text: It was dawn, and the sun was just about to rise. The wintery dew, over the leaves, made it look much more beautiful than it really should have been and the lake just reflected the reddish glow of the sunlight. “ Don’t you think it is beautiful? The morning sunlight and us, together, apart from the mayhem of mankind?” Emma sighed. “ Boy, you can be so poetic and philosophical, that it can nearly knock someone off guard if one was not used to it already,” Arthur said in amazement. They were both holding hands, sitting quietly near the lake and speaking nothing. Arthur made an attempt to get up, but Emma pulled him down by his sleeves and spoke, “You do not move until I ask you to.” “Sure, I will pee in the lake then, and hope that it adds warmth and more colour to the water, probably a much better golden tint!” Arthur commented sarcastically and pulled his hand free of Emma’s grip. “Very well then, you are permitted, get going, young man, the plants need some water. I hope you pee enough to help them quench their thirst.” Arthur ran and came back a few minutes later. “How about we get back into the shade and then think of what we have to eat through the day. I mean we could fish for one, or maybe you know pluck down wild berries that we don’t know about, but can read from a book?” “Sure!” ⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪ They were in the woods when they heard the dry leaves rustling behind them. Arthur turned with sheer alertness, but Emma was pretty casual about all this. She carelessly spoke, “ Don’t worry Arthur, that was probably the sound of other campers searching for food, nothing else.” “No Emma, it isn’t. If it was so, then the rustling shouldn’t have stopped as soon as I turned. There is something that doesn’t want us here. “Don’t be paranoid, It can be anyth...” Emma was hushed by Arthur. There was a sound of crunching gravel behind them. Arthur went for his shoe and pulled out a camping knife. Emma was too surprised to say anything, so Arthur used the silence to study the sounds. The thing, whatever it was, started to sound close to them. The woods were of no help. The sound started to echo around them and it became impossible to guess the correct direction. Emma now started to freak out. She asked in a low, trembling whisper, “Any Idea what it can be?” “Honestly, not at all. But I am guessing it is nothing humane, so better to stay alert always.” Arthur answered with a slight doubt. The sound now was quicker. It felt like a hoofbeat. Emma stepped front, “ Arthur, I will not let anything happen to you. Whatever it is, will have to fight me first to get to you. I have lost enough, and now, no one. You are the closest thing I have to a family.” “What do you mean that I am the closest thing to a family to you?” Arthur asked baffled. “Not now. It is not the time. We have to save you.” “Save me? No, I have to save you! I love you, Emma like I have loved no one else.” Arthur begged Emma. This time it was Emma, who was thrown off guard. The thing was very close to them and was running. Arthur threw the knife at the most random direction just out of frustration and fell to his feet immediately. It was too much for him to take in in such a short span. He could see Emma rushing to his side. His vision was blurred, but he could make out a burly brownish figure coming close to them. And his eyes closed. ⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪ When Arthur finally woke up, it was dark outside. He could see a cave ceiling over him. He was still dizzy from the fall. He tried to get up, but his legs felt like jelly and butterflies were racing in his stomach. He wrapped himself with a white cotton sheet close to him and moved out. He was in a different place than he remembered. He paced slowly for a while and soon figured out that he was in a very dense part of the forest and that he was too weak to run away on his own. He walked back toward the cave and found Emma sitting on the rock just outside the entrance. He tried to shout her name, but all it came out was a feeble squeak, but Emma heard that nevertheless. She walked toward him with a wide smile on her face. Arthur tried to smile back, but even his face muscles were exhausted. Emma hugged him and he felt a sudden surge of energy through him and he felt better. He tried to speak, but Emma hushed him silent. Emma seemed to glow from a mysterious light that came from within her. “You did great, oh brave one. What you saw in the forest was my mother as a deer. I have been doing this for a while now. I befriend strongmen like yourself and then bring them to this part of the forest. You see, this is my final resting place. My only last wish was to find a man who could bear the curse of a spirit’s love. My curse was to watch my mother set her hand on my lover and she was the deer you saw.” Arthur was too amazed to say anything so all he could do was to nod along. Emma held his hand and all he could sense was a delicate touch, just like snow. He tried to hold her closer but she seemed to dissolve into the air. “Emma, please I love you. Don’t leave, not now. Please.” Arthur cried and tried to hold her, but all was futile. Emma shed a tear and touched Arthur’s face. “My mother is Nyx, brave one. She cursed me that I will lose all men I fall in love with, but she never said about this part, or maybe I never heard,” She said with a weak chuckle, “I always was too depressed thinking about myself, but what I never realised that this part was going to be even more painful. Brave one, I love you too. Hail and farewell, dearly beloved.” And then she dissolved into a faint light of blue. ⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪ Arthur was sitting by the lake, reminiscing the last moments of his time with Emma. He was looking at the lake, reflecting the peaceful moon. Arthur could not help but think about the last time he held her, and... He lay down on the cold grass and closed his eyes, and then he was in his lightest dream, just as Emma, floating into eternal peace.