It was an early autumn morning, cool and dry. A suitable day for hiking and … may be adventure.
‘Come on, Ben! Walk faster! Walk faster! Don’t walk like an elderly! Where is your enthusiasm? Please, walk faster!’ Sam shouted with impatience.
Ben, who was still strolling slowly on a path, gently answered. ‘Sam, won’t you feel tired, you have shouted for a hundred times. Why don’t you slacken your throat and slow down your steps to relish this refined nature. Look, there are colourful camellias, pretty periwinkle and exquisite eglantine. Those beautiful flowers are the gift from nature. Listen, there are birds singing, leaves whispering and bees buzzing…’ Ben stretched his arms and grinned gladly. ‘Look around, Sam, embrace the wind, grasp the sunlight and hug… Oh why! A wounded dog!’ Ben screamed.
He dashed towards the dog and hit Sam heedlessly. Sam fell down on a pile of yellow, withered leaves.
‘Oh!’ Sam squeaked with pain.
‘A wounded dog? Now, I am the wounded one!’ Sam limped towards Ben and blamed him.
Ben neglected Sam’s grumble. He pacified the dog and took out a bandage to wrap its wound.
‘OK, be careful!’ Ben patted the dog’s head. The dog licked Ben softly and paced away lingeringly.
After the dog left, Ben and Sam continued their journey. They sauntered to the deep of the forest. Along the way, there were more and more gigantic trees. They were so enormous that they even blocked the sunlight. An immense darkness clasped Ben and Sam.
Ben took out a torch.
However, the darkness was so dense that even Ben turned on the torch. It could only irradiate a few inch ahead. Ben and Sam walked slower and slower.
‘Sa, sa, sa…’
It seemed all sounds have gone with the sunlight. Ben and Sam could only hear the leaves rustling under their shoes.
After some time, it seemed like a decade or a century, they reached their destination. An abandoned house. An abandoned house which was erected in the besiegement of lofty trees; with reddish-brown bricks and broken windows; like a monster after a ghastly meal.
‘Ben, it’s true, there’s really the house! Thank God! We found it!’ Sam hugged Ben and yelled joyfully.
Ben ignored Sam’s crazy behavior. He walked towards the closed gate of the house.
Accidentally, the torch glimmered and died out.
Despite Sam’s screaming and pacing, Ben searched his bag leisurely, he then took out a candle and lightened it.
One step, two steps…
Ben finally walked near the gate.
The gate was painted red, as red as flesh blood; with two brass knockers sculpted as snakes. All these things meant… danger.
Ben faltered and doubted whether he should open the gate.
Suddenly, Sam pushed the gate and dashed into the house.
‘Sam, wait! There’ll be dangers! Sam, get out of the house!’ Ben cried nervously.
‘Help!’ An algetic shout rang out.
When Ben strode across the threshold of the gate, the candle snuffed out instantly.
Nevertheless, Ben had no fear in the hushed darkness. ‘Sam, wait for me, I would save you, wait for me, Sam!’ Ben soliloquized.
However, when Ben wanted to make a step, he found himself halted.
Appallingly, he found he was losing control of his body, from his feet to his arm, from his arm to his head. He could not move any muscles or any bones, even he could not wink. Besides, he felt his soul was being pulled by something. It seemed that thing craved to grab his soul. Ben resisted. However, his strength and courage passed away with time. His consciousness blurred…
Suddenly, there was a succession of barking, such thunderous barking aroused Ben immediately.
When Ben was sobered, he saw a dog dashing to him.
‘You are… the dog that I lent a hand this morning?’ Ben asked with hesitation.
The dog licked Ben softly. It shepherded Ben to Sam. Fortunately, Sam was safe and sound.
Ben carried Sam on his back and he followed the dog.
Surprisingly, they left the house safely.
The dog kept on running ahead, its golden hair sparkled the path for Ben. They ran and ran until they reached a cavern. Ben lowered Sam gently on a pile of shriveled leaves.
‘Thank you!’
Ben fainted with exhaustion.
‘Cock-a-doodle-doo!’
Ben waked up.
‘A nightmare?’ Ben thought.
‘No, it’s not a nightmare. It is real. ‘Ben told himself affirmatively after he picked up some golden hair on his clothes.