Lilith

Autumn. A mournful wind gnawed at the draperies of my home like a hungry wolf. A shroud of silence covered the castle, whose thick walls rose high toward the dark sky. Night poured through the perforated windows like mercury, like cold lead. An all-encompassing darkness, like a shawl, enveloped my chambers. Bathed in nothingness, my heart bleeding, I wandered like a ghost through the recesses of my home. The cold walls touched me with disgust. Mighty caryatids wept with me in stony silence, and pain, like prison shackles, prevented me from walking calmly. Staring into the void, I shed salty tears for my beloved. For four days now, I have not been allowed to see my sweetest Catherine in the light of day, or even in the light of kerosene lamps. Desperate, I wandered the castle, barely able to drag my heavy feet with longing. I was like a living statue that hadn't yet fully grasped the meaning of true walking, like a child who doesn't know what happiness is. I remembered only pain. A great black cloud covered my memories, like a vast blanket, from beneath which not a single edge would peek out into the daylight. I climbed the old, ice-cold stairs. I climbed toward the bedroom at the top of the palace. My black cloak wrapped around my shoulders, gently billowing in the castle drafts. Outside, the moon, listening to the howling of wolves, paid me no attention. The high walls defended my peace like wild, hellish beasts. For four days, I thrashed with sadness, fear, and tears. I still felt the same cold anxiety, tension, and depression. Lost, weak, with my head bowed forward, I looked like a corpse sobbing in the dreadful, dark chambers. I opened the wooden door, and the sound it made could only be associated with sadness. Holding the lamp in my hand, I walked to the large windows and drew the dark, dusty curtains. I felt like a small boat tossed onto the dark waters of the Irrawaddy, like a laurel leaf carried by a tearful, predatory tornado, or even by the northward-blowing African sirocco. On aching legs, I approached the bed, like a marble monument mounting a plinth amidst gardens and city squares. I placed the lamp on the ebony table, whose decadent shapes stirred mixed feelings in me. The ornate edges evoked the image of tiny heads, and the thin legs seemed worn out by the weight of the table's beastly body. I threw my clothes haphazardly onto the soft, fluffy carpet, whose beautiful, subtle patterns recalled the ajer that grew by the ponds near the castle. The bedroom was large. The spacious windows always let in plenty of warm, cheerful light. Numerous paintings and trophies hung on the walls, making the place a bit cluttered, but certainly not devoid of soul and character. In the corner stood a massive, Baroque-style mirror. Its frame was held by gilded oak arms, and carved ivy vines snaked around it. To the side of the mirror stood two small cabinets, in which Catherine kept her wonderful beads, gold earrings,Rings, ruby ​​brooches, and silver bracelets. When she was still here... the kitchen, the bedroom, even... the entire castle smelled of delicious nougat. Delicate nuts, almonds, and honey transformed even the dungeons into ballrooms and exquisite drawing rooms. Wardrobes and dark, intricate furniture complemented this interior with an aura of mystery and domestic bliss... I blew out the candle flame and laid my heavy head on the soft pillow. The drawn curtains blocked out even a single ray of moonlight, so the bedroom was impenetrably dark. It was difficult for me to even see my outstretched hand. Time passed, and I gave myself over to painful reflections. Catherine was a doctor. She jokingly said that he was, like an Aesculapius, helpful in health problems and helpful to the utmost of his ability. She truly was. Kind, noble, and helpful. She loved walks, which is why she never deigned to travel to the city by carriage, as befits a doctor. Walking was something Catherine cherished. The last day I saw her, she was wearing a beautiful tricot dress. Shades of red and black intertwined like good and evil, like the colors in a wonderful rainbow. The long fabric covered her shapely legs and leather shoes. Her black hair was pinned back with silver stilettos. Here and there, strands of shining hair flowed like waterfalls over her delicate, pale face. That day, as usual, she had an appointment with a certain Mrs. Petrus, who had apparently been struck by anuria. I remember once laughing until we cried over the similarity between this old woman's name and the French scholar born in 1572. On her way back, she was supposed to stop by for help, but I couldn't remember who that person was. Tomorrow I'll set out to search the forest again, just like yesterday and the day before. I must find her, I must… I repeated quietly until I fell into a deep, restless sleep. I was alone in a dark, misty forest. All around me, dead crows hung from the strangely twisted branches of large trees. Their delicate legs were tied to thin white strings. The wind circulated between the bodies, laughing. Its voice was destroying me. It shattered my soul and heart. The cold breeze sent shivers down my spine. The red sun, like a giant clock, ticked away, and in the middle of it all, I stood. Pinned to the floor by an invisible force, I could only watch as tiny drops of blood dripped from the birds' dry beaks. The loud cackle of the wind was all I remembered before I woke up.It was difficult for me to even see her outstretched hand. Time passed, and I gave myself over to painful reflections. Catherine