It was a bright and sunny day. The hills rolled green and the sun shone bright. The sky seemed to made of diamonds, clear with light reflecting off any and every stray cloud. The breeze was gentle and seemed to be off the lake that bordered the pasture. Animals grazed the emerald green grass and swam on the waters of the sapphire lake. The sounds of birds permeated the air while their nests adorned the tall trees that sprang from the ground like so many jewels. This serene scene greeted the young man that stepped out of the hut situated meters from the lake, his eyes as blue as the sky and lake, bright and full of emotion. He was smiling, laughing at something a woman inside said. His hands were calloused from years of working with them; he had built the hut himself and he maintained the land around him, but he had started working long before he had ever thought about living on this piece of land; this was him home; he had been born not far from here and still visited that place often, but this was where he intended to spend the rest of his life. He hadn't been here long- just a few weeks actually- but it felt right. He breathed the clean mountain air and took in the peaks bordering the beautiful area; he couldn't believe he had found it; he remembered the day he had come upon it. He had been but a child then; he had worked hard all week and then decided he could use a break, a chance to stretch his legs, to exert in a manner he enjoyed. He had set off up the mountain after promising his parents he would be careful and would use the survival tactics taught to him. He had reached the summit and was looking around when he spotted a piece of land that looked uninhabited even though it bordered a lake of crystal. He had set off for it, knowing it would be a few days before his absence became concerning. Hiking down the mountain had been tricky, especially since a single misstep could send him falling to his death. But it had been well worth it; he had finished the hike to find himself surrounded by the most beauty; he had swam in the lake, run barefoot through the grass, feeling every blade of grass poke him, swam in the lake again, climbed the trees, swam, felt the sunset as he reached the shore, ate surrounded by nature, watched the sky turn black and then fallen asleep to the sounds of animals. He had felt the sun lick his face when he woke and after a quick swim in the lake had set off home; he didn't want to cause concern; he didn't want his family to worry; they had lost enough; he almost teared up as he recalled his fallen sister. Not wanting to get bogged down by these feelings, he had continued his walk. Reaching home, he had been only too jubilant to report his findings. His father had clapped a hand on his shoulder and proclaimed he now had a right to the land that none could contest; he had found it and that was all that mattered. He remembered that time with a smile as he now looked at the land and realized no one really could contest it now. It was his like his father's land was his and his grandfather's was his and his brother's was his. He began his daily outdoor routine and sang under his breath as he did so. When the sun was high in the sky, he heard a strange noise in the trees; feelings his sense of adventure spike, he followed it deep into the woods, deeper than he had ever been. So consumed was he in his exploration, he didn't notice the sun go down....
After what must have been hours of walking but what felt like minutes, he reached an alcove. There were a few stones strewn about and a cave with a giant mouth that jutted out from a nearby mountain. The strange noise seemed to be coming from the cave. Pulling out his knife and maintaining a tight hold, he cautiously ventured closer. Listening closely, he paused at the opening and took a deep breath to gather his wits. Then, he entered. Looking around, he was consumed by darkness almost immediately. He couldn't see two inches in front of him, but the strange noise was almost understandable; venturing further, he could make out strange whispers.
"Closerrr...closerrrrrr....yesssssssss"
Almost shaking with excitement, the man headed toward the noise. He was almost upon it when he felt something cold touch his neck; he felt that something close around his neck. Before he could make a sound, his mouth was covered by something equally as cold. He felt himself be drawn backward with a force he could not resist; in fact, he could not move; he did not want to move. He felt something at his neck, then a pinching sensation, then agony. Pure unadulterated pain; he felt as though he would die from the sheer force of it. This continued for what felt like hours but must have been minutes. Then, all consciousness was replaced by oblivion.
