Out of the Dark by Holly Boisvert

The Desolate Forest has always been regarded with unease and apprehension. There are many stories of those who wandered in, lost or unknowing, and were never seen again. It’s said that if any darkness lives within you to make sure you stay far away. If you get too close, you can feel the air shift and crackle around you, making your hair stand on end. 

As you make your way toward the boundary of the forest, you’ll have an almost overwhelming sense of dread. Step any closer and that sense of dread turns into intrigue and you have a strange, misplaced sense of trust in the land awakening around you, angry at your mere presence while driving you ever closer to its darkness…

***

She woke up in a meadow in the cold, wet grass, unsure of where she was or how she got there. As her eyes adjusted to the moonlight, she realized where she was—too close to the boundary of the forest. Her heart beat harder, her palms began to sweat, her breathing became harsh and shallow. She had always been warned about the creatures that live within. She knew she had woken up in a dangerous place and knew not to wander, but something in the shadows of the forest was calling her, tempting her. She tried to turn away, to go back, but it was too late; the silent song was enchanting and pulled her toward the darkness. 

With her first step into the wood, she felt the air change—the chilled air wrapping itself around her ankles like cold fingers, biting into her skin—a clear warning, but she was so drawn to the dark that she couldn’t turn back. 

As she continued deeper into the forest, the silence and darkness seemed to be a place of sanctuary—at first. Once the shadows started licking at her heels, she began moving faster, tripping over roots and sliding through the decaying vegetation that littered the forest floor. She could sense the shadows getting closer, no longer icy but searing, still concealing the terrible creatures that lurked within them. She could feel their breath scorching her exposed skin and could hear the scraping and scratching of scales, claws, and teeth with every step she took. She could feel the eyes of the creatures that beckoned to her, but she couldn’t see them, couldn’t name them, and couldn’t fight them. The shadows continued to hide the creatures as they warped her happiest memories in secret. Then the creatures came for her. 

They crept across the ground at her feet, snapping and snarling, skittering across her skin like a thousand tiny spiders and began to envelop her in their darkness. Every path she turned to was lost in shadow and she could hear the gnashing teeth of the creatures as more drew near, filling her head and heart with words and feelings that didn’t belong to her, slowly corroding the things that made her who she was. 

They tore at her, piece by painful piece, stripping her away and reveling in her slow destruction as the shadows held more and more power over her. Spinning her this way and that, dizzying her so thoroughly that she collapsed to the forest floor, weeping, giving up completely. She stopped fighting the darkness, stopped fighting the creatures, and accepted her place in the dark.

Suddenly, faintly, a white light appeared in the distance and instantly, she felt the weight of the darkness ease. The closer the light got to her, the stronger and more at peace she became. She held onto that bit of strength until the light became so large and so bright that she had to shield her eyes and turn away from its brilliance. 

When her eyes had adjusted to the light, she became entirely captivated by a magnificent unicorn—a flowing mane and tail, shimmering golden body, and glorious green eyes. Its sudden presence caused the shadows, defeated, to shriek with rage and the creatures within them to slink back to the depths of the forest they came from. Wounded from knowing they lost her to the light.

Hesitantly, she looked into the eyes of the unicorn and a safe, peaceful feeling flooded over her, warming her from within. The majestic creature walked beside her while helping her retrace her steps, lending its light and strength when she stumbled. 

As they walked, she found the bits and pieces the creatures and the darkness had taken from her, the bits and pieces that mattered the most—her fortitude, her resilience, her ability to love and laugh, her smile, her peace—but most importantly, her hope. She found her most precious memories, untainted and her hopeful heart intact. The unicorn’s light and love chased the shadows from the darkest corners of her mind and reminded her that she could make it through. 

Before she had even realized how far they had traveled, she was back in the meadow, safely outside the forest. She turned back to thank the unicorn for helping her find the pieces of herself she thought she lost and for getting her back to the light, but the beautiful creature was already gone. The unimaginable strength and overwhelming peace it left with her will be an everlasting reminder that she can fight the darkness. 

It’s been said that unicorns are rare creatures full of wonder, nobility, and magic, which is why they have an extraordinary ability to heal all ailments. When you’re looking for unicorns, you’ll never find them. But when you need them the most, they’ll be there.