Chap 15

꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷

𒄆─────────⋆𖤐⋆─────────𒄆

As Eztli ventured deeper into the dense of the trees of the rancho, she noticed peculiar shapes hanging amidst the trees. Squinting her eyes, she realized they were bee hives but in reality, is something else.

As she scanned the area, a sudden movement caught her eye, in a hole there are skeletons animals mostly goats plus the death turkey added an eerie atmosphere to the mysterious surroundings.

Curiosity piqued, Eztli's steps faltered as she hesitated, questioning the nature of the place she found herself in. Instinctively, she felt a sense of foreboding, a hunch that whatever lurked in these woods was no ordinary creature. Thoughts of the goat that had been killed recently flashed through her mind, and she knew she had to inform Peta's grandfather about what she had discovered.

Turning around to retrace her steps, a sudden cry pierced the silence, freezing Eztli in her tracks. The sound was haunting, unmistakably human in its tone, sending shivers down her spine. It bore a resemblance to the stories told by Peta's grandparents.

Eztli knew she shouldn't be there and need to find Peta and share her findings.

Meanwhile Peta's grandpa and Peta are looking for Eztli. Peta's Grandpa worried voice cut through the stillness; his concern palpable. "Are you sure you saw her head this way?" he questioned, his tone laced with urgency.

"She just suddenly ran off by herself," Peta explained, her voice tinged with worry. "I figured she must've seen something or... or she's distracted."

Suddenly, as if out of nowhere Eztli started running, without a second thought, Peta run off after Eztli.

"Wait, Peta! Why are you running?" Grandpa called after her, his voice tinged with a touch of worry. But Peta was already disappearing into the foliage, determined to catch up with her.

Konane and Rono stood outside the house, their gazes drawn to the ominous clouds gathering on the horizon. Konane could feel unease creeping down his spine. "Those clouds don't look good."

Rono's brow furrowed with concern. "I hope they don't take too long," he murmured, his voice tinged with worry.

Their conversation was interrupted by a stern voice behind them. It was Peta's Grandma.

Listen, you two," she said, her tone firm. "I'm going to go look for my husband and my granddaughter and her friend. Come inside and close all the windows and doors. Don't let anyone in, no matter if it's Eztli, Peta, or her grandpa. I'm the only one in charge of opening the door."

Konane and Rono nodded, follow the gravity of Peta's Grandma instructions. As Peta's Grandma hurried off into the gathering dusk, the two friends entered the house and began securing the windows and doors, sealing themselves off from whatever darkness the approaching storm might bring.

While Eztli started to leave, she turned, the cry fading behind her as she hastened towards the den. But just as she thought she was safe, another scream tore through the silence, chilling her to the core.

Glancing upwards, Eztli's eyes widened in worry as she beheld a figure hovering in the air above her, cloaked in shadows and mist. Its form was indistinct, a dark silhouette, its presence sending a shiver of dread down her spine.

As Peta chased after Eztli, her friend, through the twisting paths. "Eztli, why were you running like that? What's going on? Where are you going?" she called out, her voice tinged with concern as she struggled to keep up with Eztli's frantic pace.

But as Peta drew closer, a chill crept down her spine. There was something off about Eztli's movements, a strange urgency that didn't seem quite human. Sensing danger, Peta's grandpa, a weathered man with a steely gaze, stepped forward and held Peta back. "Tell me who you are. Don't make me say it twice. Who the devil are you?" he demanded, his voice like thunder in the stillness of the rancho.

Peta's grandpa sensed the danger too. "That's not your friend," he whispered urgently to Peta, handing her a gleaming machete. "Quick, take this. Hey, you there, turn around now!" he commanded, his grip on Peta tightening with a sense of protectiveness.

Confusion clouded Peta's mind as she struggled to make sense of the situation. "What are you saying? And who is she then?" she stammered, her eyes darting between Eztli and her grandpa's grim expression.

With a sudden intensity, Peta's grandpa bellowed, Show me your face!" Fake Eztli turned slowly, a haunting stillness in her movements, and as she faced them, a wave of terror washed over Peta. Eztli had no mouth, yet her form was eerily.

As the truth unraveled, the air grew heavy with the weight of the unknown. Eztli's true form emerged, a Tecolote twisted and grotesque, its presence a menacing shadow in the twilight. Peta's grandpa's voice cut through the silence, commanding, "Be careful, Peta. Don't let it get near you."

In a flash of action, Peta's grandpa seized his gun, the metal glinting in the dim light, and without hesitation, he began firing at the monstrous being that had taken on the guise of Eztli. The creature, a Tecolote, a creature of the night that feasted on fear, screeched in agony as each shot tore through its dark form.

The eerie woman descended slowly towards Eztli, the air around her crackling with an ominous energy. Eztli's instincts screamed at her to run, to flee from this enigmatic presence, but a sense of morbid curiosity held her rooted to the spot. As the witch drew closer, her features obscured by shadows, Eztli found her voice despite the fear that gripped her.

"Who are you?" Eztli's voice trembled with a mix of dread and defiance.

The witch's lips curved into a smile that failed to reach her eyes, mirroring the coldness of her gaze. "I am a witch, dear," she answered, her voice a chilling whisper. "I've been watching you."

Eztli's mind raced, trying to make sense of this surreal encounter. "Watching me? Why?"

The witch's voice was laced with a dark amusement. "You and your friends...banished. It piqued my interest. Quite the show you put on. Come with me."

Eztli's instincts screamed at her to reject the witch's offer, to run as far and as fast as she could. "Umm, no thanks. Nice to meet you... but I really need to go," she stammered, attempting to maintain a façade of composure.

The witch's smile widened, a predatory glint in her eyes. "That wasn't a question. You can't escape. You'll come to me."

I don't think so. I have my own path," she declared, pushing back against the encroaching darkness.

"Paths can change, my child. You're curious, aren't you?" The witch's voice was a seductive whisper, drawing Eztli further into the web of intrigue that surrounded her.

"Curious? Sure. But I'm not following some strange woman in the sky," Eztli retorted, her defiance emboldened by a stubborn resolve.

Think carefully, Eztli. There's power in knowledge. You could be more than you are," the witch insinuated, her words dripping with honeyed temptation.

"I'm fine as I am. I don't need your kind of power," Eztli insisted, steeling herself against the alluring offers that dangled before her.

The witch hovered closer, her form radiating a malevolent aura. "You'll need it, sooner than you think," she warned, her voice low and foreboding.

Eztli took a step back, her eyes ablaze with defiance. "I'll take my chances," she declared, her resolve unbroken in the face of darkness.

The witch

A/N

Tecolote is an owl