A Fae-tal Misadventure

Jack wanted munchies, that's how it all started out. We set out on our adventure to the store; even though Jack only recently moved to the area, he swore he knew a shortcut. I should have spoken up when it started getting darker and the trees drew in closer.

And I definitely should have said something when I noticed the strange ethereal glow in the distance.

We should have turned back then, but Jack is insistent when he thinks he's right. Unfortunately, Jack is rarely right. It's his special talent. Our group of friends has always joked that misfortune and misadventure abound whenever Jack's around.

Jack kept walking, but no matter how fast he moved along the path, the light always seemed to stay ahead of us. As we delved deeper into the woods, I swore I saw lights darting and flitting between the trees that edged the trail. Jack stumbled and spun around, cursing under his breath.

The wind rang with laughter, and my eyes darted to the overhanging branches of the trees. “Something's not right,” I pleaded.

“Stop being such a baby, Eva,” Jack scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Where's your sense of adventure?”

I wanted to tell him our Dungeons & Dragons campaigns were the only sense of adventure I had, but I kept quiet. As we pressed onward, the ground climbed and grow craggier. The trees thinned, and beyond the trail's edge, I could see mounds, shadowed in the strange glow, rising in the darkness.

Despite the thinning canopy of branches overhead, I could not see the moon, nor could I see any clouds.

Before long, the peals of laughter turned into whispers. This time Jack could hear them, too. His head swiveled from side to side, eyes wide and searching the darkness for the source of the whispers.

'What's this?' hissed a voice in the darkness. 'Two misfits on a misadventure of a lifetime!'

'Mustn't be very smart,' chimed a second voice, 'to have gotten so lost!'

Jack turned in circles on the trail, an ugly scowl on his face. “Hey, who are you calling stupid?” he shouted to the darkness, and the forest erupted with laughter. Jack's scowl melted away in shock and fear. He stood frozen, except for his head which continued to swivel as he searched the darkness.

I take no pride in my actions to leave Jack.

The sound of laughter followed as I bolted along the trail. We had traveled in a singular direction and I felt confident I would find my way back on my own. As I ran, the sound of laughter changed to a wild chorus of whoops and taunts.

'Looks like the little lamb is growing weary,' a voice cried.

'Must be time to rest!' another joined.

Though my legs felt leaden, I continued running. I wanted to put it up to some teenagers pulling an elaborate prank, but my primal instincts kept urging me forward; I was being hunted.

The woods were not safe, and I needed to escape them soon. I slowed to catch my breath, listening over my ragged breathing and the pounding of my heart for any sign of Jack. I wanted to call out to him, but I knew better and kept my mouth shut. The pursuit had gone quiet, but that did not mean that they were gone. I could only hope that I had outrun anything that had given chase.

I rounded a corner that I could not remember us taking and came face to face with Jack.

“H-how?” He gave a shaky shrug and nodded toward the trail, indicating I should follow. I took a step and then stopped. “How did you get ahead of me?”

“Faster,” he said without turning around.

“I didn't see you go by,” I pressed, but Jack shrugged. He started walking, and I followed, not wanting to leave him behind again, but something warned me not to trust him.

Rocks sprouted around us and from the rugged ground ancient, twisted trees grew. Their limbs were heavy and moss covered the bark, their roots weaved together in a tangled web. The forest seemed to hum around us as we continued.

Before long, the whispers returned. They were excited, but I caught a few words. And what I heard made me freeze in my tracks.

'Deep magic, deep roots, the fae must have their hoots!' came a chant.

'Foolish to have followed the faerie lights under a full-moon night!' came another chorus.

Faeries? Fae? Where were we?

I stopped in my tracks, and Jack spun on his heel. “Something wrong?” he asked, and I shrugged as I glanced around the ancient copse that surrounded us.

“Where are you taking me?” I asked.

Jack cocked his head at me and said, “Home.” He turned around and walked a few paces before turning back around. His eyes were intense as he stared at me, willing me to move.

For the first time, I stood up to Jack. I folded my arms over my chest and cocked an eyebrow back at him. “I thought you wanted to get some munchies,” I suggested and Jack shrugged with that awkward, shuffling motion again.

“Tired,” he offered as an excuse. My brow furrowed.

The Jack I knew would never turn down food. We had been on this adventure for what felt like ages, and Jack would never give up; he would demand extra snacks for all our troubles. I shook my head. “No, I want to go to the store. You promised. All I can think about is an enormous bag of chips, and something sweet and carbonated to wash it down with.”

