A book?: Day 22

[1] Um's Tale: Chapter 1 (22,385 / 1,000,000)

Um’s bare feet slapped against the muddy ground as he darted from tree to tree. To his back, roaring flames engulfed his home, and those of his neighbors as well. The blaze basked the forest around him in a faint orange glow, causing the shadows of trees to stretch and dance around him as he ran. The charcoal scent of burning wood mixed with the sickly sweet smell of cooking flesh in the air. A trailing wind brought a third, curious scent to Um, an acrid metallic scent - unnatural and overpowering.

Now’s not the time to think - just run! Um shouted to himself in his mind. He continued his frantic dash. He was familiar with this side of the forest, he had been playing here nearly every day for as long as he could remember. He dashed across the creek where he normally hopped around with the frogs and toads. He trampled through bushes where he normally hid from the larger kids. He sprinted past many of his favorite trees, although perhaps too many of them were his favorites.

There! He spotted the very tree he had been looking for. An old hiding spot of his; one that was further from town than he normally dared to venture. His legs ached and his lungs burned, but he continued his sprint until he reached the tree. He collapsed onto the ground, and dragged himself into the hollow of the tree, which was concealed by a dense thicket of brush. Lungs heaving and mind racing, he curled into a ball and released a pent-up fit of sobbing. He wrapped both arms around his face to muffle his cries. The distant sounds of collapsing buildings made their way to him, accompanied by the occasional shout or scream. He didn’t uncover his face as he lay there for some time, catching his breath. Um’s agitated mind was allowed a time of blissful respite, as he lapsed into a troubled sleep.

A crack sounded in the forest a few paces from his hiding place, and Um jolted awake. His eyes darted around in the pitch dark for a few panicked seconds, while his mind caught up to his present circumstances.

“It’s just one, ain’t it?” A man’s whispered voice drifted from the same direction.

“Yes, but the whole town was listed in the missive. It was very specific, as you’d expect,” another voice called back, not bothering to whisper.

“Alright,” the first man sighed, “I’ve got it”.

A sudden tearing sound split the air, and a bright orange light burst into Um’s hideout, followed by a wave of intense heat. Peeking through the brush, he saw dozens of trees fully engulfed in flame just yards from his position.

If I jump out now, they’ll see me. That’s what they’re waiting for. They need to see me to confirm that they got me. He scrambled to the back of the cavity he occupied. But if I don’t show myself, they’re just going to torch this whole forest, and I’ll die anyways. He crept back towards the opening, poised on all fours. I have to wait for an opening, and run for it, he finally decided. He stared intently at the men, dark silhouettes against a swirling orange and red backdrop. His breath was caught in the back of his throat, and he held it there as he waited, every muscle tensed.

Before an opening presented itself to Um, an unexpected sound pierced through the raging sound of flames around him. A single, tinkling voice sang out a lilting verse in a language unknown to Um. It was a catchy tune, one that would have been popular in his uncle’s tavern. Um saw the two silhouettes jump in surprise, and turn towards each other. They turned their backs to one another and raised their hands defensively. The tenor voice raised into a crescendo, before ending with a tapered intonation, almost like it was asking a question.

A still moment hung in the air, before an abrupt cacophony thundered through the forest around him. The sound of dozens of singing voices rang out in harmony. A choir of tenors and sopranos lifted their voices together in a singed reply to the first. The air thrummed with energy, and Um’s vision blurred. The weight of his body seemed to double, and he strained to keep his head up. The singing continued, but a few voices broke off into fits of laughter. The orange and red firelight that illuminated Um’s surroundings shifted to purples and greens. Um witnessed one of the silhouettes drop out of his vision. The other twirled around immediately, raising his hands again before him.

The flames and shadows around Um now danced in earnest, matching the pace and rhythm of the singing voices. A few of the shadows slipped away from the rest, and swarmed the remaining silhouette. The pitch of the song elevated, and it accelerated to a frenzied tempo. Um saw the silhouette of a leg sail off into the branches of a distant tree. He dropped his gaze as he heard a shriek of terror pierce the sonorous song, before it was cut off. The choir of voices began a diminuendo, tapering off the intensity of their volume. The fevered dance of the shadows and flames began to slow, and the intensity of the flames diminished in kind. The voices stopped, and the flames snuffed out entirely.

The single voice picked up immediately where the choir ended, leading the song through a final closing verse. As the voice rang through the forest, Um peered again out of the hollow in the tree, seeking its source in the darkness. At first, it sounded like it was coming from all around him, leaping out of the bark of the tree itself. The moment he closed his eyes to focus on the sound, the omnipresent voice scaled down to a single point - directly behind him. Um’s eyes snapped open and he twisted around in a panic, falling into a tangle in the mouth of the hollow.