Other Side has no human homes, warm lights or tasty treats. On Samhain night a dense forest shows itself to those willing to taste the unfamiliar.

You cross the street.
Leave the known.
Find your new home.

Feel the rough skin of ancient trees against your fresh skin. Let the earth and moss take over your taste buds and wrinkle your nose.

Tune your ears to the invisible creatures stalking paths so close and yet impossible for you to find.

Bring your hands to your face. Adjust your eyes to your new surroundings. Even in the dark there are things to see.

Fluorescent fungi. Yellow eyes. A moonlight-kissed canopy holding up the sky.

Look at how they act across the street. Sheep. Sitting. Watching other sheep sitting chatting about nothing. Masticating is their hot house.

We’re different here.

In time, new becomes normal. You’ve been in the forest for months but for the street it’s only been minutes. Nobody misses you because they don’t know they need to miss you.

You will return to the street. But you’ll need time to readjust. You won’t like your family anymore. You will long to be back in our embrace.

Street you is not the original you. The other one is still wandering the forest. At day break, the forest will disappear for another year.

*

You glance out of the window. Catch your breath. Yellow eyes drink in your life from across the street.

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    Barb Dukeman
    Barb Dukeman(@barb-dukeman)
    1 year ago

    Creepy through and through. Excellent use of darkness + night to create the personality. The use of sense imagery is equally mesmerizing. Good job.

    Lydia Wist
    Lydia Wist(@lydia-wist1)
    Reply to  Barb Dukeman
    1 year ago

    Thank you! 🙂

    Heather Chrzanowski
    Heather Chrzanowski(@heather-chrzanowski)
    1 year ago

    Wow, this was intense. I want to know more. This could be part of a bigger story! What a great idea! Have you written any more? Really awesome. Nice work.

    Lydia Wist
    Lydia Wist(@lydia-wist1)
    Reply to  Heather Chrzanowski
    1 year ago

    Hi 🙂 thanks for your kind words. I haven’t written any more on this story yet but I’m definitely interested in developing it further.

    Dipayan Chakrabarti
    Dipayan Chakrabarti(@dipayan-chakrabarti)
    1 year ago

    The descriptions are the essential components of the story, and a major clue to the meaning and effect. Superb, Lydia!

    Lydia Wist
    Lydia Wist(@lydia-wist1)
    Reply to  Dipayan Chakrabarti
    1 year ago

    Thank you Dipayan. 🙂

    Dipayan Chakrabarti
    Dipayan Chakrabarti(@dipayan-chakrabarti)
    Reply to  Lydia Wist
    1 year ago

    You’re welcome, Lydia.

    Christer Norrlof
    Christer Norrlof(@christer-norrlof)
    1 year ago

    A different take on the theme, Lydia. The gradual change of environment, thoughts and identification is intriguing and skillfully made. It’s fascinating to imagine how we can become strangers to our former selves, how something unknown can take over.

    Lydia Wist
    Lydia Wist(@lydia-wist1)
    Reply to  Christer Norrlof
    1 year ago

    Exactly. It’s a theme that can be explored in different ways, but of course lends itself perfectly to scary stories.

    Lotchie Carmelo
    Lotchie Carmelo(@lotchie-carmelo)
    1 year ago

    Welcome to Voice club, Lydia. I feel it so creepy and intriguing. Nicely done.

    Lydia Wist
    Lydia Wist(@lydia-wist1)
    Reply to  Lotchie Carmelo
    1 year ago

    Thank you ?

    Lotchie Carmelo
    Lotchie Carmelo(@lotchie-carmelo)
    Reply to  Lydia Wist
    1 year ago

    You’re welcome.

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