was a doctor. She jokingly said that, like an Aesculapius, he was helpful in health problems and helpful to the limit of his ability. She was indeed so. Good, noble, helpful. She loved walks, which is why she never deigned to travel to the city by carriage, as befits a doctor. Walking was something Catherine cherished very much. The last day I saw her, she was wearing a beautiful tricot dress. Shades of red and black intertwined like good and evil, like the colors in a wonderful rainbow. The long fabric covered her shapely legs and leather shoes. Her black hair was pinned back with silver stilettos. Here and there, strands of shining hair flowed like waterfalls over her delicate, pale face. That day, as usual, she had an appointment with a certain Mrs. Petrus, who had apparently been struck down by anuria. I remember how we once laughed until tears fell over the similarity of this old woman's name to a French scholar born in 1572. On her way back, she was supposed to stop by for help, but I couldn't remember who that person was. Tomorrow I'll set out to search the forest again, just like yesterday and the day before. I have to find her, I have to… I repeated quietly until I fell into a deep, restless sleep. I was alone in a dark, misty forest. All around me, dead crows hung from the strangely twisted branches of large trees. Their delicate legs were tied to thin white strings. The wind circulated between the bodies, laughing. Its voice was destroying me. It shattered my soul and heart. The cold breeze sent shivers down my spine. The red sun, like a giant clock, ticked away time, and in the midst of it all, I stood. Pinned to the floor by an invisible force, I could only watch as tiny drops of blood dripped from the birds' dry beaks. The loud chuckle of the wind was all I remembered before I woke up.It was difficult for me to even see her outstretched hand. Time passed, and I gave myself over to painful reflections. Catherine was a doctor. She jokingly said that, like an Aesculapius, he was helpful in health problems and helpful to the limit of his ability. She was indeed so. Good, noble, helpful. She loved walks, which is why she never deigned to travel to the city by carriage, as befits a doctor. Walking was something Catherine cherished very much. The last day I saw her, she was wearing a beautiful tricot dress. Shades of red and black intertwined like good and evil, like the colors in a wonderful rainbow. The long fabric covered her shapely legs and leather shoes. Her black hair was pinned back with silver stilettos. Here and there, strands of shining hair flowed like waterfalls over her delicate, pale face. That day, as usual, she had an appointment with a certain Mrs. Petrus, who had apparently been struck down by anuria. I remember how we once laughed until tears fell over the similarity of this old woman's name to a French scholar born in 1572. On her way back, she was supposed to stop by for help, but I couldn't remember who that person was. Tomorrow I'll set out to search the forest again, just like yesterday and the day before. I have to find her, I have to… I repeated quietly until I fell into a deep, restless sleep. I was alone in a dark, misty forest. All around me, dead crows hung from the strangely twisted branches of large trees. Their delicate legs were tied to thin white strings. The wind circulated between the bodies, laughing. Its voice was destroying me. It shattered my soul and heart. The cold breeze sent shivers down my spine. The red sun, like a giant clock, ticked away time, and in the midst of it all, I stood. Pinned to the floor by an invisible force, I could only watch as tiny drops of blood dripped from the birds' dry beaks. The loud chuckle of the wind was all I remembered before I woke up.On her way back, she was supposed to stop by for help, but I couldn't remember who that person was. Tomorrow I'll set out to search the forest again, just like yesterday and the day before. I have to find her, I have to… I repeated quietly until I fell into a deep, restless sleep. I was alone in the dark, misty forest. All around me, dead crows hung from the strangely twisted branches of large trees. Their delicate legs were tied to thin white strings. The wind circulated between the bodies, laughing. Its voice was destroying me. It shattered my soul and heart. The cold breeze sent shivers down my spine. The red sun, like a giant clock, ticked away, and in the middle of it all, I stood. Pinned to the floor by an invisible force, I could only watch as tiny droplets of blood dripped from the birds' dry beaks. The loud cackle of the wind was all I remembered before I woke up.On her way back, she was supposed to stop by for help, but I couldn't remember who that person was. Tomorrow I'll set out to search the forest again, just like yesterday and the day before. I have to find her, I have to… I repeated quietly until I fell into a deep, restless sleep. I was alone in the dark, misty forest. All around me, dead crows hung from the strangely twisted branches of large trees. Their delicate legs were tied to thin white strings. The wind circulated between the bodies, laughing. Its voice was destroying me. It shattered my soul and heart. The cold breeze sent shivers down my spine. The red sun, like a giant clock, ticked away, and in the middle of it all, I stood. Pinned to the floor by an invisible force, I could only watch as tiny droplets of blood dripped from the birds' dry beaks. The loud cackle of the wind was all I remembered before I woke up.

