[ WP ] Alone in the woods .

His feet crunch the leaves on the ground, making the only sound beyond the trees for miles. He looked around quickly, his head swinging in every direction, his breath increasing, stomach tightening. 
 
 Above him, the tree tops, leaving falling down in the cold Autumn weather. He could n't tell you if the stars were out, because he only saw the darkness of the branches as his eyes adjusted, their growth allowing no light in. Surely by day the trees could be seen climbing, battling for the precious sunlight, allowing none to reach the fauna below. 
 
 He moves forward in the barren land beneath the giants. No crickets to mask the sound of his breathing, or river water to cover his footsteps. He felt every breath amplified throughout the forest, every twist of his body being recorded by some being. One sitting, watching, waiting. He thought he must be going crazy. 
 
 From his right, he hears a snap, the sound echoing throughout his ears, the foreign crack making him lose his balance and fall. With his ears ringing, he lies still, waiting for something, someone to reach out to him. His neck craned, pointed to where he heard the sound, he held his breath, waiting. Breathing heavily after holding his breath, he slowly picked himself up, strength returning to him, limb by limb. 
 
 
 Standing up fully, he slowed his breathing, and walked forward, quietly, looking around, feeling eyes on him that he knew were n't there. He places his hand on the trunk of a shorter tree, analyzing what happened. As he lets go of the bark, his fingers rubbing against the hard texture, he stops in his place, unable to move as a breeze runs by his neck. His eyes shoot up to the tree tops as he gasps for air he's unable to obtain, the wind twisting around his body with purpose, reaching for his skin. He wants to scream, but nothing escapes the whirlwind, as the bark of the tree starts to crawl up his arm, angrily, unforgiving. The breeze hissing, the tree cracking, moving up his arm; the only sounds within miles. 
 
 The forest falls silent. Not a cricket to be heard, or a leaf to be walked on. Only trees within the darkness. Thousands; joined by one more each night. 
 
 *** 
 https: //thearcherswriting.wordpress.com/ 
 

