The Forest Encounter Short Story inspired by Edgar Allan Poe
the journal of literature and the arts at saint david ’ s school
The Forest Encounter Short Story inspired by Edgar Allan Poe
In the forest ’ s heart , where shadows tangled with the fading sunlight , a peculiar silence settled , broken only by the rustle of leaves . The air , heavy with the scent of earth and the woodlands , sent shivers down my spine . The distant hoot of an owl mingled with the soft chirping of crickets , creating an eerie melody . The touch of a cool , damp breeze sent goosebumps racing across my skin , while the rough texture of tree bark underneath my fingertips grounded me in the moment . Moonlight filtered through dense shrubs , casting patterns on the forest floor , like ghosts dancing in the dark . The taste of anticipation hung in the air as if I could almost taste the fear that suspended the atmosphere . The distant howl of a lone wolf echoed through the woods , its mournful cry raising the hairs on the back of my neck .
Suddenly , a twig snapped under an unseen beast , and my ears caught the subtlest of movements , a whisper-like sound that heightened my senses further . I stood there paralyzed , acutely aware of the mysterious presence lurking just beyond my sight , sending a chill down my spine as the unseen creature seemed to draw closer , its unseen eyes boring into my soul .
I turned and ran . I didn ’ t care to look up to see where I was running . I just ran . I went through the brush with great agility , but this beast was too agile and quick . I ran and ran until I couldn ’ t run much longer and found myself in what looked to be exactly where I started . Frantic , I could hear the low hum of the beast growl and the sound of branches breaking under its feet . My body said to stop running , but my brain knew if I stopped running it would be the last time .
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