The sound of curtains being pulled apart woke me. Disoriented, I opened my frightened eyes and lifted my head from the pillow. A vast amount of sunlight streamed into the room, bathing everything in its golden glow. I rubbed my tired face and shuddered. A shadowy female figure stood in front of the window, bathed in the pristine sunlight. I stared at her, wide-eyed and dazed. It wasn't Catherine; she was too short and too… mysterious. My heart began to beat faster, and sweat slowly trickled down my forehead, stinging and prickling. I couldn't see the woman's face.

The immense light made this visitor seem more like a shadow than a living person.

"Who are you?" I asked in a terrified voice.

The shadow remained silent. We stared at each other for a few moments. My fear grew. A deathly silence fell between us. Finally, the woman raised a dark hand and, in the sunlight, pointed to the view outside the window.

"Say something?" "Who are you?" I asked louder. A strange, cold feeling of dread gripped me. I wanted to get up and throw the intruder out of the house, but fear and curiosity paralyzed my body. Truth be told, I wasn't even sure I'd woken up. My frayed nerves were probably tempted to think of anything they wanted, just to plunge me deeper into despair.

"Help her," the woman whispered softly. Her winter voice frosted the sun-warmed windows…

"What? Who are you? How did you get in here?" I asked questions like dust.

Even though the woman was almost invisible, after a while I began to notice certain details. Namely, her hair was in two braids, tied in a circle. They encircled the shadow's head like a halo or a queen's tiara. The long dress fell to the floor. It looked like satin or silk, probably white. On her right hand, I managed to spot a bracelet, visible only briefly. It was quite large and drooped delicately on a dark wrist.

"It's there," he said quietly.

I didn't know what to do. I guessed it must be Catherine. I wanted to shout, to ask so many questions, but suddenly I realized the room was filled with a strange scent. A strange composition of roses, orchids, and a hint of Mexican tuberose. Beautiful, delicate, it filled every corner of the bedroom.

"I am Lilith... I was supposed to be your... maid, Mrs. Catherine was so kind as to employ me... And now she's suffering," a sad voice wailed.

"What?" I was utterly surprised. Where was she?

"We were walking back through the forest," the stranger said, still standing in the sunlight. "It got dark... something was chasing us.

" "What do you mean... tell me... quickly..." I urged, my nervousness taking over my body.

The woman stepped out of the circle of light. Now that I could get a better look at her, I noticed a silver chain hanging from her thin neck. The face was still hidden, but the sadness radiating from it was all too clear.

"Something was chasing us...wolves, a bear...I don't know, maybe the devil himself was casting his fiery traps upon us. We were running through the forest and suddenly the earth...the earth caved in. I managed to get out and promised to bring help to Lady Catherine." The voice grew fainter and fainter until it was almost inaudible.

"I'm so scared...and if what was chasing us is lurking nearby...I have to run, save her..."

she said, and with a quick movement, she closed the curtains. Blinded and dazed, I only heard her running from the room. I stood up and followed her.

"Stop!" I shouted. "Show me where it is."

