Moss dripped down from the sickly branches like stalactites hanging in a forgotten cave. Fog drifted aimlessly, parting around the the feet of giant cypress trees that jutted out of the water. The sun was nothing more than a myth to this land and the crickets played their eternal songs in the darkness, ever unaware of the time of day. Or that day even existed. The thick trees with their draped moss blotted out any direct light in the stifled water-soaked woods. Nothing ever really changed in the swamp. It was as if it were trapped in time, forced to replay the same segment over and over.
An old crumbling tower stood watch in the middle of a small island surrounded by dark swamp water. Its aging circumference was girdled in moss and stifling clusters of fungus. A small girl draped in a mud-stained and tattered blue dress, crouched at the edge of the water. The star patterns barely revealed themselves behind the swampy veneer. Her face was partially obscured by her matted dark hair as her green eyes peeked out and pierced into the muddy water. Her shoes were also caked in mud, save for a few bits of bright red that glimmered through.
The girl once had a name, but she couldn't recall it anymore. The only thing she remembered before the swamp was getting lost in the woods. She thought she would remain lost forever, but then she found him. Or it. She didn't know what he was. Sometimes she thought he was a tree and other days she thought he was a man. A giant beard sprouted from the bottom half of his face and trailed down to his midsection. Whether his beard was moss or hair, she couldn't decide. His hair was the same way; long, curly and in some places seemed as if it merged with his beard. His clothes, if you could call them that, were of roughly hewn material. Possibly from some sort of giant reptile like an alligator, or something larger. They clung to him and yet looked as if he clung to them as well. She couldn't tell if it was his skin or not.
The girl had been lost a long time. The sun had since forsaken her, so she had no idea for how long she had called this place home. She was nameless and because of the mud and dirt, she was becoming more and more faceless as each day went by. Perhaps someday, she would become like him. A nameless, faceless, creature who was hardly discernible as human. She didn't want that, but she still liked him despite his human-less form.
As she continued to stare at the water, a bulbous muddy and moss-draped hand rested on her shoulder. She tensed for a moment and turned to look up at him. His dark, pupiless eyes were mostly shrouded by the mossy hair as he gazed at her. He never spoke a word, but the girl knew the meaning behind the look. He wanted her to take shelter in the ancient tower. She got up quickly and followed the tall figure through the dark opening.
As she turned the corner she was met with a roaring fire that sent dark odorous smoke spiraling up the inside of the tower, coating the inner stone with a black tar-like substance. A little bed was pressed up against the corner nearest to the fire. It was nothing more than a burlap sack stuffed with moss and an old tattered quilt neatly folded on top. Various pots and pans littered the floor around her sleep space.
A bubbling pot hung over the fire, the smell emanating from it was something that the girl was very familiar with. She didn't know what was in it, and she never attempted to ask. She just ate it. The taste was akin to the smell of the swamp water once it was stirred. Dark chunks floated on the bubbling surface, bouncing to and fro in the viscous uproar. These were her favorite bits. They were slightly spicy and tender. They vaguely reminded her of something from life before the swamp. She couldn't put her finger on it though. Just like everything else before she became lost.
To be continued...
No comments:
Post a Comment