Laughter From the Trees

I hear laughter, from the recesses of the woods as I lope in the shadows, teasing my ears but the wind carries no scent. A silhouette drifts from tree to tree just in the corners of my sight haunting, enticing, herding me, and drawing me at the same time. The flapping of leathery wings touches the edge of my hearing, clawing at my imagination. I slowly circle towards the sound trying not to be to threatening. There she stands like the calm before the storm, biting at the night and caressing it all at once. Clouds settle in tucking in the blanket of night around us, the whiteness of her skin seems to glow in the absence of light leaving the streaks of blood striping her flawless flesh to stand out like voids of darkness transposed over her body. Glittering eyes like sparks of a fire settle upon me and seem to reach for me. She approaches, the movement of her lithe form defies gravity with pendulum like eloquence. As she draws closer she extends an arm towards me, and as the anticipated touch would entwine my soul a rush of wind assaults me as she thrusts herself into the night sky leaving me quivering (within myself), abandoned by the near caress.