In response, I heard only the echo of her gentle footsteps and that single word,

"Window..."

I entered the cave-bedroom. Shakily, I pulled back the coffee-colored curtains and peered out into the world. The sun was finally shining brightly among the tall, dark green trees. The castle was surrounded by a dark wall, the gates of which I left open. I hoped Catherine would return home one night. Beyond the walls flowed a calm, quiet dark river. Crossing it was a magnificent, large bridge. Marvelous carvings were visible even from the bedroom window: beautiful, delicate streaks on the cold gray stone. Next to the bridge stood a chapel, and over the entire wondrous structure rested a magnificent, ornate roof. It was supported by several marble pillars. I often sat there, gazing at the flow of the dark waters. Beyond rose magnificent, vast forests and abandoned farmsteads. Once, a plague enveloped this small forest village, and all its inhabitants perished. The plague, having taken its toll, vanished, leaving its mark on the psyche of the locals. People were afraid to go there. It was said that the place was haunted. Apparently, the spirits of the dead prowl among the trees, laughing maniacally with hollow mouths and festering, swollen eyes. But these are just fairy tales believed by the local villagers and children. The houses were abandoned and the wells buried…

"Oh my God!" I exclaimed. "Wells." That's what Lilith was talking about. That's why she didn't want to go with me. She must be a superstitious peasant girl who, at the sound of a ghost, makes the sign of the cross and glares nervously. Something frightened them as they returned to the castle; they began to run. The forest erased their paths, and they found themselves in a "cursed settlement." Lilith fled, promising to fetch help. She comes to me without any problem, as I hadn't locked any doors in constant anticipation of Catherine's arrival. She tells me what's happening, and, terrified, not wanting to go to that terrible place again, she runs away with tears in her eyes.

I dressed hurriedly, equipped myself with ropes woven together like a tiny ladder, and set off towards the "cursed settlement." The journey passed quickly and without any unexpected events. The sun was already high in the sky, peering down briskly. Unfortunately, its rays didn't penetrate the ominous crowns of the dark trees, which gave the place a very gloomy feel. I slowly approached my destination, and just as slowly, I realized I didn't feel right. All the fairy tales I'd heard about this place haunted me.

I spotted the first ruined huts from afar. Two ravens perched on the stone walls. Darkness enveloped the deserted settlement in a dark, mournful shroud. Tall trees towered over it, enclosing the entire structure with an impenetrable, leafy vault. I approached, and other abandoned, ruined houses began to appear. Roof moldings were visible above some well-preserved windows. The cracked, rotten boards harbored countless insects within their entrails. In the center of the village was a small square containing the remains of a wooden sculpture. It depicted a strange, macabre figure. But truth be told, this work had been so weathered by time that my perception of it certainly differs significantly from the one its creator envisioned. I stood there, surrounded by fallen huts, their empty eyes staring back at me. It was strange, but I had the overwhelming feeling that someone was there. I felt watched. A gentle, cold wind blew through the area, scattering fallen leaves. Terror rose within me like the temperature in an oven. I thought I heard footsteps and faint, satanic giggles. I was afraid to turn around, thinking that as soon as I did, I would come face to face with a pale, cold corpse.

A crack… I shuddered. A little more soothing light filtered through the dark forest canopy. Shifting shadows loomed on the old, rotten walls. The sun was already very high, and thankfully, the forest had brightened, though not enough to completely dispel my fears.

"Katarzyna, it's me... answer me," I shouted.

I heard only a faint cry and the groans of the door being blown by the wind. I looked around and saw a dark hole. It was a sunken piece of earth, perhaps once a well frequently used by the locals. I ran toward it full of hope, my previous fears forgotten. I knelt by the hole and shouted... In response, I heard a slight movement... but that was all.

I tied a rope ladder to a nearby tree. Then I dropped the other end into the black abyss. Checking that the rope was secure, I slowly lowered myself into the dark well. The darkness enveloped me like the deepest depths of the ocean. I slowly descended the soft rungs of the ladder until I reached the bottom. The well was dry, but also very damp. In the darkness, I felt for a body lying there.

"Katarzyna, is that you?" I shouted from the dark grave.

"Husband..." she whispered.

"Yes, it's me... hold my neck tightly.

