Spirits Among The Shores
“What was that?” She turned to look through the darkened trees. The sun never really set,but it dipped in the sky allowing the trees to cast their shadows among the trails.
Her boyfriend turned and looked around “probably a squirrel or something” he returned to trekking down the trail. They continued for a few moment and then she stopped again. Her ears perked up and she tried to follow the sound that invaded her space.
“No,there, I definitely heard something out there.” She peered into the never ending trees. The sound was faint, but strings of music whipped around the trees and into her ears. It pulled her every time it peeked her interest. Her boyfriend, growing annoyed at the constant interruption spun around and stood next to her.
“I don’t hear any-“ the strings grazed against his ears this time. It was a violin. Far away it strummed deeply and controlling. The music was sweet and flowed with a smooth consistency.
“Where is that coming from?” He moved towards the sound. His girlfriend put her arm out to stop him, but he pushed past it and off the path. The trees past him as he made his way. Norwegian wood tall and old, shepard him to his ultimate destination. A few minutes past as the music grew louder and sweeter. The notes getting more personal. Each note that flowed into the ears seemed to be written just for him. Memories and emotions poured forth from his past. The violin played to his soul.
“Jason” he finally stopped “Please, stop” he turned to her. His eyes saw her, but his mind and spirit was with the music. She had been calling his name since he left the path.
“What is it, Terra? You heard it, the music right? It is so beautiful. It matches completely” Jason said. He seemed entranced. The music had ceased to be heard by Terra as soon as Jason caught ear of it. It was if the music had changed targets, picked a easier victim.
Jason turned back around and moved again, his feet dragged across the brush floor and through the Norwood.
They soon came to a clearing in the woods. A small lake opened up among the dark woods. The water was crystal clear blue and a small boulder sat off center in the middle. Jason came to the edge of the water and peered at the rock. The music was louder, all encompassing. It flowed through every part of him. A sweet serenade of his life passing before and through himself. Every cell recalled a different part of him from eons ago. His body vibrated in ecstasy.
Upon the rock a figure appeared. It was if they walked out of the water behind the boulder and stepped upon the crest. Jason stared at the figure. An impossible beautiful women stood draped in white flowing clothe. Upon her shoulders a violin sat, her other arm moved fluidly strumming with a bow. She smiled deliciously at them both. Revealing a welcoming, but seductive greeting to both of them. Her eyes, which glowed yellow, stared at Jason. They beckoned him to her. Terra pulled at his arm as he stepped forward into the water. The female also stepped forward into the water. Each step Jason took, she took as well. Terra tried with all her might, her voice straining from the screaming to keep him out of the water.
The music stopped as soon as the women entered fully into the water. Her arms still moved across the violin as she submerged.
Jason took a large intake of breath and rubbed his eyes. His senses came back to him now that the music wasn’t making him drunk with pleasure. He looked down at his waist which as submerged in water. He turned around and looked at Terra. Her face was a painting of horror.
He went to speak, but it was to late. He women rose from the water. Her beauty had turned to an impossible horrid appearance. Her eyes still remained the same, but her skin sagged with a mossy consistency and had turned from a milky white to a sickening sea green. Her smile which brought warmth now hung in a awful frown. Bunches of flesh collected and hung from her bones. A shriek escaped it’s mouth as it grabbed him. He screamed. Terra screamed.
The woods kept still and observed.
The creature dragged Jason into the water and into the unknown of the lake. The shadow of them both dipped to the middle of the lake and like shadow being smothered by the sun, it circled and disappeared.
Terra stood watching the waves of the lake subside. Her eyes scanned the deep. The lake wasn’t that deep, but there was nothing left. It took her a moment to realize or rationalize what was happening. She went to turn and run, but another sound caught her. The music she had heard earlier had returned. This time it had snared her. She turned back the lake.
An impossible man stood at the shore. His arms strumming a violin with a bow.
she tried to scream.
She tried to run.
Her feed moved towards him.
-
At the moment I am in Norway for a wedding. Among the large fields and farmlands are large patches of forests. They are filled with tall tress which even among the sun, makes them look dark.
The creature in the story is a Nøkk, they are creatures of Scandinavian legends. They hang around water and lead their victims in with music. They are beautiful beings that charm their victims and take their souls. Again I think music has a certain charm to it. With the power to charm and enslave those that get lost in the emotion and memories it can bring. It can be a very powerful tool.