Tera and Bruce were fascinated by the cute little mountain village.
"You know what, babe? You were right." Bruce said. "This place is beautiful."
"I told you! We need to go to different locations now and then. I'm sick and tired of the beach. You can relax in other places too, babe. Just breathe in that fresh air!"
"I mean..." Bruce scratched the back of his head. "I get that. But I was suspicious because this village came up on only one tourist agency."
"Well, sometimes these exclusive spots -"
"And also I could barely find it on Google. Don't you think that's suspicious?"
"You and your paranoia again! Can't you just relax?"
Bruce raised in hands in self-defense. "I'm relaxing, I'm relaxing. We came here together, we'll leave here together."
"No duh. Were you planning on leaving me?"
Bruce squeezed her hand. "Never."
Truly, the village was a quaint speckle of houses that just appealed to you. Bruce was a beach junky, he admits it. But he truly was curious as to why this spot in particular was so isolated and secretive. It was beautiful! Could this really be one of those gems that become popular several years later and get overrun by tourists? Have they found the proverbial touristic loophole? Had to be.
As they were approaching the forest they noticed a pristine bronze well. On it, there was a sign "Throw that which you cherish. Receive that which you ask."
"What a weird wishing well," Tera said.
Bruce nodded, very strange indeed. He threw in a quarter without thinking about it. That's what you did in wishing wells.
After a long walk through the forest, the tired pair returned to their hostel. It was a cute little double-floor house at the edge of the village. And its proprietor was this cute old lady whom you couldn't help but smile at. In general, the atmosphere was cute, and Tera loved it.
The couple was so tired that they went to bed immediately. The tiredness seemed to seep into their bones, and the slumber they experienced was unlike any other.
And as twilight fell, the village did as well.
Tera and Bruce awoke in the dead of night, their bodies rested but their minds sluggish. When Bruce came back from fetching a glass of water Tera was gone. Bruce heard voices down the hall so he went to see what his spontaneous girlfriend was up to.
Bruce didn't notice the slight shift in the color of the tapestries or the hue of the candlelight - a shade redder than it should be. He was still waking up as he went downstairs, following the loud voices.
Tera was next to the cute old lady. Judging by their cackling they were gossiping about something. At this hour?
"Babe, you coming to bed?" Bruce asked rubbing his eyes.
"In a minute, babe." Tera waved him over. "Mrs. Genry here is telling me stories about the village."
"This one you'll want to hear as well, young master." Gentry smiled.
"Alright..."
The wind whistled its eerie tone as the couple sat and listened to the woman's tale. Outside barely any light was visible. If someone was just transported there, they would think the village was in a void.
Bruce soon felt the eeriness. "Is it... always so spooky at night here?"
Tera poked him. "Look at him! Big strong man. How will this person protect me, Gentry?"
The old lady's grin was unnaturally big. "I doubt he will."
"Well, that was uncalled for." Bruce rubbed his eyes again. "Babe, I'm going back to bed."
Gentry suddenly grabbed his hand.
"What the -" Tera started.
The sound that escaped the frail old body of Mrs. Gentry was aking to a banshee's. The couple jumped back, Bruce ripping his arm free. He looked down and saw blood dripping from the claw marks imprinted on his skin.
Petrified, the pair burst outside into a nightmare. The once dormant torches were now lit with crimson flames. The once cute hostel resembled something out of a Lovecraftian novel. As did the other structures in the village. And, more stark than it all, a fog seemed to cover its entirety.
"Bruce! What is happening?"
"I think we're dreaming..."
"That blood on your hand a part of the dream?" Tera was shaking.
"Dream or not. We gotta run!"
And so they did. The once beautiful mountain village a maze of all manner of creature. Said creatures hobbled, hopped, and hunted the terrified couple.
Instinctively the pair ran towards the forest trek they took earlier in the day. Screams and growls following them each step. They soon reached the wishing well from before. Still bronze, still pristine. Beyond, lay a dense, black fog.
"Babe, we can't go there!" Tera screamed.
Bruce knew it as well, that fog was most certainly death. But as they gazed back at the terror hounding them they realized they were trapped. Except...
"Throw that which you cherish. Receive that which you ask."
"Babe! This well!" Tera started. "I... I think... I think you have to sacrifice me and wish for your freedom! It's the only way!"
"What?" Bruce spat. "Where did you get that notion? Are you mad?"
"Are you watching what's happening around us?" Tera was beside herself.
The phrase did make sense. "If anyone gets to be sacrificed, it's me."
She slapped him. "Don't you dare take this away from me!"
Bruce looked at the beings almost at arm's reach, looked at his frantic girl, then squeezed her hand.
"We came here together." He whimpered.
"We'll leave together." She sobbed.
And so it was that the couple jumped into the well just as the beasts were upon them.
The beast howled and roared, dancing and singing. It was all so alien, so dark, so morbid.
Until morning came, reviving the village as it once was. Mrs. Gentry stood in front of her porch sweeping. A middle-aged man walked up, sweaty and panting.
"I barely found this place." He said. "Are you the proprietor of this hostel, ma'am?" He asked, wiping his brow.
"I am deary!" The cute old lady grinned. "Please, welcome."
This was A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words contest entry.
The prompt image:
Describe what you see: A peaceful mountain vilage. (OR IS IT?!)
Describe what you feel: I feel fresh air in my lungs.
Obligatory shout-out to the 🍕PIZZA🍕 gang, 🤙 gang. 🤙
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Cover image source.
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