07/06/2022
The leafless branches of the forest form a web of black over a deep blue-grey sky. Wind blows through the tunnels formed by the hiking path and gets caught under the nylon of her tights. Arms tightly crossed as she trudges through the night. Led by a phone’s torch only able to see a circle ahead of her. She thought she saw a scowling face behind a passing trunk, she angles her head lower and continues, ignoring her surroundings. Among the bushes and growth at the track’s edge she hears a flute in the distance. She stops for a moment. The flute lingers but is distant, so she recommences her lonely journey. The flute grows closer as she aims her torch light onto an oncoming figure on the path. The clop of hooves, the figure skips closer playing his flute’s dirge. She stops stunned at the strange creature. Although it moves erratically towards her its tune is unwavering. The torchlight uncovers thick backward-bending legs under a pot belly covered in fur, a beard draped overtop shrouding a scowling face topped with short horns. As it draws closer it tucks its flute into its navel. It approached her and stuck its face below hers as she stared at the ground away from it and screamed:
“A life spent in ignorance of one’s woes is the freest from grief. Not to be born is, beyond all estimation, best; but when you have seen the light of day, this is next best by far, that with utmost speed you should go back from where you came.”
Finishing its wisdom, it laughed a screech and jauntily passed her leaving her alone again in the dark forest. She dropped to her knees. The torch went out. After a moment of contemplation, the sun began to arise at the end of the tree’d tunnel. She pushed herself back up to her feet and glanced behind her. The beast-philosopher was gone. The winter sun brought little warmth to the now visibly frosty bracken laden forest. She turned away from the sun for a moment but refused to return whence she came and carried onward.