Gimlet knew going to the woods at night was a bad idea. He heard terrible stories from the gossipy old wives in the market. Many townspeople often heard strange noises coming from the forest at night.

Those who went to investigate never came back. The superstitious townspeople proclaimed the forest is cursed yet Gimlet felt skeptical. Nevertheless, it is generally a bad idea to go out to the woods at night.

But his mother was sick. With her getting older and still working at the factory, her body couldn’t cope with the hard labor. She caught a bad cold. Modern doctors recognized it as pneumonia. But in the old days, people only knew it as a bad cough. Gimlet insisted she take a rest but she was adamant to continue working. Gimlet’s apprenticeship as a blacksmith didn’t offer any pay so they couldn’t afford a doctor. He heard from someone, there was a special plant that could heal his mother’s sickness. He left the house immediately to find it.

The moon hung in the sky as Gimlet stood at the edge of the dark forest, staring inside it. He felt his heart waver. There were too many shadows. Branches seemed to reach out to him like bony hands, attempting to draw him inside. A cold breeze blew past, brushing against his skin. Unconsciously, he shivered.

To comfort himself, he reached for his sheathed knife tied to his waist. The knife had been a gift from his father when he was ten years old. A year later his father died inside the very same woods. A woodsman found him at the edge of the deep forest, or at least pieces of him. They were kind enough to return his father’s ax which was now resting on Gimlet’s back. Gimlet tightened his grip on his knife and with a lantern, he stepped inside the dark forest.

Twigs snapped under Gimlet's old weather worn boots as he navigated his way in the woods. The woman said the special plant lived in a secluded area of the forest clustered together. In a shallow cave hiding behind a waterfall. All he had to do was follow the river inside the dark woods and it would lead him to the waterfall. He hoped.

Eventually he came across the river. Local townspeople recognized this river as the boundary between the dark woods and the deep woods. The difference between the two was like night and day.

There was a reason why they called it the deep woods. It was because it was difficult for light to penetrate inside. There, the woods were thicker, more tightly clustered together. Foliage were condensed and concentrated, almost forming a wall against the sunlight.

Gimlet could feel a palpable force just standing close to the edge. Even expert woodsmen wouldn’t go into the deep woods carelessly.

Gimlet took a deep breath. Thankfully he didn’t need to go any deeper into the woods. All he had to do was follow against the flow of the running river and find the water fall before his mother’s condition gets any worse.

It was difficult with only the lantern as the source of light at night but he managed to figure out where the water was coming from and started to walk toward it. Half an hour later, he felt something was wrong. He paused and listened. The forest was quiet. Too quiet. He couldn’t hear the chirping of the cicadas. Nor the rustling of the wind in the trees. Raising the lantern above his head, Gimlet glanced at his surroundings and felt his stomach drop.

Overhead, thick branches and leaves blocked the sky and for a quick moment, he saw something watching him from the branches. When he looked closer, it was only a cluster of leaves. He sighed in relief but his uneasiness didn’t go away. He felt sorely tempted to go back home but reminded himself he was doing this for his mother. Gathering his courage, he continued onward.

Some time later, Gimlet saw a faint light flickering a few yards away. At first he thought of another traveler venturing into the woods. He opened his mouth, ready to call the stranger out but as he grew closer, something didn’t look right. It didn't have the same yellow candle-lit glow.

Instead, it had a bright blue color, the flame hung suspended in mid-air and seemed to be moving at a snail's pace. His heart went to his throat. He hid behind a nearby tree trunk and watched feeling amazed.

Then the flame flickered, growing weaker and weaker until it died away. The forest was covered in darkness once more. Gimlet wondered what happened and grew startled as the flame reappeared but in a different place than where he'd seen it before.

A child's giggle echoed in the forest.

A cold shiver ran up Gimlet's spine. He suddenly remembered the stories his mother told him as a child. Of spirits and ghouls. As he grew older, he stopped believing in those things but now, witnessing what he just saw. Perhaps it was time to rethink the truth of those stories.

The flame continued its snail pace before disappearing and reappearing again, now farther away from him. He glanced at the river and then at the flame who seemed to beckon him to follow it.

He shook his head and continued following the river. Saving his mother was more important than chasing after a strange flame.

Perhaps he had already realized it but refused to accept the fact he ended up in the deep woods. He felt perplexed. He knew he followed on the right side correctly so how did he end up on the opposite side?

With the lantern, he was able to see a few feet ahead of the woods. He carried on, wondering when he’ll reach the waterfall.

He walked for what felt like a long time. His feet started to hurt. Thinking a short break wouldn’t hurt, he stopped and set the lantern down. Sitting on the ground, he took off his boots and began to massage his feet. It was a few moments later, he felt someone watching him from the darkness.

Despite feeling tired, he calmly put his boots back on in slow but neat movements before picking up his lantern. His movements were casual but his hand gripped the handle of his knife tightly. The moment he did so, a large shadow jumped out from the dark bushes and lunged at him.

Gimlet evaded the shadow, pulling out his knife, and faced his attacker. It was a wolf. A very large gray wolf. Its golden eyes gleamed with intelligence as it bared its sharp teeth to Gimlet. Hackles rising, it growled menacingly.

