The Time Before

An unrelenting sun stained the bright blue sky bathing the small town of Foxport in a harsh light. Unusual weather for England John thought moving his hand to cover his deep blue eyes. The land around him seemed to agree, with the once green country side path drained of all its colour; birds, bugs and animals, that at one point where all over the path, now gone, the path was silent; tall foreboding trees covered each side of the path blocking the view to the outside. John looked ahead of him, where the took a sharp turn to the left. "Come on", another voice echoed from in front of him. How can he move so fast in this heat, John's train of thought continued, as he began to quicken his place. Sweat trickled slowly from his hair, unkept, messy ,and as black as the night; staining his brown T-shirt and darkening it even more. He isn't even wearing shorts John complained looked at his once dark blue shorts now sun dyed a pale colour more akin to the sky than the dark sea.

As John rounded the corner he saw his mirror starring back at him, "Sam", John gasped between opening his mouth to swallow air. "Come on John, we're both 18 now, the heat can't kill us" Sam said playfully. "It is killing me", John retorted sitting down at the edge of the path on a pile of grass, "and you are sweating too, despite your attempts to hide it". John said taking note of the slightly darker parts the the black top Sam was wearing and the small droplets of sweat coming out of his blue grass stained jeans. "We haven't seen any animals", Sam continued ignoring Johns comments, "Or any wildlife for that matter".

"Maybe your face scared them away" John said still recovering.

"John" Sam said staring at him, " we are identical twins anything you say about me is also about you, anyway, Are your sure this is the place".

"Yes I'm sure, Dave said if you want to see a heard of dear moving across the plans this was the time and place to do it".

"Fine", Sam relented, turning his head towards a break in the trees surrounding the path, "over there right". He said vaguely motioning his hand towards it. "Yeah".

As the two well cooked men approached the clearing the wide expanse of land became visible to them; the edge had a shear drop before a field of cracked, rock hard mud further on from that an empty ditch almost acting as a barrier from the next field filled with brill green crops, still alive in the scorching heat rolling hills with patchwork fields dotted across them. Both stood in amazement, dumbfounded by there surroundings

"Look, they are over there" Sam exclaimed excitedly pointing at a black shape on the horizon

John turned to look where Sam was pointing, suddenly a chill ran down his spine as if someone had poured ice down his neck. A uncomfortable wind picked up as he search for the shapes.

"Is it looking right at us…" Sam said, his voice showing hints of fear as he moved closer to John putting him between whatever it was and him. "We should go…" John started before being cut off by a voice like ice that struck their very souls, "𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚒𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚗'𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞". It felt like it was clawing at the back of their necks, both of them spun around to face the source of the voice. A figure clocked in shadows, a dark miasma coming out of his feet. Suddenly the air around Sam became heavy as if the weight of the sky was placed on his shoulders. Sam fell to his knees slamming them against the hard dry mud he cried out in pain. "𝙽𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎" it spoked fixing his death like gaze onto John. He braced himself. But nothing happened. "𝙾𝚑 𝚒𝚝'𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞", John thought he could see a smile appear on its hidden face. "N-n-no", Sam stammered. "Leave John alone" Sam said why barely standing, swaying back and forth. "𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚞𝚙", a hint of surprise in his voice, "𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚜𝚘 𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎, 𝙸 𝚐𝚞𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚒 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚝𝚑 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞".

"What", John and Sam said together, both clearly terrified, fear plastered all over their faces, they quick turned to face one another

"Sam"

"John"

that was all they could say before every thing faded to black…