Today, Jacob and myself were given the task to hunt wild game with four other parties setting off in different directions. Several hours into our hunt and we were finding difficulty tracking prey. It wasn’t until we came across the remains of a birds nest on the forest floor that we had taken note of the complete and utter silence that surround us. The soft sound of the wind rustling the leaves in the trees around us were all that remained. The sun began to set as we made our way back to Roanoke empty handed. Autumn was upon us and with food and supply running low, Jacob and I knew that we had little time left to gather resources before the harsh Winter.
As we approached the palisade, we could see a detachment of men gathered out front. Both Jacob and I exchanged glances, uneasy and nerved. I approached the men to inquire about the gathering. I was disheartened to learn that a small group of children had gone missing, only leading to more dismay among the colonists. The men were leading an expedition to locate the missing children before sunset in hopes that they may find the children alive and well. Before we could break the news about our failed campaign, we were informed that only three of the five hunting parties had returned.
As Jacob and I continued passed the palisade and into the settlement, the situation looked all the more dire. We were already down twenty three men, women and children before today and with rations being spread thinner among the colonists and winter fast approaching, you could see a visible shift in our already grim circumstances. As I approached my cabin, I took note of odd symbols carved into the logs above the foundation on either side of the entrance to my home. The detail in the shapes narrowed out the possibility of children but the symbols were of nothing I’ve ever seen before. I shrugged the markings off before settling down for the night.
I dreamt that night of a cave. I found myself deep within its cavern speaking to several voices deeper within. I couldn’t recall what we spoke of, but I remembered seeing lights begin to form in the distance as they flickered for a moment before coming to life. Just as the lights began illuminating a path further into the cave I was awoken by a shriek outside my cabin. It was early morning and I made my way outside to find a crowd gathered around a ghastly scene. Entrails and flesh decorated the tree stumps and brush. Blood and teeth layered the ground around a mound of flesh still barely intact. Some fell to their knees in horror while others turned away in disgust. Whispering amongst the crowd of onlookers would reveal that these remains belonged to Annalise Lewis, an Apothecary and mother of two. One of which among the children missing the day previous. Concern grew among the settlers as to what could have cause such carnage.
After we gathered what was left of Annalise’s remains, a small group formed to decide what should be done to ease tensions among what was left of us. We decided to send a group to patrol the palisade in an attempt to find any weakness in our fortification while another group would search the grounds and cabins for intruders or deceased. I was put in charge of inspecting each cabin for any clues as to what may have occurred. I began my search on the southeast end of the settlement and made my way across. Nothing out of the ordinary aside from more strange carvings outside the cabins. Every dwelling had some form of symbols carved outside the entryway. Every one but Annalise’s.
As I entered the residence, a chill ran across my being. Her daughter lay bare across the cold and rough ground floor. Her head was swollen and a large flesh like mass protruding from the back of her skull. As I approached, her gaze met mine with fear and animosity. I hesitated to move her due to her concerning condition and so I returned to gather others to assist. As we carried her from the dwelling, whispers amongst the crowd outside had stirred up more animosity. The sight of her terrified the other settlers and so we decided it best to move her into a vacant cabin adjacent to my own. This way I could keep an eye on her while limiting any possibility of infection within the remaining colonists.
The remaining cabins turned up no leads and we were left to fear what would happen next. I made my way home to gather some supplies and my firearm to return to the forest before checking in on the girl. We had no surgeons among us and our only apothecary was dead. There was nothing we could do for her but attempt to make her comfortable. We all knew she wouldn’t make it through the night. By the time I got to her, the swelling was worse and the flesh mass was bigger. Through the sunlight it almost appeared to be translucent. I thought of the lights in my dream. I reached into my bag to give the girl some bread I had planned to take with me. I felt sorrow for her, but the sight of her gave me chills and her appearance made me uneasy and in the end, I lost my appetite.
Jacob and I had little to say to one another as we made our way further into the forest. As we continued, the only sound was the whistling of wind between the trees. We knew our expedition was doomed from the start. We approached a clearing before we decided to rest. I ask Jacob had he heard any news about the missing children. According to him, the men that went in search hadn’t returned. More fear and terror to rile up the masses. Most blamed the Natives, but I knew better than that. Whatever was happening was beyond our reasoning.
We returned home, once again, empty handed and exhausted. I made my way to my cabin, stopping to glance in at the girl. I could spot her silhouette in the dark cabin as I continued toward mine. As I approached my door, a small flicker of light from the corner of my eye caught my attention. I glanced back towards the dark cabin for a moment before shrugging it off and turning in for the night.
As I tossed and turned, I couldn’t get the sight of Annalise’s remains out of my head. What could possibly do that to a person. It was beyond what any animal would do to its prey. It was as though she burst into pieces. Before long I could feel a strong presence pulling me from my bed. I slipped on my boots and approach the door. As I left my cabin, I could feel a warm glow pressing against my cheek. I glanced over to see the girls cabin door ajar and a blue glow pouring out of it. I slowly approached the cabin, giving myself a moment to breath and calm my nerves. I find it hard to describe the horror I witnessed inside. The girl was sat upright. Her head was completely engulfed in a fleshy mass that hung down to her shoulders as it would flicker a blue light periodically. She was sat upright, legs crossed with hers hand lying neatly on her lap. She had no eyes nor ears but could sense me, she had no mouth but she spoke. She told me to join her.