Meadow

The evening descended, hushed yet illuminated by the moon's gentle glow upon the earth. A stillness so profound that the faintest footfall can be heard from afar. The crickets whispered in their usual manner, while the sounds of owls and crows cut through the heavy silence. In the forest, darkness reigned, with only the faint glimmer of moonlight filtering through the leaves. Perched at the highest point of a tree, Joshua sat amidst the darkness that loomed beneath him, with music resonating through his Bluetooth headset. Despite this, the distant sound of car tires hitting the road seeped into his ears. Without hesitation, he leapt from the tree to the ground below, moving with remarkable speed to reach the asphalt. A car lay overturned, its tank leaking and smoke billowing from the wreckage. Rushing to the jammed door, he exerted his strength to pry it open and pull out a young woman. She was bleeding from her nose and forehead. Examining her injuries closely, the car suddenly exploded, but Joshua shielded her from the ensuing flames with his own body, despite feeling his skin sizzle and melt from the intense heat. The pain threatened to overwhelm him but he gritted his teeth, knowing his skin would soon regenerate. MEADOW GENERAL HOSPITAL, 9:00 AM: "Thank goodness, you're awake!" Dominic, her older brother, exclaimed. "Where am I?" Mika inquired, attempting to rise from the bed. "Don't be naive, little girl. Lay back down, you nearly got yourself killed out there," Dominic chided. "I was at Maya's house," Mika confessed. "You escaped death thanks to a mysterious man who got you out. But don't think you're off the hook," Dominic scolded. "How did I get here? And what about my car?" Mika asked. "The nurses saw no one else, just you at the door. Your car? It's beyond recognition," Dominic chuckled. Mika and Dominic Hugo were siblings who had faced great loss when their parents perished in a shipwreck five years ago. Later that evening, Mika was startled awake, sensing a presence in the room. The window, previously closed, now allowed the breeze to enter, calming her nerves. The forest cast its enduring presence over Meadow town, particularly on its fringes. A week after, Mika and her friend Maya found themselves deep in the woods, seated on a fallen tree. Maya realized she had forgotten a textbook needed for their assignment. "You forgot the book?" Mika remarked. "I'll go retrieve it," Maya conceded. "You think I'll follow you?" Mika teased. Maya headed back without hesitation, much to Mika's surprise. In a sudden moment, Mika detected the sound of footsteps drawing near, prompting her to scan her surroundings with unease. "Excuse me, is someone out there?" she inquired nervously. She positioned herself on a piece of lumber to elevate her stature, granting her a broader and clearer view. Swiveling around, she was taken aback to discover Joshua in close proximity. As she let out a scream and attempted to flee, she lost her balance and tumbled backwards. She instinctively wrapped her arms around herself, bracing for impact, but fortunately landed in his arms. "Oh my God!" she exclaimed. "I apologize for startling you, ma'am," he offered a gentlemanly apology, although Mika was too shaken to take notice of his courtesy. "Indeed, you should be," she responded brusquely. "And I truly am," he reassured her. She gradually composed herself, gazing at him while he returned her scrutiny. "So, what brings a frightened lady like yourself to the heart of the woods all alone?" "I am not alone, my companion is just a short distance away, so if you have any ill intentions, you have chosen the wrong woman to contend with!" Despite projecting confidence, Mika's heart raced with fear. "Apologies for mistaking you for a lady, you are just a girl," he remarked playfully. This statement triggered Mika's ire, overriding her prior fear. "What? I am a fully grown woman, who do you think you are?" "You are not that much different, perhaps 19 or even 18," he continued in a light-hearted tone. "Excuse me, I am 20 years old," she rebuked. "Not much disparity then. Maybe approaching 20," he mused. Mika was speechless, acknowledging his accuracy, prompting her to change the subject. "Who might you be, are you a resident of Meadow?" she inquired. "Yes, a native from the outset. I am Joshua Castle," he responded. "Castle?" she grimaced at the familiarity of the name. "Oh, my mistake, I meant Casper. I am quite a fan of his works, hence the reference to Castle," he clarified upon noticing her