Bab 20: IN THE WOODS

The man invited Jonah to stay with him in his home. He promised him that he would not rest until he found his family. For obvious reasons, Jonah was not interested in finding his nonexistent family.

The man did not inspire any confidence in Jonah. His laughter sent shivers down his spine. However, he would need a refuge. The people in the village were furious because of the recent killing. There was no doubt that every night they would go out to hunt witches, and if they found him in the dark of night, there would be no execution, no trial, they would kill him instantly.

"Don't think too much. I might regret it." Said the man who laughed hysterically. His name was Seth, equal to the Egyptian god of darkness.

"Your house is far from here?" asked Jonah hesitatingly. He had to find the person who would sell his soul in that village. He could not go far.

"Ahh, don't worry, I live in the mountain, but it's very close to here."

"In the mountain?" said Jonah nervously.

"I am a man who enjoys solitude. Besides, if by chance I decide to kill a person, no one would hear his desperate cries for help. Right, boy?" Seth ended these words with a laugh.

After much insistence on Seth's part, Jonah decided to go with him to his house. Indeed Seth lived in the mountains. The road was long and full of debris. Jonah wondered 'how could anyone live by choice in such a place?

During the whole journey, Jonah didn't say a word. He was bewildered. On his part, Seth kept whistling, laughing, and telling jokes, to which Jonah responded with silence.

After an hour, they finally arrived at the cabin where Seth lived. Darkness, destruction, misery, was what Jonah thought he would find in that place. However, it was a beautiful house surrounded by colorful wildflowers. Jonah had never been to such a beautiful place. It brought him peace and well-being.

Inside the house was Rose, Seth's young wife. A beautiful girl with gray eyes and velvety skin. In her thin arms, she held Daniel, her newborn son.

"Were they able to capture the witches?" Rose asked immediately, not even noticing Jonah's presence.

"A misfortune happened in the village. I'll tell you about it later," Seth answered, and for a moment, his smile disappeared from his face. Recovering his joy added. "I present to you, Jonah. He is a child whom I saved. The witches kidnapped him from his home, and he doesn't know how to get back. I intend to help him, ha, ha, ha.

"Oh, poor child. I imagine you must be so sad. Don't worry, if Seth says that finding your family will, he never breaks his promises," Rose said to Jonah with a tender smile. Then she added, "You must be hungry. I'll make you something to eat.

Jonah said nothing, just nodded his head.

Seth decided to return to town to help with the burials of the people killed in the massacre, so Jonah stayed alone in the house with Rose and Daniel. For breakfast, the girl served Jonah a plate with various fruits and some honey. At first, Jonah was reluctant to eat, but when he tasted the first morsel, he was delighted by the sweetness of the fruit and the honey.

Satisfied, Jonah wanted to go for a walk around the place. Rose warned him not to go too far, as he might encounter wild animals that could harm him. Despite this warning, Jonas decided to leave. The sun had already risen, so the weather was pleasant.

The landscape was magnificent, with colorful flowers, blue sky, green trees, birds singing enchanting melodies. Everything seemed to have been taken from a fairy tale. In a few weeks, it would start snowing, so Jonah was grateful to have the opportunity to see such a waste of beauty.

Stunned by such beauty, Jonah decided to go into the forest. Normally, forests are dark and humid, but this one was full of light and life. The sound of the water flowing from the stream was mesmerizing.

Weak moans drew Jonah out of his perfect reality. Anxiety and uneasiness took hold of his innards again. He was so frightened. Perhaps it was a witch. He looked around but found nothing. He decided to calm down. Perhaps it was all a figment of his imagination.

The boy continued to explore the forest, this time with more caution, but horror! Horror! Fear! Jonah came face to face with an old man tied to a tree. His body had deep cuts all over it. However, he seemed to still be breathing.

Jonah was so scared that he decided to hide. There was no doubt about it, this must have been the work of a witch. No human would be capable of such an atrocious act. Hidden, he heard some steps, someone was approaching. The poor man began to moan, he also seemed to be very scared.

"You are almost dry. Soon I will have to charge you for another. I already have a substitute for you, a tender and chubby boy." Jonah heard a voice say, he recognized that voice, but he was unable to look out to see. Jonah's thoughts were interrupted by screams of pain. That old man seemed to be being eaten alive.

After much thought, Jonah decided to lean out to see who was causing the man so much pain. He was not prepared to see what he witnessed. Rose, Seth's young wife, had dug a hole in the man's side and carelessly pulled it out and poured it into a clay pot.

After a while of torture and mocking laughter, Rose left the place. Jonah wasted no time and came out of hiding. He had to free that poor man, who had fainted from the pain.

After releasing him from his bonds, Jonah put the old down and tried to make him react.

"I am dying, boy, I don't want to die. Help me, help me," said the man in a pitiful voice.

Jonah was very sorry to see the old suffer like that, he wanted to help him, but he didn't know what to do.

"Help me, help me. I don't want to die!" The old kept insisting. With every word, his voice grew weaker.

"What would I be willing to do to live?" Jonah asked him.

"Anything." The old replied. The man caused Jonah so much grief that he did not want to use him for the covenant. Yet the old was eager to live, and unless he made a covenant, he would die within minutes.

"I will call someone to help you." Said Jonah, and soon after, Lucifer appeared with a big smile on his face.

"Congratulations, you are the third to complete the task. The worm man and Evangeline have already done so." Said Lucifer immediately. Jonah was going to say something, but with a slight movement of fingers, he made Jonah disappear, returning him to the circus.