“Home,” Jack said again, but I stood my ground and shook my head.

Something was definitely not right. “No,” I said again. “I want to eat.”

A look crossed over Jack's face, as though he was listening to something I could not hear, and he gave a nod. Jack started walking towards me and I tensed, not sure what to do.

“Food,” he said with a nod as he walked passed me. Like a moth to the flame, I felt drawn to follow him. I shook my head to clear the enchantment and planted my feet on the path. Jack turned around, his eyes darkening. “Come, now.”

“Where are you taking me?” I demanded, my heart racing.

“Food.”

Something about the way he said that singular word raised goosebumps along the flesh of my arms. I refused to stand down. “No. Tell me where.”

Jack frowned and pointed up the path, encouraging me to follow. I shook my head and turned back toward Jack's house. Before I could take a step, Jack's hand closed around my wrist and he pulled away, hissing.

A smirk pulled my lips up.

His skin reddened where he had touched the iron-coated bangle, even for that brief moment, and the glamour fell away. I stood face-to-face with a fae.

The creature was as tall as me and slender as a whip, its almond-shaped eyes black as obsidian in its pale face. Its thin lips pulled back as it hissed, exposing pointed teeth within its mouth.

It charged toward me and, in a burst of adrenaline, I pulled the bangle free, cringing as my hand touched the metal, and threw it straight at the charging fae. I didn't wait long enough to see if my aim was true; I turned and ran as fast as my legs would carry me over the rocky trail. The wail of pain that echoed up behind me hinted at a good 'maybe' I had made contact.

Another creature appeared before me and I screamed as it lunged toward me with inhuman speed. It caught my wrist, but without the bangle, the creature was not deterred. It growled and bared its pointed teeth, and I closed my eyes.

“Let go of her,” a voice boomed, and the fae turned, bowing as it retreated. “Is that how you greet one of the high-court?”

The lowly fae creature looked at me, blinking its dark eyes, and then back at the fae who had spoken. Unlike the two creatures that had charged me, this other fae stood a good head and shoulders above them and his almond-shaped eyes were bright blue, not black. “Milady,” the creature said with a bow as it scuttled off the path and into the brush.

“You must be mistaken,” I said to the towering faerie.

He smirked at me and asked, “May I have your name?”

I narrowed my eyes. He was playing faerie tricks, not a fair playing field for a human. “You may not have my name,” I called out to him and he frowned, “but you may call me Eva.”

The faerie dipped into an elaborate bow, and as he rose he smiled at me, showing perfect and straight white teeth. “You are wise for a human,” he said and shrugged. “Fine, if you will not give me your name then I call you your true name: Aiofe. I would swear that you are fae-folk; how else could you have outwitted and escaped when your friend was not so lucky?”

“He's a big, dumb brute,” I teased.

The faerie burst out with laughter and smiled. “Aye, well, you have a point there. You have earned my respect, Aiofe. I grant you safe passage through our realm and back to your own.”

“What about my friend?” I asked. “Jack also needs safe passage. Unharmed and untainted.”

The fae bowed. “As you wish. Follow the path and take the fork to the left. Your friend Jack will be waiting for you, unaware that any time has transpired and in the same state as when you left. Once you are reunited, take only the right-hand path at any junction you come upon and find your way home by sunup.”

With another flourishing bow, the fae disappeared and I hurried along the path, careful to heed the fae's parting instructions. I turned a corner and came upon Jack. He continued to turn on the spot, his eyes wide as he called my name.

“Here!” I called as I stepped through the thin veil of branches, shivering as the magical curtain crossed my skin.

Jack turned, a strange look on his face. “Where did you go, Eva? One moment you were there, the next I turned around, and you were gone.”

“I ran,” I said, not wanting to discuss the topic too much. Fae-folk can never tell an outright lie and have mastered the art of dancing around the truth.

Jack never regained the lost hours in the woods. By the time we left the woods, the eastern sky was ablaze as the sun crested the horizon. A moment longer and Jack would have found himself trapped forever.

Ever since we discovered the faerie mounds in the woods, I have visited Jack as often as I can. I know what he thinks the reason for my frequent visits is, but the actual reason is to escape to the fae realm at every chance I can. The faerie folk love to hear the stories of every misadventure I have sent Jack on over the last two decades. We take pleasure in the misfortune of others, and with Jack, there's misfortune and misadventure aplenty.