confusion. "Wow! Joshua, it appears you possess considerable knowledge about the founder of Meadow," she remarked with curiosity gleaming in her eyes. "Indeed, it feels as though I was a part of that era," he stated. "Wow!" she smiled and teased him, "You must be immortal then." "Of course, most definitely," he forced a smile, sensing his fight or flight instinct activate as his limbs tensed. Although Mika's remark struck close to home, there was no reason for her to suspect him, leading him to relax. "As an immortal with vast knowledge," Mika began, as Joshua rolled his eyes, "I would appreciate your assistance," she presented her book. "We have been tasked with documenting the history of Meadow and details about the Castles." She chuckled as he groaned, yet exchanged a smile with him, finally easing into his presence. "Then it is time for a storytelling session. Please, listen attentively," he gestured for her to join him on a log. Once Mika settled comfortably, maintaining a respectable distance between them, Joshua commenced his tale. "During the 18th century, when s*****y was prevalent, white folks often purchased slaves directly from local chiefs who were driven by greed and selfishness. Castle was conceived by slaves who were taken from their homes and raised as a prominent servant in his master's household. He received affection and was treated as near equal to the white servants until the revelation of his affair with the master's only daughter, Anna, which marked his downfall. Scheduled for execution by hanging the next day, Anna aided his escape under the cover of night, leading to his self-imposed exile. In his flight, Castle encountered another enslaved lady, a woman, whom he liberated from captivity. Together, they sought refuge and eventually arrived at this location." "Marvelous...!" Mika interjected with interest. "And then?" she prompted further. "The land was pristine and verdant, the waters teeming with marine life, and the atmosphere invigorating. Initially, they sought shelter in a cave following a storm. Once the tempest subsided and they settled in, they chose to establish a permanent residence, with travelers and wanderers gradually congregating in the area, eventually naming it 'Meadow' as a haven of peace and security. That is when my father dubbed it so," he concluded. "Your father?" She instantly asked. "Oh! Sorry," he hastily amended. "I meant my ancestor, our ancestor named it that." Yet she didn't steer her sight from him, kind of awkward why he kept making the same mistake. Anyway, she left it be and only smiled at him, being impressed by his narration and his attachment to it, especially putting himself involve with Castle. "It's that all? She asked. "No, I just thought you were bored." "You're kidding, right?" She vigorously said. "It's amazing, well go on, Joshua." "As time went on, they had two sons, and in ten years Meadow became a recognized settlement, village. And Castle became the chief of the village." "The sons, what were their names?" She asked. At this point he looked sombre and hesitated, although his lips moved but nothing filtered through. "What, don't you know their names?" She looked curious. "I don't, sorry," he replied and stood from the timber. "I thought you were there," she put on a joke softly chuckling. Just then the footstep of someone approaching were listenable, stepping on the dry leaves of the forest as the person was not too far away. Mika sharply turned in anticipation of Maya and getting a lucid sight of her. When she glanced back to Joshua, she was stunned to see that she was alone. She only felt the whooshing air temporarily and it stopped. He was gone. Mika rushed to her feet, surprised at his sudden disappearance, and her body rotated as she looked around for him. She sighed, rubbing her forehead in annoyance. He just disappeared. She saw nowhere he could've hidden from, and even when Maya met her where she stood, she still looked perplexed. "Why do you look like you've seen a ghost?" Maya asked, looking around as well. Mika turned to her and asked softly, "Do you believe in fast ghosts?" "Not in Meadow, baby girl," she joked. "Now let's get on with the assignment." Mika scoffed and picked her book laying on the timber and walked away, her eyes narrowed. Maya, while sitting on the log, asked why but Mika kept walking away. "Ain't we doing this again?" "I got what I need, and I'm off." Maya stared after her. That was quite strange and awkward, but nevertheless, she stood and hurried up as Mika was receding from her sight.