The SepticEye caught their attention, bouncing up and down on Sean’s shoulder. “What? What?!” Sean exclaimed, “What? You’re such a creepy little dude!”
“I think it has something in mind,” Mark noted.
“Oh really?” Sean watched as the SepticEye bounced from his shoulder to the ground. It turned to look at them, then bounced off into the woods.
“Do we…do we follow it?” Mark asked, with hesitation.
“I suppose so. I can’t imagine what it has in mind,” Sean led the way after the SepticEye, “But I imagine it knows this place better than we do.”
“I hope so,” Mark muttered as they trekked through the forest, off the beaten path.
In the silence, Mark was better able to observe the terrain around him. It became less of a hazardous and spooky place. In fact, he began to feel a hint of nostalgia for camping. He could detect the scent of pines as he passed them. His ears picked up the sounds of small animals and insects that were buzzing with life during the night.
When he looked up, he could see that the gray clouds were clearing away, giving the moon some space. He could see the face of the full moon clearly, shining a bright and welcoming light upon the forest. It lit up the world, making everything seem less frightening.
He smiled happily as he turned his attention to the terrain ahead. He was not sure where they were going yet. The SepticEye still did not seem to speak, making communication improbable. Yet, Sean seemed to stay keen on the bouncing eyeball’s tracks. Mark followed sleepily at his heels, letting the calm world around him lull him into a quiet calm.
“Mark? You still behind me?” Sean interrupted his sleepy trance.
“Hmm? Oh! Yes. I’m right behind you,” Mark assured him, “I was just admiring how pretty everything is.”
“I have to say, I notice a distinct change in atmosphere,” Sean noted, tapping a finger to the scruff on his chin.
“All the scary went away and was replaced with a soothingly calm and pretty…uh…atmosphere,” Mark went on, nodding sleepily.
“You sound drowsy,” Sean chuckled, “Are you going to be okay?”
“Yea,” Mark straightened up, “I’ll be okay. I just hope we’ll get to stop soon.”
Sean’s head whipped around and he came to a sudden stop. Mark stumbled to a halt, nearly running directly into him. The SepticEye bounced around, making a weird squeaky noise.
“What’s he saying?” Mark asked.
“I have no idea!” Sean laughed, “It’s just so cute the way it bounces around like that!”
“It is adorably creepy!” Mark chuckled.
“What do you want to say, little guy?” Sean asked.
The SepticEye paused, realizing that they did not understand. It turned and hopped off down a slope to the right. They looked upon what appeared to be a half-lit village with surprise. Neither of them had been paying attention, so they had not noticed it before.
Mark fumbled along the slope, leading the way down. When they came to the foot of the slope, they found themselves on a trail leading into the village. Mark followed the trail, down which the SepticEye bounced, hoping there would be a bed.
“Mark! Watch your step!” Sean called from behind him.
“I know! I am!” Mark yelled.
“No! Seriously Mark!” Sean called.
“I’m paying attention!” Mark paused to yawn.
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