The forest behind the Birchwood estate was typically quiet this time of night. Usually, the only sounds were the wind blowing through the old trees and the occasional nocturnal animal scurrying through the underbrush. Sometimes an owl would hoot, or a particularly strong wind would flutter the leaves and ruffle some fur and feathers, and perhaps, if you stood near the creek out back, you’d hear the babbling of water over stones. But no, usually, this time of night, the forest behind the Birchwood estate was quiet.

Of course, that was not the case tonight.

The girl was barely eight years old, young and frightened, her red-ribbon-tied blond pigtails bouncing as she ran from the house. She was screaming, crying, but this deep in the woods, no one could hear. Her feet flew over the dirt and pine straw, disturbing a few animals that came out to see what all the fuss was about. And then the thing chasing her would pass them by, and the animals would return to their burrows, cowering, trembling in fear.

She tripped over a tree root and fell onto the ground, her hands and knees scraping against the dirt, the front of her dress dirtying. Behind her, the creature whooshed and howled, the sound inhuman, and the girl scrambled to her feet and continued to run.

Tears streaked down her face, and a sob made its way out of her chest, but she kept running, too out of breath to cry out for help. Her sneakers splashed into the creek behind the house, deep into the woods, the water soaking her socks. Normally, she’d pitch a fit after such an event, but not tonight. Not with whatever it was chasing her.

Eventually, though, she tripped again, and this time, her dress caught on an exposed branch that pulled her back down when she tried to get up. The girl turned around to face what was coming for her, shaking in fear, tears dripping onto the forest floor.

It was upon her in seconds.

She could barely see it in the darkness, but the moon emerged from behind a cloud just as the creature neared. It was nothing but black smoke, zooming forward with a life of its own, and then, it slammed into her, forcing its way down her throat.

The girl tried to scream, but nothing came out. The smoke entered deeper, deeper, until it was inside in its entirety, and the girl’s face went slack, her eyes fell shut, and she collapsed on her back onto the forest floor.

For a moment, the woods were silent once again, not even the wind daring to blow. No animals scurried by, no birds hooted in the branches. The cloud covered the moon again, and the forest was plunged into darkness.

And then the girl smiled and opened her eyes, and they shone like the black of the abyss.