Hanna stood in the impossible night of the forest, her eyes fixed on that one spark of light which flared up like a beacon and just as quickly disappeared. Left, right or straight-ahead she though. There were only three choices. There was no going back. She had to get somewhere and tell someone something of great importance, that she knew. But beyond that, things were a little hazy. Perhaps it was the effect of the pills, but she was almost certain she’d been feeding hers to skinny sonny sunshine for at least a week, and truth to tell he seemed none the worse for it.
One foot in front of the other Hanna, she told herself, and you must get there eventually. Have faith was what her grandma used to say to her, Think that your seeds will germinate and that the plans will grow, or was that plants? She wasn’t quite sure anymore. Forward she went her hands out in front, like a sleepwalker blind in the blackness of the night. And there it was again, another spark; not a torch, not a campfire, perhaps the glow of a cigarette she though as her feet moved unbidden towards it.
This is pure joy, thought Carl as he leaned against the tree trunk puffing on his cigarette. His first day on the job and he hadn’t had to strain himself at all. A damn sight better than hauling bloody carcasses in the meat factory. This one was a keeper, that was for sure. But maybe this was a trial, and he was being tested. He stubbed out the cigarette, pulled back his shoulders and straightened, pulling himself to his full height. "Shouldn’t we go look for her?" he asked his colleague, busy playing candy crush on his mobile phone. "Nah," answered Billy, "Just give her time, she’ll come to us. Mark my words, she always does" and as if by magic Hanna appeared at the edge of the tree line, blinking in the unaccustomed light of the full moon.
Time to go home Hanna, crooned Billy softly as he moved towards her. It’s dinnertime, and you must be ravenous. "Home, ravenous" repeated Hanna, allowing herself to be led towards the waiting van, the vinyl lettering on which read ‘Winston County Home for the bewildered'.
Posted in response to @mariannewest's weekend freewrite.
The three prompts are in bold
The image are my own