L-O-V-E
The forest was quiet save for the cicadas songs. It walked amongst the trees with an ethereal gait. Its skin was black like the void expanse of space and elongated horns sprouted from it's head in an unholy crown. Sharp claws left idly marks on the trees and the mist shrouded its hoofed legs.
A field of long grass stood next to the forest and a dirt road cut through both. The creature touched its lips in wonder as it spied a man down a long the road.
He was heading towards the forest, his skin red from the now setting sun, eyes a rustic golden, and eyes as blue as the sky. The creature made a keening noise as it stared at the stranger. It was in love.
The man hummed scraps of melody as he passed by the borders of the grass and the trees. The creature held its breath. The stranger was getting father away now.
Wait!
He stopped. "Anyone there?"
It bit its lips.
Please come back.
"Hello?" He turned around, eyes straining to see.
Over here, please come back.
The man walked closer to the border. "Hello-o-o?"
The creature stepped forward until it was right at the edge of the trees. It could not pass out of the forest.
Please…
The man gave a scream upon sight of the creature and falling backwards in fear. It clutched at it's eardrums as the noise assaulted him.
Please don't scream, it hurts.
The man began to run away, shouting at it and throwing rocks.
STOP IT PLEASE! It cried out in pain as one of the rocks collided with its leathery skin.
"Get away from me you monster! HELP! HELP!"
Tears began to well up in its eyes.
Stop it please!
The man was too far away for the creature to grasp it. Its legs dared not pass onto the road of man. It fled from the screaming man and deep into the dark embrace of the trees.
The man was gone now, already on his path. The creature sat on the ground, its back to a fallen tree. Why did everyone run from it? The man looked so much like
him that the creature couldn't help but cry out for him. It just wanted someone to love.
It picked up a stick between its long fingers and began to draw in the dirt. So concentrated it was on its picture that it did not see nor hear the marching of men in its forest until they stood before it.
"THERE'S THE MONSTER LET'S KILL IT!"
It screamed in terror, clambering over the mossy tree, trying to escape in vain. The held torches so bright it scalded its eyes and knives so sharp to pierce its skin. It ran as fast as it could on its hoofed feet, but ended up tripping and eventually being captured. It cried and prayed for mercy, but its pleas fell on deaf ears.
They strung it along its neck and pulled it up a tree. It struggled for a moment and then gave up. There was no escape. Only death. The creature stared down at the mob of men and caught a glimpse of the stranger from before. Its breath caught in its throat. His eyes held nothing but apathy towards it. The creature began to cry.
It died seconds later as the noose tightened along its neck. The men left satisfied, their bloodlust quenched. They left bootprints all over the dirt, smudging the creature's picture. The stranger from before caught a glimpse of it and felt his blood turn cold.
Scrawled in the dirt was a picture of the creature and a man much like himself hand in hand, smiles wide on their faces. And the just like that it was destroyed by a man's foot.
The stranger walked away.