Gimlet assessed the situation. The chances of escaping the situation was not good. It was impossible to outrun a wolf in close range. Dashing to climb a tree has potential but for how long would he last? He had neither food or drink with him. And wolves were patient predators.

Sensing Gimlet's distracted thoughts, the wolf lunged again, baring its jaws. Gimlet moved too late. The wolf struck Gimlet on the chest, knocking him down to the ground. The lantern flew from his grip but he didn't let go of his knife. The wolf bit down on Gimlet's neck which Gimlet immediately blocked with his arm. The wolf vise-like jaw closed in on human flesh and the pain that came with it could make any grown man cry.

With knife in hand, Gimlet stabbed the wolf in the stomach in quick rapid movements. The knife's sharp blade sliding into the soft flesh of the wolf's underbelly like butter. The wolf released its jaw from Gimlet's arm with a cry of pain, yelping with hurt indignation. It leapt back into the dark bushes, leaving behind a trail of blood.

Panting with exhaustion, Gimlet retrieved back the lantern and checked his injuries. He winced. There were several deep puncture marks as well as some torn off skin. He cleaned the wound as best he could with the river water nearby and tore off a piece of clothing to wrap the wound securely. The wound stung every time he moved his arm but it was the best he could do at the moment.

He walked on.

The pain flared every time he walked but he endured. The soft sounds of running water his only companion. His sense of time disappeared as he took one step after another. The pain constantly running up and down his arm. He began to sweat as waves of nausea rose in him like tides.

Has the wound become infected? Gimlet heard stories about people turning wild after being bitten by animals. How ironic would it be if he died in the same forest his father died in? His mother must be worried sick about him.

Around the river bend, he spotted a small wooden cottage. He approached it cautiously, wondering if someone lived inside. Coming close, he saw a dim light through the window. He stepped into the front porch and knocked.

The door opened. An old woman appeared. She had milk white eyes and a pointed chin. She leaned close and slightly tilted her head.

"Oh dear, why is a young man like yourself out in the woods in the middle of the night?"

"Good evening grandmother." Gimlet said. "I apologize for disturbing your sleep however, I was attacked by a wolf. Would it be alright if I stay the night until morning? I don't have much but I can help chop wood for winter in the morning."

"Of course. Come in, child and warm by the fire. We'll see what we can do about your wound."

"Many thanks, grandmother."

Gimlet stepped inside the wooden cottage. A stone chimney sat at the end of the opposite wall. It had a cozy fire and a cauldron with soup bubbling inside. Gimlet sat near the fire, comforted by the warmth. The old woman sat beside him and removed the cloth around his wound. She inspected the injury.

"The bite is deep and ferocious. You are lucky I still have some medicine."

She got up and opened a cabinet by the corner.

"So what brings you into the woods? Not many would dare to brave here especially at night."

The old woman picked a vial inside the cabinet. Dark green liquid swirled inside the vial.

"I am looking for a plant to cure my mother's sickness. I heard it lives behind a waterfall deep in the woods."

“Ah, you must be referring to the Queen of the Night. It only grows in dark humid places."

"Can you tell me where I can find it, grandmother?"

"You must travel deeper into the woods. Very dangerous." She said as she set the vial down and began to clean the bite mark.

"My mother needs it. I have to find the cure for her."

She opened the topper and the smell of herbs filled the air.

"You are a very brave boy. You remind me of my son. Very well, I will tell you. To find the plant, you must travel north following the river. Eventually you will find what you are looking for."

She poured the liquid from the vial over Gimlet's injury. Gimlet hissed at the contact. The wound stung terribly. The old woman wrapped a clean cloth over it.

"There now. The would should heal in a couple of weeks. You must also drink this." She scooped up the soup from the cauldron and placed it in a tin cup. "It is a herbal soup I made myself. It eases the joints and pains."

Gimlet drank it and observed a sweet spicy taste. "It's very delicious."

The old woman smiled. "If you don't mind an old woman's snoring, you can sleep by the fire."

"Thank you grandmother."

Gimlet settled himself near the fire and closed his eyes.

Within moments, he soon fell asleep.

"I told you to bring plump, juicy children!" A loud hoarse angry whisper jerked Gimlet awake. The fire had gone out and he could not see who was in the room with him.

"This one is too tall, all skin and bones." The voice continued to angrily scold the other person.

Gimlet laid still. He recognized the voice of the grandmother. But he could not tell who she was talking to.

"But I suppose he'll have to do." There was a scuffling noise in the room and the sound of sharpening metal. Gimlet pretended to sleep while reaching for his knife. His nerves were on edge.

Then he felt someone breathing down on him. With quick reflexes, he rolled away and upended the cauldron. Overturning the still hot liquid on the wooden floor.

Gimlet heard a loud shriek.

"My soup! My soup! You've spilled my soup."

Gimlet didn't spare the old woman any more thoughts. He quickly opened a window and jumped out of it. But before he did that, he managed to catch a glimpse of a dim blue flame hovering in a corner of the room. His eyes must be playing tricks on him because it was the shape of a child. The old woman's angry voice chased after him.

"You won't get far. None ever do. Wait til I get my hands on you boy! Your bones will make a nice broth for my soup!"

He ran and never looked back.

© MaryJ0jo