Tears  Into  Roses

 

Website

"A will-o'-the-wisp or ignis fatuus (meaning "fire" and "foolish" in Latin), has many names. Also called will-o'-wisp, jack-o'-lantern, friar's lantern, hinkypunk, and wisp, it is a ghostly light sometimes seen at night or twilight over bogs, swamps, and marshes. People say it resembles a flickering lamp and is sometimes said to recede if approached. Stories tell of travelers getting lost in the woodland and coming upon a will-o'-the-wisp, and depending on how they treated the will-o'-the-wisp, the spirit would either get them lost further in the woods or guide them out."

I continue to listen to the humans tell stories about me. Behind bushes and shrubs is always where I linger. As I listen I question almost everything they say. "I am no will-o'- the-wisp, I am Nixe, in your language I would be called Neck. And also how dare they call me a ghost. I am the Spirit of Water, living in the waters you seek. I only take form of a flickering lamp to hide my read form from real phenomenon like you..."

The men look around ambitiously. "Guys did yeah hear that? Hello!? We need help we walked off of the path!" One called out. The others have cried pleases and sorrows in the trees, only carried by the wind. They do not respect my wishes, but today......

I appear near them. The flickering of my body guides them closer to me. When I see them go towards me in arms length I disappear, and reappear a few feet away. They chase after me like raving dogs trying to catch their next meal.

As we all make close progress towards the lake my power grows. My body gets taller, my curves beginning to show. My long hair covers half of my body as my dress covers the rest. I draw them closer, and closer to the lake until I dissapear.

"W-What's going on!?" The stupid men scream. I hate screaming, but I don't want to kill today. By the time the men start sobbing to themselves I reappear in many will-o'-the-wisp's forms to lead them away but I do not go along with them. I stay behind and watch them go follow my little cloned selves. I smile to myself peacefully. "They will only be lost until they die."