Horror

CONDITION: HORROR

PROMPT: Write a story about two divergent snow covered paths.

“Y'all ready to hear a bedtime story?” Daley started, almost whispering. Nona was asleep. Daley had no plans of dealing with a cranky old antiquity. Not on a peaceful chilly night like this.

 The five children were curled up in a ball. They sat around the lantern, dead silent with eyes fixed on him. The moon three the  spotlight on Daley. The wind whistled in. Clearing his throat, Daley begun…. 

“This is a tale my father told me. One his father told him. One the Russian merchant told his father."

...

"It was that time of the year. The snow was unforgiving. It was the period where all paths vanished under the blanket of snow. 

The wise old ones said, 

“The paths where the winds only blow in your face should never be taken."

 No one knew why it was so. The stories were all different. Too different. There was one thing that was common to every story however…"

Daley's eyes shot open. The moon hid behind a cloud. The rustling leaves stilled. The children huddled tighter. Daley broke his ominous silence…

“THE DISAPPEARANCES!”

"Everyone obeyed. Not a hair was out of place...

Till the day Billy  disappeared.

The stories say he went reindeer spotting one afternoon. Cold and alone. He was a hardy one. Yes he was. Ol' Billy was lost in the majesty of the animals. He had admired them for years.

 He trailed them about a mile. Straying further from the path he started on. He came to a split path.

There she was, chills all over, tears freezing over. Billy went to her. Knight in shining armor. She pointed down the leftward path. Pointing down the path, she voiced, "Papa."

 ...

 Down they went. On and on. The trees got taller. Blocked out the sky. She pointed to a man. He wasn’t far off. Flat on his back and clearly unconscious. Billy rushed to him. He knew he had to act fast.  

…

Eyes gouged out, gut carved into. Insides missing. Billy turned back to the girl. He knew they had to get out of there and fast! 

His blood froze. Then it all came rushing back. The girl. She was in the tale his father told him. The vessel of the ghoul. The ghoul of the windy winter path. No one could hear his cries as it slashed into him.

 Rumors say Billy survived...

 He waits at the mouth of windy winter trails. Hoping someone who heard his story will follow him down the path to rescue a stray reindeer.”