Page 12 of Untethering Dark

Not what creature? That was always the first question, but she shrugged, already walking away. He’d find out soon enough. “Jerky, canned sardines. Whatever you have.” She’d no idea if that would even suffice—she only ever left out fresh meat—but better to try and fail than get outright eaten.

“Got some cold cuts,” he called, but Astrid didn’t stop, just yelled back, “Good luck!”

She needed to finish up her chores and get safely tucked away inside.

As Astrid trudged back to her cottage, the rhythmic crunching sound of her footsteps hit slightly off tempo. An extra crunch when there shouldn’t be. She slowed, then sped up her pace, breaking the pattern of her stride.

There it was again. But more pronounced this time.

It wasn’t until she returned to her backyard, and had her ax in her hands, that she spun around.

The man with the cigarette leaned against a tree just a couple meters away. He took a deep draw, fiery orange tip glowing, thecigarette now barely more than a stub. Poison greedily sucked down.

With a roll of her eyes, she turned away to her chopping block, propping up a log. “You shouldn’t be here.” Lifting the ax above her head, she swung down, cleaving the log in two with a satisfying crack. If he made one wrong move, she’d gladly direct her next strike at his head.

“Was curious is all. Didn’t think anybody lived out here.”

“Special dispensation. Lived here long before this became a national park.” She didn’t know why she bothered answering. Not like it was any of his business.

“That so.”

She glared at him over her shoulder.

“Must be lonely out here. Not a single soul for miles and miles and miles.” He took another hit, eyes gleaming something wicked and sly, as if to suggest that if she screamed, no one would hear.

That almost made her smile. Oh, he could try.

Flicking his cigarette to the ground, he exhaled another fetid cloud of smoke.

She bristled. “Pick it up.”

“Excuse me?”

She pointed to the cigarette butt with the head of her ax. “I won’t tell you again.”

“Sheesh.” He bent to pick up the offending thing, shoving it into his coat pocket. “Not much for conversation, are you?”

“Nope. So, you better run along and find your friends before they get too far.”

“Oh, they’re not my friends.” His grin was a disturbing thing. Too wide and showing too many teeth. Almost feral. “But they’re coming. Thanks for the tip. Looking forward to dinner with the devil tonight.”

Pushing off from the tree, he took one step back, then another. With a two-fingered salute, he spun around and walked off in the direction he came.

When he was gone from sight, she gathered up an armful of freshly split wood.

New voices drifted through the trees.

If she strained, she could hear them.

“Rachel, there’s a cabin over here and goats!”

Astrid cursed. Just when she’d gotten rid of the one. What was it, Annoy the Local Forest Witch Day?

A second voice replied, “Let’s get selfies with them!” It was quickly followed by a third voice. “How about a video?”

Off in the trees behind her cottage, just barely within earshot, Astrid couldn’t see her unexpected visitors. From the sound of their voices, they came in from the front, a loud, obnoxious human trio evidently ignoring all her Private Property: No Trespassing signs, while debating the finer points of social media video creation.

Some Hexen would delight in the trespass, but the Hexen who wanted humans anywhere near their homes made them of gingerbread and candy. A snare baited and set, ready to snap. Astrid’s modest little cottage was made of wood and river stone. Nothing worth this level of ogling.

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