Chapter 422: Elmo’s Phantoms
Elmo wasn't sure why, but almost as soon as Jonas left to collect more firewood, it felt like every sound around him was magnified. That even the insects were louder somehow.
He didn't know if it was because of having escaped the bog the night before or if there was some other reason for this, but Elmo had to admit that it was starting to get to him. Usually when he was left alone, he didn't find the darkness so oppressive. Like it was getting ready to try and devour him. All he knew was that he was by himself and couldn't tell if it was his imagination or not.
It didn't help that when he looked away from the fire that he couldn't see past the ring of firelight around him, that it was like the world past that was swallowed in darkness.
Elmo tried his best to keep from letting the cacophony of noise get to him, but it was like it was warning him that danger was approaching. Maybe part of it was because Jonas had been looking a good amount of time to the south of where they were, but Elmo tried reassuring himself that Jonas wouldn't have left him if he'd thought that there was any real danger approaching.
However, that argument only lasted so long before Elmo felt it begin to crack.
At first, it started with a small pebble clattering on the ground in the distance. It wasn't the usual noise that Elmo had been able to hear, so he especially focused on that. It came from the south of him, making his heart start to pound. He did his best to try and control his breathing, but even then he felt his self-control starting to slip.
Elmo wasn't sure how long Jonas had been gone by then, but a part of his mind said that he should have been back by now and all that did was enhance the sense of danger that he was feeling right then.
Then there was a scraping sound on one of the rocks nearby. Elmo couldn't say if some of the sounds he was hearing were figments of his imagination or not, but he wasn't going to take any chances. So, He called out, "Brimstone Flare!"
Elmo wasn't sure why or what he'd hit, but it created a loud noise, like an explosion as it lit up empty, bare rock. It didn't show anything or anyone as it lit up the night for a brief moment. Despite that, he couldn't say that the sense of danger was gone. Instead, it only felt like it was closing in even more. That he'd missed whatever was causing that sense of danger.