Aes turned back, staring into the darkness. A deathly chill blew across her face. Catching herself in a stumble, she rushed away despite the wet earth grabbing her shoes. Lantern held high in her right hand, looking left and right for any possible escape, fighting the urge to look back.

"Ov'ah the'ah! Stairs!" The lantern spoke.

"I don't see..."

"On yo'r Dexter!"

"My what!?"

"THIS HAND CHILDE! THIS HAND!"

"Oh..."

The fluorescent glow showed a symmetric archway, not too far away. Aes wadded through the deepening water towards it. Slick moss and glowing mold grew around a masterfully carved stonework. Sturdy, solid, despite the water worn surface. She slipped occasionally. Mud from her shoes acted as a resign to sustain her balance.

The path elevated to a cooler, dryer hallway. Invaded by the natural expansion of root, weed, and brush. Evading, ducking, and vaulting around the thick growth, Aes charged forward. She chanced upon a dead end, the sinking in the pit of her growling stomach lasted only a moment. Hope, illuminated by the lantern, reflects from a small cracked opening in the wall. Maybe Large enough for her to squeeze through.

She knelled down, slipping the enchanted light in side first. Was it safer? Was there even time to ponder? Thoughtlessly, in a prone position, shoulders hunched, she slipped both arms in. Shimmying and arching to slip in her upper torso, there came a sudden halt in her struggle.

"My Hips!" she squeaked

"Is this cardinal to our escape?" The Spirit asked with exasperation.

"They are too big, I'm stuck in the hole!" She said again, pushing against the wall.

"Detrimental then?"

"Will you stop with the big words?!"

"I ascertained golconda..."

"I need help!" Aes began rocking her hips to help slide through

"A moment. I'll fetch my tools."

"Screw you!" She roared.

"Quiet! You're too loud!" The spirit replied, retaining its calmer tone.

Minuets past. Aes's unrelenting effort, and slight tearing of her jeans, forced her way out to the other side. A slight gap between the stone wall and a large woven tapestry of decayed linen. Aes slipped from underneath. Light held up to investigate this new location. It didn't have the same degree of glowing fungus as the cave. A mixture of consuming plant life and dusty light from stained windows light the structure just enough.

From what the original craftsmen had built was ornate, intelligent and masterful. As if walking into the ruins of an ancient castle. Looking back and forth to discern its purpose proved difficult for Aes. It was too overgrown, but still pleasant.

"This is a bit of an improvement..." Aes stated with a degree of cheer

"Hush..I hear something." The Spirit informed her.

"What?" she whispered

"Shh..."

She could scarcely hear sounds of rummaging from beyond the doorways. Two of them were on adjacent ends of the room. Cautiously creeping as close to the wall as she could get, Aes advanced towards the quieter of the two.

"Stop!" The Spirit ordered. "Hide!"

"What is it?" Aes whispered back, ducking behind the small trees that spiraled up towards the ceiling. The ambient glow revealed the form of the creature.A enormous nose and bulging eyes were the only discernible features. The rest was a twisted mess of matted hair.

“Goblin. Harmless really." The Spirit told her.

Aes blocked the light from the Lantern. Staring pulled at, the creature limped over to where Aes had entered from. The large linen tapestry painted the image of some form of battle or victory. Looking out over the wall into the distance, it didn’t notice her watching mere feet away.

The creature let out a low groan. The Goblin scaled the tapestry to the top, pulling at the rings that help it up.

“We have time. Goblins like ta smell everything. They fin'd!”

Aes crept through the brush, more stable than the cave. She maintained her balance with more ease. Each step was less of a strain upon her sire legs. She eyed the hairy being like a hawk. Its acrobatic prowess brought it over across the top of the linen, plucking the bronze rings one at a time. After it throughly sniffed each. Aes shook her head with a sneer at the weird behavior.

She was mere feet away before a break in her concentration.

"STOP!" the spirit ordered in a hush

"WHAT?" Aes hushed back

"Don't...move! Behind you..." Aes turned her head as slowly as she could.

The door slowly creaked open. A second goblin stepped through. It muttered in an odd language towards the other. It hadn't even noticed the young human knelt down in front of it. Aes placed her sleeve over her mouth. A ghastly expression on her face from the putrid smell of this creature. The two spoke for a moment as she pushed her back against the wall next to the doorway.

The second goblin hopped upon the limbs of the trees like a squirrel to aid the first. Both sniffing the linen and rings as they pillaged. Aes ducked into the next room, gasping for fresh air.

"Doesn't anything bathe around here?!" she grumbled. There was no reply from the spirit.

This room appeared to be a pantry of some sort. Long wooden open cabinets and tables stood, mostly undisturbed, though it was now picked it clean by goblins, most likely. There seemed to be nothing that remained. This realization brought out another loud gurgle from the human's stomach. She sighed and groaned, beginning to scavenge herself.

"Such a familiar sight.." she mumbled

Through her search, something stood out. A lone small statue, carved into the side of the wall. The figure was feminine. A cloak woven into the stone, shrouding the figure's features. Each arm held a small vase extended out to each side. Aes ran her fingers over the piece. A warm expression on her face. It may have been one of the most beautiful things she had seen in this nightmare.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

"This is pretty!" She smiled.

