sally’s damp hair with her warm hand. Sally moaned as the pleasurable sensation washed over her again. “Don’t go too far, Sally.”

“I will get out of here.” Sally gave a cry that seemed to fill the woods

“I don’t think so.” Sally watched herself hurry down the path as the daylight began to fade.

The days passed and Sally had lost all hope when she heard footsteps on the path. Time meant nothing anymore and she gasped when she came face to face with herself. The spirit was softer now and large with child; she took Sally’s hand and let it rest on her swollen belly. Sally felt the baby that should have been hers moved beneath her hand and began to cry.

“That first night of freedom was wonderful, I conceived.” She let Sally’s hand drop and rubbed her pregnant stomach. She leaned closer and whispered intimately, “Paul’s a wonderful lover, isn’t he?” Sally sank onto the mossy floor of the woods and when she looked up she found the spirit looking at her thoughtfully.

“You should have forgotten the past,” the spirit circled Sally, “I am afraid that you might free yourself.” The spirit hurried back towards the path and disappeared from sight, moments later she returned with Paul. Sally ran towards him begging him to help her.

“You are invisible to men, only a women see you.” Sally looked at her husband, his arm wrapped around waist of a woman that looked just like her.

“I want this one” the spirit pointed at the oak tree and Sally noticed the axe in her husband’s hand for the first time.

“No!” she pleaded, “Please! Don’t!”

Paul raised the axe and brought it down on the trunk of the tree. Sally felt the axe tearing into her flesh, gave a shriek of agony and fell to the ground. Paul raised the axe again deaf to his wife's cries of pain. The spirit knelt down beside her and took Sally's cold hand in her own.

“Sorry Sally but I have the baby to think of.” Sally writhed and screamed on the mossy floor as the axe fell again and again. Finally the ancient tree fell and Sally was silent. Her naked form faded into nothingness. The spirit smiled up at Paul.

“You were right about the tree, darling,” He helped her off the ground, “it’s perfect for the cradle.” Sally smiled contentedly as she wrapped her arms around him.

Word Count: 1000