Chapter 5

Alyssa and Adanna moved closer as asked by the stranger, they squinted their eyes trying to see through the white fog. Curious to see how he looked.

When they got really close Alyssa could see a tall tree similar to the other but different in that it had black leaves that were vividly seen through the whiteness of the forest. "Are you still there?" She asked straining her ears to listen to the man.

"Of course little meat." She shivered as the voice came from just above her head, a little higher from where they were standing. 'Meat?' They inwardly wondered if that man on the tree was joking or being serious.

"Do you know this area sir." Alyssa asked in a squeaky voice which was laced with nervousness. They didn't hear a response right away as they waited for the man to get down. When she looked at the tree once again the black leaves were no longer in sight, the tree no longer had any leaf. All she could see were spooky branches still surrounded by the mist.

"Was it my illusion?" Alyssa unintentionally let those words out earning Adanna's attention.

"What?" Her friend asked as she looked at where she was staring. That is the white fog surrounding that leafless tree. "Nothing," she lied, embarrassed that she was acting weird.

The two were caught unguarded as they heard a swerve on the grass a meter away from the tree. Something black streaked in the smog as it moved in a wavy motion slithering towards the two. It was big and thick. They had seen nothing like it. All of this was seen from a little distance away, if not they would've been trampled to flat paper.

The head of the creature moved fast and that only left them getting a quick glimpse of its thick tail.

It got closer as that black thing she had mistakenly seen as leaves of some sort had actually been some reptile scales. The scutes were shiny black and smooth that if one extended a hand and tried to touch, it would slip and fall.

The black monster made some rattling sound as it circled around the two girls coiling its body for about ten times so that it made a wall blocking it's preys from escaping. The fear that emitted from its food made it feel more hungry as it moved its head towards its body before remembering to answer to that stupid question.

"Of course I know it, it is mine after all." The two heard the same voice from above as the wall surrounding them start to shrink the distance between them as it moved closer to their side. They looked up to see a huge ember eye staring at them. It was bigger than any eye they had seen back home. Those giant birds had eyes that fitted thrice on this eye. It was slit with so much killing intent as it stared at the their eyes.

It was not that long when they realised they had been tricked by this serpent. It was weird enough that it was that big and on top of that it could talk.

They had realised this fact by how it kept rattling and coiling it's slimy cold skin around them. When they looked at its eye all was confirmed. It really was a giant magical serpent. They really had very bad luck.

The serpent raised its head as it started playing with its crimson tongue before it circled and licked at their cheeks savoring the meal before really eating it.

They panicked knowing really well that they were going to be food for the creature. No wonder why their parents always urged them to avoid talking with strangers.

Here they were being squeezed to death as saliva fell from its mouth. It opened it so wide nearing their bodies which were rid of any energy to struggle against it.

For the second time during this night, they closed their eyes waiting for death. Waiting for it to swallow them so that they get squeezed once more. But nothing like that happened when they opened their eyes that snake was out of sight. Letting out a relief the two stood up and started running without stopping. Their feet kept stretching and relaxing, getting away from the monster.

After running for about five hundred meters, the two arrived at a clearing.

It was the only place they could stay for the remaining hours of the night. They hadn't noticed that the moon was shining at its brightest as it lit over them. The fog was long gone. And finally they made some fire to dry their clothes and warm themselves.

Lying on the grass as they covered themselves with leaves, the two girls slept with growling stomachs. They could only wait for the next day, maybe they might find some fruits or a field. If lucky maybe a village.

"Alyssa! Are you sleeping?" Adanna asked from the other side of the fire.

".....I'm awake."

"I can't seem to find sleep. We have had a night." Adanna lamented to her friend.

"Strange things kept on happening this very day, something must have triggered it all. I hope it passes after this little sleep so that when tomorrow arrives it will be a new day. At least we are far from it now. Hopefully it won't change it's mind and chase us this far." Alyssa exclaimed as she tried to catch her breath.

"Yeah he is scary. Why would he squeeze us for nothing and leaves us alone. We were lucky this time, we should find somewhere to settle down for some days before continuing with this journey," Adanna voiced her thoughts as they lay on the grass moving closer for heat from the fire.

"Let us have some sleep, we will continue onwards as early as we can." Alyssa told the other as she closed her eyes letting her mind rest for the day.

"Good night."

"Night."