The Darkness: Chapter 2

That night, when the man and his wife sat in silence at their rugged wooden table, a dreadful feeling came over the man. He knew what must be done, but feared that the demon's power had grown beyond the priest's control. He watched his wife's slow and sulky movements as she hunched in her rocking chair. He could bear the sight of his possessed wife no longer. He pushed his supper away and joined their small sleeping dog on the porch.

As the last of the light disappeared from the sky, and all but the dog's steady breathing was still and quiet, the man detected a strange sound coming from within the house. It gradually grew in volume until he could decipher a distant string of words resembling the language he knew. The words ran together in low whispers, belonging to a voice unknown to the man. He scanned the surroundings of their small home, searching for the one who spoke to him.

Turning his head to peer into the house, he saw his wife standing before the open window, looking out onto the dark hills.

"Who is speaking?" she asked. It was the first sign of recognition she gave to her husband all day.
"I do not know. I thought it was you." He replied sadly.
"How could I be the one to utter such words?" She turned her back to him and let the breeze gently catch her long graying hair.
"I do not know, my wife. You have been acting strangely."
"How dare you!" She screamed, slamming the window shut and allowing her glaring eyes to penetrate through the glass at him until he could no longer look.

* * * * * * * *

The boy awoke to a profound darkness all around him. The air had grown colder while he slept, and he could sense a sort of dampness only characteristic of enclosed space. He was comforted to find the horse continuing its steady pace, but knew he must not allow sleep to overcome him again. He lightly tugged on the leather reins, stopping to explore his surroundings. He could see nothing but a narrow view of stars, and the dim light they shone on the path below him. Directing the horse right and left, he reached out in darkness and found that walls of stone surrounded him on both sides. Although he wished to stretch his sore legs, the boy knew there was no hope of lifting himself back onto the saddle without help. He patted the horse and it started again down the lonely path between the two hills.

Soon the boy could see a thread of light break through the blackness ahead. The walls gradually parted to reveal the beginnings of the town to the North. At first, only clusters of small huts could be seen scattered along the path. When the hills were long behind them, and the boy's anticipation could grow no greater, they reached the threshold of a great valley. The town before them was circular in shape, with small houses along the outskirts and buildings growing in size and stature toward the center. At the far end stood a massive tower resembling a lighthouse, and beyond that the sea, stretching infinitely gray under the rising moon.