The Shortcut

The Shortcut

It was a chilly October evening. The leaves covered the path before her, bright orange and red, muted by the long shadows of the sun escaping into the west, just about to disappear all together. She pulled her green hood over her head, the cold sneaking it's way into the air already.

The park was empty, and she knew snow was soon to come, a week max was her guess, which means this shortcut would be no good for two days like always. The soft couch of the leaves under her feet filled with her joy, she truly loved autumn and the end would be soon.

Her heart stopped as she heard a second crunch behind her. She hadn't seen anyone since she entered. She turned to look behind her, but the sun had finally fallen completely behind the horizon, and she saw nothing that could have made a sound like that.

She felt nervous, and she began to pick up her pace. The crunching of the leaves and her heartbeat was all she could hear. The trees grew thicker around her and since all the light she had was the street lamps, it made them look eerie, as if reaching out for her.

"Ouch!" She screamed as a branch caught her arm, ripping her sleeve. She put her hand over the area. She pulled back her hand to see red covering it. "Really?"

Her steps became faster since she wanted to get home now and wrap that arm. Another branch hit her face and cut her cheek. Her eyes shot up and she noticed all the trees had gotten closer to her. Like they were reaching for her. Without thinking she put her arms before her face and ran forward.

The pain was intense as the branches cut up her arms like dull knives. She could feel the warmth of her own blood running down her arms but she didn't stop till she was out of the trees. Once she was safe, she looked at her arms, covered in cuts and her sleeves were just barely holding it together. The cuts were not the worst she had felt but they hurt, and the cold air did not help.

As she stood there, trying to get her head around what had just happened, she heard the crunching of the leaves once more. She turned her head and this time what she saw almost made her scream.

A being made of what looked like leaves and broken branches stood behind her. It's orange glowing eyes looking at her. It reached its hand out and leaves flew at her. She didn't have time to react as they cut her face up.

She turned and started to run through the park, almost to the exit and her home. The creature followed behind her, she could feel the leaves cutting up her back, the hot blood running down her legs. The moment she stepped out of the park, it all stopped. She turned back and saw nothing. Everything looked like a normal late autumn evening.

With that, her shortcut became a place she would never step a single foot in again.