Chapter 3 Silent Night

The sky was gloomy and the graveyard was bitterly cold. Before I could snatch a breath from the cruel hands of the night, a fiendish owl on a gravestone called my name with a kindly brogue and disappeared into an almond tree. The misadventure had begun to take its toll. I started to walk quickly to the gate where I thought was exit from the graveyard and then looking back at intervals to make sure that no one was on my trail. I was scared Sodus or Sam would come back for me and I would stand no chance against any of them. The nightingales were there. Fruit bats were having a field day. I was alone in their company. I saw shadows lurking. Each time I tried to focus, they would mix with the air. Hallucination is filthy. I was high on the horse and rode so elegantly upon the plague on the cold night. The bug had bitten me, no doubt. It was winning while I was losing ground on my desire to reach my house. Memories live. If they are of torment and nightmare, they could easily serve as tonic for a lifetime. On the other hand, may be the trees created the shade and the things my eyes saw were figment of my imagination. Such were things a man must ignore. Nobody conquers while he set his sight on things that do not exist. I threw the confusion behind and moved on. I was yet to come to terms with the realities around me when something grabbed hold of my right leg. It did not occur to me that a challenge had come. I could get rid by gently shaking my leg off another twig. The more I tried to shake off the twig, the more difficult it became. Exhausted, I decided to check what was slowing me down. When I looked closely and discovered it was a hand, my heart sank. The dreadful creature seemed to be happy I was lost in the belly of the grave. As I battled to free my poor soul from the evil grip, I lost my balance and found myself struggling to stay alive. The enemy began to pull me into the ground. While he pulled me away, my hands found a club that was not a burden to maneuver. I did not spare him a breath. I laid the club five or more times on the cruel hand. The bones cracked and my freedom came like a rushing wind. I jumped to my feet and raced as if my survival depended upon how I could maneuver my legs. Journeying to the unknown is as evil as a sorcerers spell. As misfortune stared at me in the face, I had nothing to worry other than the safety of my poor soul. An opened gate was ahead of me and I was few poles away from the exit when it slammed shut and a grievous whirlwind emerged from the ground and began to ruin the yard. The boisterous wind blew as if the world would perish under its feet. I would have walked into silence and be happy with the comfort in demise if not for one of the trees that I held for it prevented the wind from tearing my world apart. The whirlwind left a trail of waste, trees uprooted and gravestones were turned, which of course, I expected would happen. I was shocked how I still found myself in one piece. There were no fractures and bruises. This can possibly be a miracle and an indication that my deliverance was near. Now the air was still, and Lady Tranquility paraded herself. Before I could blink, the ground began to crack as if an earthquake was underway. I was yet to figure out what was going on when mythical creatures began to pour out of the ground. Zombies formed out of the ground, carrying swords, long spears and short-handled battle-axes with heads as big as the head of a four-fisted wrecking bull. I was dazed, not knowing what to do, the creatures stood like an army of enlightened pastors in a sanctuary praying fervently as if they were next to God. They began to approach me. As I looked at every direction, pondering what to do, they brandished their weapons and made strange noises as if they wanted to emit destructive powers. My knees knocked ferociously together. As they approached me, I began to back step. I stumbled on a mango tree. Large hands emerged from the tree and grabbed hold of me. I fought gallantly to shake them off but lost. The tree opened its mouth and swallowed me. Lost again or should I say rescued from the highway to hell?