A Chilling Tale

The night was dark and cold.  Faint sounds of unseen creatures could be heard and a pungent stench of rot assualted my senses.  

Some may have called me courageous that night but I was merely foolish and lazy.  Tired and cold I wanted to be home as soon as possible so I pushed into dense forest searching for a quicker path to my door.  

As I stumbled on, vaguely in the direction of the fields beyond the trees, I became aware of a strange song in the night air.  A melodic lilting chant that was resonating around me in hushed tones.  I steadied myself against a sturdy trunk, drawing in a long slow breath straining to identify the direction of the sound.  

I crept slowly toward the sound and as it grew louder I could see a faint glow between the trees.  The trees were thining and a small clearing lay ahead bathed in shafts of moonlight and an unearthy glow who's source I could not quite see.

The nightsong I was following continued its call, wrapping me in its soothing embrace and urging me forward.  The night air was fresh on my skin and I all but floated into the light pushing past the last remaining trees that obscured the clearing.

Ahead of me I could see a hunched dark figure fussing over a large cooking pot that was the source of the strange glow I had seen as I approached.  I moved slowly not wanting to disturb this figure but somehow drawn to them by their song. They seemed to be calling to me and even though my mind screamed at me to run I was unable to stop myself.

I could hear the bubbling of the pot over the hypnotic song and watched as the strange figure stirred a rich frothing broth.  Strange ingredients bobbed up and down on the surface as they stirred.  I could see what looked like the bones and flesh of all manner of small forest creatures. Tails and feet and lifeless heads swam by as the broth was stirred.

I am not sure exactly what happened next, all I remember is those piercing yellow eyes as the figure turned towards me grinning and staring deep into my soul.  

I assume that I blacked out and now here I am sitting in the dark on a cold stone floor with a large leather collar around my neck and a chain tethering me to a wall.  It is still night.  I can tell by the small window I see across from me showing a dark moonless sky that does not illuminate my surroundings.  Is it the same night? I do not know.  Perhaps not as the moon shone bright when I entered the forest and my aching stomach howls with a deep hollow regret.

I am startled from my thoughts by sounds of someone approaching.  Are they already in the room? It is so hard to tell until I hear the sound of a door being unlatched follwed by the scrape of wood on stone.

My senses are assaulted by the harsh glow of a lantern moving towards me blinding me to its bearer.   

"Ahhh there you are my pretty inquisitive one, awake I see."

"Where I am I?"  I stammer. "....and who are you?"

"You are home my dear child, where you belong and I have brought you some fresh soup."

700 words. Inspired by images of witches and cauldrons as well as stories of kidnapped children.