" "I'm so scared..." she said quietly.

We slowly climbed up toward the dark village and the warm air. Heavy legs sank into the horizontal ropes connecting the two main ropes.

Finally, we made it. Emerging, we sat on the edge of the well and looked at each other. Katarzyna was exhausted and terrified to the core. Her muddy, dry face smiled gently, nervously at me. Her hands were shaking, and her eyes were afraid to look at the place. I handed her the aronia berries in the bag, the dark bread, and some water in the leather carafe.

"There's another person there," she said quietly, taking the bread in her dirty, scratched-up hands

. "What?" I was surprised—after all, Lilith had freed herself and informed me of your misfortune.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, exhausted by fear and fatigue.

Not wanting to engage in a confusing conversation, I hurried downstairs to prove to my wife that this place had strangely affected her imagination.

After a moment, surprised and shocked, I emerged back to the surface of the forest, revealing a delicate body behind me. So there was another person, but why? My morning visitor hadn't mentioned him. I turned the body so I could see it better.

"It's not...impossible," I choked out. I looked at Lilith's emaciated face, her dark eyes staring at me like a porcelain doll.

Her two braids, curled into a halo, framed her muddy head, and a silver chain rested around her dirty neck.

"No... it's impossible... it's Lilith." My heart froze in my soul like a wanderer on a winter's night. "

What happened? How do you know her name?" Katarzyna asked, terrified and surprised. "

I saw her in our bedroom today.

" "I don't think so... the poor thing died this morning. I held her hand and comforted her.

Not understanding what had happened, I simply said,

"You were crying... and I was so worried...

" "No," she said, terrified; the whole experience must have taken a heavy toll on her psyche. "I didn't have the strength to cry today," she sighed.

"But I heard sobbing the other day..."

"I didn't cry. I was shaking with terror, but I didn't cry." Strange things happen here, but it's just our imagination, which is hard to cope with in a place like this.

"We must flee quickly," I said. It seemed to me that somewhere nearby I heard the cracking of branches and gentle laughter.

As I retreated, I heard only the soft sighs of the dark forest.

*****

Lilith was buried in the city cemetery, and we returned home. A week had passed since I found my wife. She had regained her former glory, but inner peace had still not been achieved. It was cold. I woke in the middle of the night and immediately noticed my beloved was missing. Terrified, I ran from the room and frantically ran down the steep stairs. Finally, I found her, sitting in the kitchen, sipping black French tea from one of those exquisite tea sets used only for special occasions.

"I couldn't sleep," she said, lifting her head.

"Did you have a bad dream?" I asked, walking over and sitting next to her on a carved oak chair.

"You know... you haven't told me yet how you found me?" She said a few words delicately, and I, catching them, replied,

"I've already told you."

"I know, but it's so... unreal," she said, staring into the flickering flame of the kerosene lamp. "I sat there for four days and nights, listening to the whispers of the forest. Lilith was so afraid... she believed it all. She didn't stand a chance. Her imagination proved to be a hidden killer." Tears streamed down her pale face and glistened in the firelight. "I'm a doctor, I have a scientific mind, and yet I told her just before I died that I couldn't stand it any longer, that one more day and I'd die, and... she replied that she would save me." She looked at my astonished face and smiled.

"So you believe me?" I asked.

"Yes."

I hugged her, and suddenly the kitchen was filled with the scent of roses, orchids, and tuberose. It felt cold, and shivers ran down my spine. I felt we weren't alone. "

Did something happen?" "Katherine asked, sensing my nervousness.

"Not everything's alright, I'm just... glad," I said.

I felt Lilith's presence, her scent, and her aura. I kept it to myself, not wanting to frighten or worry my beloved. I would definitely tell her someday, but for now, let her rest...

I never knew if what I heard in the "cursed settlement" were figments of my overactive imagination, or if ghosts truly lurked somewhere in those woods. I also never again felt the presence of the person who saved my wife. But I still carry those incredible experiences deep in my memory.

The forest at night becomes a magical place. Where darkness untangles the knots of our precise minds. A place where imagination can prove to be our worst enemy. A place where mystery and beauty intertwine like death and life... a place where somewhere the "cursed settlement" always awaits us...

The End