Time of Silence

            The forest is still.

            Unnatural. 

            No birds sing. If animals reside in the underbrush, they are quiet about it.

            Even their footsteps make no sound as they move through the trees.

            The man turns to his companion to ask if they should stop, but no words issue forth.

            They do not hear the creature as it slides towards them to pull their souls from their mouths….

            “AAAAGH!!”

            “Whoa, Kristie, cool your jets!” Jorge said, laughing at his friend. “What’s wrong?”

            “They’re going to die!” Kristie exclaimed, clutching his arm in a death grip.

            “Are you ok?” Jorge pried her fingers off his arm.

            Kristie blinked. “Huh?”

            “Are you all right?” Jorge repeated.

            “Oh… yeah. Yeah. I’m fine.”

            “Who’s dying?”

            “What are you talking about?”

            “Never mind. We’re going to be late for math.”

            “Wouldn’t that be a shame?” Kristie turned back to her locker. “What was I doing?”

            “You were telling me how hot Richard Collman is,” Jorge complained.

            “Right, math book. What were you saying?” She turned back to her friend.

            Rolling his eyes, Jorge said, “Never mind. Come on.”

*

            “How does she know?” Remus demanded.

            “I don’t know, sir. But I’m certain she knows of the place’s existence. And she shared that knowledge with Mister Peterson.” Trevor reported.

            “Couldn’t you have stopped her?” Madi asked.

            “What did you expect me to do? Just walk up to her and tell her to stop talking?”

            “Well you could have done something!”

            “Hush!” Remus said before Trevor could retort. “We must do all in our power to be sure she never goes there,” Remus continued, “Madeline, you fill in as substitute for Mrs. Larsen.”

            “Why, is she sick?” Caty asked, none too brightly.

            Remus shook his head but said nothing.

            “All right, see you,” Madeline said, and melted into the shadow.

            “Trevor,” Remus went on, “See if any of the shadows know about her knowledge. I fear the worst.”

            “As you say, Sir.” Trevor too disappeared into the shadow.

            “And Caty?”

            “Yes, Sir?” Caty said eagerly, standing up and knocking over her well-lit chair.

            “Er, just stay here,” Remus said. “I mean, stay here on guard.”

            “You’re the boss, boss.”

            With a weak smile, Remus slipped into the shadow by the door, melting until there remained no sign that there had ever stood a man. 

♥/Kat!e

Today's Novel Idea Prompted by: "The Time of Silence" courtesy of my 8th grade English class. My teacher called the time when we weren't supposed to talk "The Time of Silence" and she gave us a really boring writing assignment, so I wrote this instead.