Suddenly,
I awake to find myself amidst a forest the likes of which I have never even imagined.
Trees stretching far into the air, their foliage beyond hope of reach and their trunks impossibly large and covered in a light green moss.
The ground around me devoid of plant life revealing the thick, veiny roots of the massive trees that surround me on all sides.
Quiet would be an understatement, there are scarcely sounds of animal life to be heard at all.
Looking around, I feel an overwhelming sense that I am as alone as any person has ever been.
A feeling of unease prevails as I begin to wander between the trunks of these impossibly large trees.
After walking for what seems like forever, I come across the only unique landmark I have seen in this strange, surreal place.
Before me stands the moss covered remains of a stone building, its shape reminiscent of a church built ages ago, the bricks carved by hand.
I soon find myself walking through the archway that once served as an entrance to the seemingly ancient structure.
Inside, I find myself standing amidst the remains of a church nave, the pews decayed and the floors covered in debris of fallen leaves, dirt, and small plants.
A soft sunlight flowed in from the missing sections of ceiling, lighting all but the very corners of the room.
Carefully, I begin to walk up the main aisle toward the decrepit alter sitting centrally at the front of the room.
I take no more than a couple of steps before I stop, a chill runs through me as I stand paralyzed staring at the alter.
Before me, from behind the remains of the alter emerges a figure draped in a black cloth, tattered and stained, and with bits of moss clinging to it.
As the creature before me takes to its feet, I stand bewildered and frightened to see that the creature appears to be easily 8 feet tall and the bady torn cloth
covering its body reveals its skeletal nature. Hanging from the creatures clearly visible rib cage was scraps of blackish-red desiccated flesh, some with hints of fur.
While the rib cage was clearly that of a man, the rest of the creatures body was a mismatch of various bones from appeared to be several creatures.
I am able to make out that the legs appear to belong to an ungulate beast and for a split second, I think I see a hoof where the creatures leg meets the ground.
I don’t take much more notice of the rest of the creatures body as it is, for the most part, shrouded in dark, tattered cloth.
The most notable feature of this creature before me was its head, which was in the shape of a mature buck's skull, with at least 4 points on the antlers that adorned its head.
For a moment my eyes scan the now fully erect creature before me and as I move my eyes past its face,
I notice that the empty eye sockets seem to pulse with a dark energy that seems to devour any light that comes too close.
I am immediately struck with the understanding that I should absolutely NOT look into this creatures eyes and I quickly avert my gaze to focus on the majesty of the antlers adorning the creatures skull.
A feeling of dread and anxiety washes over me, though I don’t feel a sense of immediate danger. The feeling almost akin to being a child found playing around in your father’s study.
Suddenly the creature turns slightly to face me directly. Still paralyzed, I have no choice but to bear witness to the scene in front of me.
Soon, without moving even slightly, the creature somehow produces the words “You aren’t meant to be here.” Still frozen in place, I feel a sense of warmth wash over me, quickly replacing the dread and anxiety.
I manage only to move my eyes to take one last look at this creature before me before I heard its voice again as the creature begins to move slowly towards me in the laboured motion of a very old man as
it says calmly “It’s time you returned home”.
In an instant I awake in my bed, the morning is young. I grab a drink and eventually return to sleep.
