Friday 8 April 2016

Ghost of the Wilderness


The boys were tired; they had been trekking for six hours and still they had not reached the lake.

‘I think we are lost in this wilderness,’ said one.

‘We must stop and camp somewhere; Sun is about to set and soon it would be dark,’ other replied.

They found a nice camping place near a rivulet.

‘How do you like it?’ asked one

‘I sense something eerie about this place,’ said the other and laughed as if it was a joke. They began to set up the camp.

They were about to start their dinner when, in the dim evening light, they saw an old, sickly man, in tattered clothes, approaching their camp. They were taken aback and looked at each other.

‘I am tired and hungry. I haven’t eaten for days. Would you mind sharing……….’ his voice was harsh and low.

The boys seemed lost for words; they said nothing.

‘“Who this man is and………what’s he doing here?” That’s what you are thinking, no?’ Although his body was withered his eyes were shinning in the fading evening light.

‘Yes,’ said one of them, meekly.

‘You think I am…….some unearthly being…..a ghost,’ he laughed.

‘No,’ said the other boy but without any conviction.

‘I too came in search of the lake and got lost in this wilderness. I have been wandering here for years……I have even lost count of the years. I don’t think the lake exist…..yes; I know there’s no lake anywhere here. Boys, let me warn you; there’s no way out from here; we are all trapped in this ghostly wilderness.’

A terrifying nervousness began to grip the boys.

‘You can have the dinner with us but this tent is good enough for two persons only. You may have to make some other arrangement…….’ one boy ventured politely.

‘What bad times these are? People are unwilling to help even a harmless and sick….….’old man started muttering strange words that the boys couldn’t understand.

And then to their horror, he got on his all fours and began to howl like a wolf. His call was promptly returned by a pack of invisible wolves.
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My earlier posts are here
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29 comments:

  1. Ooh, eerie. I like the tone and style here, almost like a fairy tale, but a little more precise.

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  2. Glad I read this in the morning and not at night. :)

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    1. but the real fun is when you read a dark story at night, thanks for stopping by

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  3. Nice setting, and what a sudden twist in the end when one almost got used to the old sickly man.

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    1. thanks Narinder for appreciating the story

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  4. What a fabulous story! I love the weird, the macabre, and this has nailed it brilliantly.
    [@samantha_rjsdr] from
    Whimsical Compass

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  5. Hmm? Would the wolves still come after them if they chose to let him sleep in their tent? Great story. Thanks for your comment on my blog.

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    1. thanks, we can imagine all the turns and twists that are possible.

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  6. I am following you now. Follow me?

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  7. J here, stopping by from the #atozchallenge - where I am part of Arlee Bird's A to Z Ambassador Team.
    How has the first week of the challenge been for you so far? Are you meeting your goals of posting and hopping to other blogs?
    My blog has a giveaway with bonus a to z challenges to encourage people to visit more stops.
    http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com
    Oooh, that's a great hook at the end. Well done!

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    1. Thanks J for stopping by, sure its my second year and i like it, yes i am meeting the goals and visiting at least 7 to 10 blogs everyday and my favorites are always there to follow

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  8. Hmm the wolves may come and clear the tent for him after his howl, pays to be nice haha

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  9. I think this pack is behind our house at night. We hear them but never see them.

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    1. you can't be that sure with unearthly beings, thanks for stopping by

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  10. *shivers*
    I have a funny feeling that these boys will be stuck there forever...just like the old, sickly man in tattered clothes.
    Don't forget to pop in by my blog.
    There are still PLENTY of free books to be won during the A to Z challenge. Just remember to say which books really grab your attention.
    Writer In Transit

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  11. Yikes. I had a feeling that story wasn't going to end happy.

    ~Ninja Minion Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
    Story Dam
    Patricia Lynne, Indie Author

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    1. that's the problem ghosts, they make life miserable even in stories, thanks for stopping by

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