A cold sun illuminated this midday winter as I stepped out of the church. Plumes of smoke sprout up as distant screams fill the air.

  “What’s happening?”

  Increasing my pace out of worry, the foul stench of sulfur filled the air. Weird pill-like abominations wiggle around with many unsettling human limbs. The sound of marching could be heard in the distance.

  “Protect the citizens!”

  A red caped commander shouts as soldiers swarm around her. With well-tended equipment, the soldiers make short work of the abominations.

  “Group up, move as one!”

  Gathering back, the soldiers march in unison, occasionally straying to deal with the threat. Suddenly, a beam of fire pierces the commander’s shoulder.

  “Sh*t! Gather around and keep your eyes up. Idiots!”

  Blood drips onto the frosted cobblestone. Flames scorch the air as potshots bounce off their armor. A soldier raises a crossbow, aiming at the distant mage.

  “he’s over there”

  With a twang* the arrow soars, grazing the cloaked figure's cheek. In response, a massive ball of fire falls from the sky. Without much thought, I retreat into the alleyway.

  It’s not my problem.

  A couple of explosions pop from behind as I cowered with a group of civilians.

  “...we’ll be safe right?…”

  A kid whispers to his mom with a hint of concern.

  “...Yes, we’ll be fine. The guards are protecting us…”

  The mom hugs the kid and glances up at the scorched armor of the soldiers. The cloaked figure retreats as a flurry of bolts shoot towards him.

  “He got away.”

  The injured commander collapses on a nearby soldier. With shouts of concern, a squad quickly escorts her away. The rest of the soldiers start swarming into the city. Catching my breath, I sneak away from the crowd.

  rumble* My stomach growls. Sighing, I suppressed the hunger with each breath. Exhaustion washes over me as I make my way between the alleyways. The scent of charred flesh was heavy in the air. A lonesome corpse laid on the sooted-snow; charred beyond recognition. With a gag of disgust, I cover my mouth and force my way around it. However, I could not escape it's jarring smile, a look of pure bless painted on it’s burnt lips. Shaking my unease away, I run into something.

  “Oh, sorry…”

  I respond out of habit. Stepping back, an odd shadowy blob towered over me. It’s eyes, two circular discs of gold that flickered like fire. Hush, incomprehensible whispers leaked out of it. However, no words were said; It did not have a mouth. Hurriedly turning away, a golden ring clattered on the cobblestone, glinting ever so slightly on the snow.

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  “Hey wait!”

  I call out to the shadowy blob who glided into an alleyway. Picking up the ring, I gave chase.

  My steps lighten,

  Marking the cold ground with shoe prints

  As I ran on the serpents back.

  In the walls, Shadows huddled together

  swaying with many eyes

  glowing like fireflies in the dark.

  A foul scent stung at my nose. Was it the unpleasantness of those peering eyes? Controlling my breath, I hurried down the winding alleyway. After some running, the shadowy blob glanced behind it. It’s eyes drooping with tears. A light hum filled the strange air as a familiar girl sat atop a stitched up chair, swaying her legs.

  “What’s wrong?”

  The girl with the crimson scarf asks the odd, blobby shadow. The shadowy blob folded in on itself, searching and searching around. With a defeated slump, its towering form rested on the ground like a slime. With a silly giggle, she hops off the wooden chair.

  “Hello, how did you wander here?”

  A smile curled on her lips as she stroked her chin in curiosity. I extend my hand out, revealing a golden ring.

  “That big blob dropped this. Felt like returning it.”

  I scratched my head, feeling the weight of many curious eyes. The girl takes the gold ring and tosses it to the shrunken blob.

  “Who are you? What is this place?”

  I ask, feeling concern.

  “I’m ruby! This is my home. Who are you, stranger?”

  “I’m Clover. Sorry for the intrusion.”

  The shifting shadows swirl around me in curiosity.

  “What are these shades?”

  I swipe my hand in the air, swaying a few away. With an innocent giggle, Ruby sits up on her seat.

  “Friends and family. Do you like them?”

  With a nervous shudder, I shake my head. The shadowy blobs gather around Ruby, whispering curious secrets in her ear.

  “Uh huh… I see…”

  She reaches for the gold ring floating in the blobs and puts it on her finger. It glimmered purely off the glowing yellow eyes. However, to her disappointment, the ring hung loosely on her thin fingers. Putting it aside, Ruby leans back on the rickety chair and gazes at the darkness above.

  “It truly is a beautiful thing. That thing called love.”

  She hums an melancholic tone as she fiddles with the ring. A sense of sorrow fills my heart as the melody ends in silence. In that moment of silence, I ask,

  “Are you talking about the ring?”

  “You’re still here?”

  She snaps out of her trance and lets out a sigh,

  “Yes… this ring was in the aftermath of a fire. She was quite sad, that lonely Laurel.”

  A sense of familiarity hung with that name,

  “Laurel… The coachman’s daughter? What happened to her?”

  With a heavy nod, she rests the ring on her armrest.

  “Laurel, O’ Lonely Laurel.

  Your love fell

  down a bottomless well

  With a ring meant for you

  Deep in the dark

  A warm light greeted him

  And off she went

  Towards the guise of passion.

  But where did her ashes go?”

  Ruby’s words leak into the shadows as closes her eyes and gently smiles.

  “Let bygones of the past remain in the past”

  The shadowy blobs loaf around her like lost cats. Their bright eyes were half opened with tiredness.