“Bit of advice,” said the stranger.
“Stay off the old road, after dark. Not safe these days. I seen plenty o’folkes go up that there thoroughfare… never seen from again. It’s a long ways from here to where yer goin’. And there’s not may kind faces in between.”
“No shortage of ugliness, out there. I don’t mean to scare ya. It just wouldn’t be right not to tell ya, with that little one there with ya… No telling what might happen…”
“Better yet, prolly should just avoid it. I get around usin’ the nearby trails. Whole connection of paths you can take, to stay discreet. Seeing as you caught me in a good mood, and I suppose I owe ya one, I’ll take ya there right now… What do ya say, eh?”
I wanted to trust this ragged old man, but something was off about the whole thing. What was he doing out here, anyway? We were at least two days from the nearest town, if these maps were to be believed. He didn’t look too bad, seemed reasonably fed. Was dressed for it too. Good boots and a warm jacket. He must be camping nearby. No, whoever he was, he probably wasn’t a raider. Must be out here alone… incredible.
“Ok,” I said. “We’ll go with you. But let’s get on thing straight. I don’t know you. I don’t like you. More importantly, I don’t trust you. The only reason we stopped to save your sorry ass was because the kid here’s got a bigger heart than I do. Here’s how it’s going to go. You lead the way. We’ll rest at your site for the night, and be on our way in the morning. Try anything funny, and I mean it, if I catch a whiff of any creepy shit, if even one of my neck hairs prick up, we’ll leave you how we find ya. Don’t try me, old-timer. I won’t think twice.”
“Good,” he said. “That’s good. Alright, then. It’s this way. Stay close and watch your step. Wouldn’t want ya to twist your ankle on the trail. Slippery mess, the mud…” And we went off together, into the unknown maw of the forest.
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