Journeys of the mind

Naked trees line my path like beacons showing the way. My breath rises in visible puffs that swirl around me before fading into the clouded night sky. The icy wind whistles through the air, pinching at my skin with its chilly fingertips.

The night air brings crispness to the fallen leaves, bejewelled with frost. They crunch loudly under my feet, the sound echoing around me. The distant hooting of an owl makes my skin crawl, adding to the dire situation I now find myself in. The smell of death lingers in the air like rotting meat left in the sun, causing my stomach to churn and burn.

My heart thumps wildly in my chest like a drum, the rhythm fast and unsteady, the sound vibrating in my ears. Cold sweat drips from my head, brought on by anxiety as my nerves take complete control. I can’t move.

Six men, all wearing black cloaks, surround me, their silhouettes black shadows against the dark and gloomy backdrop, leaving only their eyes visible. They begin to circle me like lions, studying me, waiting for the right moment to pounce on their prey.

Red eyes lock onto me. Hatred and anger radiate from their glowing embers like sharp daggers cutting deep into my soul.