Hair Stealer

The moon wandered on the dark pasture among the stars. Cool air and petrichor were signaling the coming rain.

There was a tavern to my right, and to the left, like a wall, stood pine forest. The tavern was empty and I sat at the table in silence, lit up my pipe and got lost in thoughts of my own. I looked out of the window, admiring the darkness of the night, and saw a man lying on the front porch.

There was a Thunder Strike!

The wind howled in the field, driving dark clouds in the sky. The rain started pouring. Lightning flash engulfed the forest outside in a bright white light for a moment.

The man on the porch did not get up, must have had too much a drink, I thought. I decided to help the fellow and stepped outside into the terrible weather. To my surprise, the man was an old, ancient even. He looked like he was hundreds years old.

"I am like you," he wheezed, spitting out the water, "I am only 30 years old..."

His last breath left him with these words. We put him in a cellar to hide from the weather and wandering eyes.

The innkeeper told me that Forces of Evil had put a curse on them and sent a messenger with tail and horns.

"In the ominous mist it looks for its victims," he said, "It skulks behind you. And watching how trouble happens to you it laughs wildly and sputters all over"

"The life had become difficult for us," he complained, "all of the young folks had disappeared, only us, old folks, remain. Perhaps they ran ... I hope they did."

"You must leave here as fast as you can," the innkeeper grabbed me by the shoulders, "You will only find death here!"

At this moment I felt something violently pulling my hair. It was a demon. It quietly crept behind my back and grabbed me by the hair and started tearing them out. The innkeeper kept holding me, the bastard, was in league with the demon. He was a servant of Evil!

I wrangled out of the innkeeper's grip and smacked the demon in the face with all my might! It tore some more of my hair out as it fell. And with every hair that fell off of my head, I was loosing a year of my life!

I pushed the innkeeper out of the way as I ran outside. I ran in the rain without looking back. I ran as fast and as far as I could. I got away but I was no longer a 30 years old man I was supposed to be...

Now I know that demons are full of ideas. Through their cunning and cruelty they gain their experience and find new ways to torment us. But it is even worse for us when they have accomplices among the people...

***

based on: Korol i Shut - Volosokrad (Король и Шут - Волосокрад)