by Cynthia L Parker

Created on: November 04, 2008

The full moon lit the path before me as I moved quietly through the forest. It was another one of those nights where sleep evaded me and I had found long ago that walking was the best cure. There was a certain quality to the night that both intrigued and soothed me. The night air brushed my cheek like a caress and gently played with my unruly auburn curls. The breeze, scented with the delicate tones of night-blooming jasmine, molded my long shift around my body. I was not worried about meeting anyone on my stroll, so the fact that I was wandering in the forest in my nightgown was of no concern. I wore leather soled slippers on my feet, so my steps were amazingly quiet and did not disturb other night creatures who roamed with me. Shadows danced shyly between the trees and across the forest floor. I could hear the music in my mind and could not stop myself from taking a few quick dance steps along the path. A bat flew overhead, swooping down to catch an unsuspecting insect and, in the distance, an owl called out to its mate. I had never feared the night, not even as a child, and this night was especially magical.

As I rounded a bend in the path, a dark form ahead of me caught my attention. More solid than the shadows with which I earlier danced, this shape appeared to be human. Caution consumed my mind, for while I neither feared the dark nor the inhabitants of the woods, humans were another story entirely. I quickly stepped behind a tree at the edge of the path, hoping that I had not been noticed. Patiently I watched from my hiding place to see if the figure would move on or if they waited for me. My heart was pounding and I held my breath. I was grateful that I had not given in to my inclination to sing just moments earlier. Only a few minutes passed before the shadowy shape stepped into the full moonlight and revealed himself. He was a young man, unknown to me, with light brown hair, dressed in black pants and a dark colored shirt. He was not armed and seemed very at ease in the night. The moon shone on his face and gave him an other-worldly glow. At first he seemed to look around, as if searching for the source of a noise that had caught his attention. Then he turned to look in my direction, as if looking straight into my eyes, and beckoned for me to approach.

My heart raced. Every nerve in my body was on fire and my mind told me to run back up the trail towards home. A force beyond my control took hold of my feet and before I knew what I was doing, I stepped

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