"I've seen one of these before..." The Spirit replied.

Distant muttering broken their contemplation. Aes looked back at the door. The goblins were making enough racket to alert her from a death sleep. As their features came into view. Aes dove under one of the wooden racks. Hiding the lantern within her jacket. She watched their long feet and thin legs walk across the dusty stone floor. Frowning at the waft of their horrid stench. They muttered incoherently near the statue.

Aes peeked up at the two. A thought crossed her mind, how they reminded her of muffets. With their enormous eyes popping from hairy faces. Stick thin arms with large, long-fingered hands gripped the statue. Struggling to lift it. They seemed to debate the method of which to pilfer the carving. Changing methods multiple times. The young human covered her mouth, snickering as the goblins strained, slipped, bummed heads and a few times hinder each other in the task.

White air steamed through her fingers. Each breath betrayed the subtle drop in temperature within the room. She had only noticed once the goblins, gasping in exhaustion, huffed at the expense of energy. Neither seemed to notice, at least not right away.

"It's He'ah!" The spirit whispered.

Through the stone archway. Aes watched a compressing gust of white air roll through the cracked hole she had gotten stuck in. Aes caressed the crucifix between her fingers as a presence of unease spilled over into the adjacent rooms. Now the goblins noticed. Ceasing their work, the duo initiated an investigation. The cold mist mimicked a humanoid form. A clawed hand pulled over the ground, the mist following its direction.

Both goblins became visibly disturbed. Backing away slowly, they crept to a second door within the room. Aes watched them both.

"Foll'ah them. They may know the way out!" The spirit instructed.

Aes nodded. Waiting a moment before she moved, attention bouncing back between the growing mist and sneaking goblins. Each step was quiet, save for one careless slip. With the lack of light, Aes couldn't see the uneven, protruding edge of the floor. A soft kick with her shoe, Aes fell to her hands and knees. The lantern slipped from behind her jacket. Clanked loud as it struck the ground.

The goblins didn't bother to turn back. Hardened pads of their feet struck the ground as they squirmed to get away. The spirit barely got a word out before Aes had snatched the lantern back up and given chase as well as she could, unmatched against their superior agility. Jumping like rabbits. Climbing like monkeys, Aes barely had a chance.

It wasn't them she needed, however, but the path they left. Twigs snapped, dust kicked up, swaying limbs from the intruding plants. Gave her the clue she needed. Aes pushed her sore body once more to survive this eldritch event. The cascading mist stretched through the ruins. Freezing all within its path.

Aes's breath became dryer and more difficult. Moving from room to room. Slipping under and between the recent growth. The deathly chill nipped at her heels. She lost the path. Ice built upon the threads of her shoes. She had only taken a moment to discern the route was no longer needed. Quickly, she ran to a vacant opening within the wall. Large enough for her escape. Aes leaped, blindly, through. Striking the outside with a hard thud.

Outside the ruins, a vast forest shrouded the land. Dim radiant beams penetrated the canopy over head to illuminate the ground. The only sound was that from the goblins. Loading of all they could.

"Th'eh! The goblins are drivin' off in their wagon." The spirit told her.

Aes spotted the two raiders. They weren't alone, several other goblins pulled a rickety wagon. Clothe tarps held down by net and worn rope, covered filled sacks of objects. Their strength was slightly surprising. Though after seeing how they moved. Aes understood how such creatures could carry such a load, she scuttled behind them, hoping into the back un hampered.

Wedging herself within, Aes plopped back upon the sacks, kicking off her soaked shoes and socks. Chest decompressing with a releasing a deep breath. A spacy stare at the linen clothe over head. She asked again.

"So are you gonna tell me who you are now?"

"Call me...Gloam" It finally answered.

"Okay...I didn't think you were going to."

"We have time now."

"Where am I? How did I get here? What is all this? How do I get back home!?"

"Calm yourself childe, no need to get excited. We are within the Hedge. How, I am not sure. As for getting back? That is why I am here."

"Your gonna help me get back home?!"

"Why, of course! Once I can get free from this prison, which I need your help...I will help you get home."

"Oh bet!"

"On what?"

"What?"

"What is this to wager?"

"No, I said 'Bet'."

"Yes...on what?"

"...never mind." I'll help you!"

"Indeed! Now, rest. You earned it."

With barely a reply. Aes leaned back and drifted off to sleep. Gloam, the spirit, smiled broadly. A twisted toothy smile, and a low chuckle.

A low, howling wind blew. Tall, thin pine trees swayed gently in the breeze. Pale clouds drifted across the sky. The wagon rolled down a unworn path. A strong burst of cold air rushed past them, rocking the wagon. Aes briefly woke, teeth chattering rapidly. She glanced lazily into the forest. She hid herself deeper into the wagon. After noticing several pairs of eyes watching her from within the forest's darkness.

Shivering from cold, and maybe fear as well, Aes sought solace in the closest thing familiar to her world. Leaning her head down, hands clasped together between her rosary.

She whispered several prayers.

"Forgive my long absence...I need your strength. Now, more then ever." She whispered, placing a kiss on the crucifix with a tear in her eye.