With a shudder she turned her back on the nightmarish vista that had appeared before her. She told herself it was just the unusual hue of the light that was making her feel this way. Even so, there was an unshakeable feeling in her mind that she should proceed home with utmost haste.
As she followed the path in the direction of the colony the movement and sounds around her made it feel like the ground beneath her feet was beginning to awaken. The rustle of long grass to her side caused by some unseen creature; the moving shadows of the pebbles and rock; everything adding to the impression that a long sleeping titan was nearing consciousness. Ari tried to block it out; to focus on putting one foot in front of the other in an attempt to reach her sanctuary but the eerie sounds became more insistent. Every flicker of movement pulled at her mind and distracted her from her desperate purpose.
The further she got from her starting point, the more surreal things became. The small creatures in the grass became more daring, occasionally she would catch a glimpse as they darted across the road and back into hiding. They were too fast to see properly but Ari began to notice that the flitting shadows resembled the animals she knew less and less each time she saw one. She wasn’t sure but she quickly convinced herself that she could make out an extra appendage or other gross distortion each time.
Unsettled, Ari quickened her pace. The long grass would soon give way to a barren, open area containing little but some low hills which would hopefully allow her to leave the creeping shadows behind. At that very moment there burst from the long grass a low, mournful call a short distance from her position. The sound grated on her already frayed nerves, causing her to stare towards the phantom sound as she also noticed the grass twitching in her direction. With mounting horror, the movement came closer. As it came within a few meters from the path the tension deepened when without warning; an answering call rose up from directly behind her. Not pausing to think, she let out a frightful shriek and blindly fled.
Trace Decay 