it would last forever, beat back the cruel moon and rule the sky for eternity. Then he would be free and all his children after him.
He rose and dressed, taking his time, as though that would somehow slow the progress of the rest of the day. He had preparations to make, though, before night fell.
It was growing dark as Ruth reached the edge of the woods, setting out to take a basket of food for hergrandmother. She glanced skyward anxiously, seeing that the moon was already up even though the sun had not yet set.
Full moon, or nearly.
She had hoped to be on her way home by now, but she had needed to stay at the shop longer than she had thought in order to complete an ax. She should hurry if she wanted to get there while there was still some light.
I’ll probably have to stay overnight.
She was about to pass the first tree when her foot stopped, hovering in midair.
Something is wrong.
She stood, staring, eyes and ears straining. She couldn’t see or hear anything amiss, and yet there was. She looked up at the trees, but they stood like silent sentinels. Whatever secrets they had, they kept.
Move forward!
she screamed at herself. No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn’t will herself to step onto the path. Slowly she lowered her foot back to the ground, next to the other one.
The hair on the back of her neck rose on end. Then, with a swiftness that left her breathless, a wave of fear stronger than any she had ever known washed over her.
Death is in the woods tonight.
She turned on her heel and walked quickly away.
I’m sorry, Grandmother; I will see you tomorrow.
Her father looked up, surprised, when she entered the cottage, “I didn’t expect to see you until the morning.”
She thought for a moment about telling himwhat she had felt, but she was afraid he wouldn’t believe her. Still, she wanted him to know. “It would have been dark before I got there, and, somehow, I had a strong feeling that I should just turn around and come home.”
Her father stared at her for a long moment, and she wished that for once in her life she could read his expression. He turned back to the fire he was tending. “Then it is good that you came home,” he said quietly;
She stood staring at his back, wondering what exactly he meant by that. She decided against asking and instead put down her basket and changed for bed. “Where’s Peter?” she asked after she had laid down.
“He left for your grandmother’s several hours ago.”
“I’m worried about him,” she said before she could stop herself. She held her breath, unsure how her father would respond.
For a long minute he didn’t say anything. Finally he sighed. “He’s been through a lot. Any man who has seen what he has needs time to rest, recover. He’ll be fine.”
She heard him stand up, suddenly enough to knock over the stool on which he had been sitting. He swore quietly as he picked it back up.
Biting her lip, Ruth rolled onto her side and stared at the wall, a feeling of unease still lingering with her like the smell of burnt food. She heard herfather preparing for bed. Shortly he blew out the lantern and she heard the creaking of the wood as he lay down across the room. Her eyes grew heavy and she closed them. She could feel herself drifting off to sleep when very quietly she heard him say, “I’m worried too.”
She opened her eyes but didn’t say anything. She couldn’t remember a time when her father had ever admitted something like that. She found it disturbing and yet at the same time very comforting.
At least I’m not making that up or reacting to nothing.
She closed her eyes again and drifted back toward sleep. Then, from way off, she heard the howl of a wolf. She sat upright, heart pounding in fear, and she screamed.
The moon rode full and high in the darkened sky. He could feel it calling to him, illuminating the night, throwing light upon his deeds.
The tanner deserved to die for what he had done to Ruth. That was why he killed
He rose and dressed, taking his time, as though that would somehow slow the progress of the rest of the day. He had preparations to make, though, before night fell.
It was growing dark as Ruth reached the edge of the woods, setting out to take a basket of food for hergrandmother. She glanced skyward anxiously, seeing that the moon was already up even though the sun had not yet set.
Full moon, or nearly.
She had hoped to be on her way home by now, but she had needed to stay at the shop longer than she had thought in order to complete an ax. She should hurry if she wanted to get there while there was still some light.
I’ll probably have to stay overnight.
She was about to pass the first tree when her foot stopped, hovering in midair.
Something is wrong.
She stood, staring, eyes and ears straining. She couldn’t see or hear anything amiss, and yet there was. She looked up at the trees, but they stood like silent sentinels. Whatever secrets they had, they kept.
Move forward!
she screamed at herself. No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn’t will herself to step onto the path. Slowly she lowered her foot back to the ground, next to the other one.
The hair on the back of her neck rose on end. Then, with a swiftness that left her breathless, a wave of fear stronger than any she had ever known washed over her.
Death is in the woods tonight.
She turned on her heel and walked quickly away.
I’m sorry, Grandmother; I will see you tomorrow.
Her father looked up, surprised, when she entered the cottage, “I didn’t expect to see you until the morning.”
She thought for a moment about telling himwhat she had felt, but she was afraid he wouldn’t believe her. Still, she wanted him to know. “It would have been dark before I got there, and, somehow, I had a strong feeling that I should just turn around and come home.”
Her father stared at her for a long moment, and she wished that for once in her life she could read his expression. He turned back to the fire he was tending. “Then it is good that you came home,” he said quietly;
She stood staring at his back, wondering what exactly he meant by that. She decided against asking and instead put down her basket and changed for bed. “Where’s Peter?” she asked after she had laid down.
“He left for your grandmother’s several hours ago.”
“I’m worried about him,” she said before she could stop herself. She held her breath, unsure how her father would respond.
For a long minute he didn’t say anything. Finally he sighed. “He’s been through a lot. Any man who has seen what he has needs time to rest, recover. He’ll be fine.”
She heard him stand up, suddenly enough to knock over the stool on which he had been sitting. He swore quietly as he picked it back up.
Biting her lip, Ruth rolled onto her side and stared at the wall, a feeling of unease still lingering with her like the smell of burnt food. She heard herfather preparing for bed. Shortly he blew out the lantern and she heard the creaking of the wood as he lay down across the room. Her eyes grew heavy and she closed them. She could feel herself drifting off to sleep when very quietly she heard him say, “I’m worried too.”
She opened her eyes but didn’t say anything. She couldn’t remember a time when her father had ever admitted something like that. She found it disturbing and yet at the same time very comforting.
At least I’m not making that up or reacting to nothing.
She closed her eyes again and drifted back toward sleep. Then, from way off, she heard the howl of a wolf. She sat upright, heart pounding in fear, and she screamed.
The moon rode full and high in the darkened sky. He could feel it calling to him, illuminating the night, throwing light upon his deeds.
The tanner deserved to die for what he had done to Ruth. That was why he killed
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