It waved at him slowly. Was it friendly? Or was this a trap? Twinges of hurt echoed through Jason’s body where the creature had invaded him. He wouldn’t go through something like that again. Maybe it was better to just hide until the figure had passed by. He slid himself backward, away from the faint light of the path.

Pain bloomed across his skin as claws raked down his spine. Jason scrambled to his feet. He clamped his hand over his mouth as he turned around. In the shadows, he saw the dim outline of an immense, insectile creature. Rancid breath misted into Jason’s face, and he felt his body go numb. The thing chittered and then darted forward. Instinct yanked Jason back before the creature could make contact again. He dashed in the opposite direction, the thing scraping the ground behind him. The waving figure didn’t seem so bad anymore.

As he careened closer to the path of light, the sounds of the creature faded behind him.

He ran and ran. The waving figure held its arms open, as if in comfort. Closer now, Jason slowed.

The person on the path was wearing a floor-length black dress, cinched at the waist. A dark cape fell from the shoulders, and a hood was pulled up over long hair. A pale face was partially obscured by a transparent black veil.

When he’d come within a dozen feet, Jason saw that she was a woman. She stopped waving and called out to him, “Quiet, now. They’ll hear you.” Jason didn’t like the word they. He clapped his bare arms across his belly and hunched his sore spine, as if that might protect him from another swipe. The voice sounded high-pitched, yet crinkly and worn, as if it hadn’t been in use for quite some time. “We never stray from the path,” she went on, calmly, sweetly. “Most of the things in the dark won’t venture into the light, no matter how faint.” She arced her arm to indicate the line of silvery phosphorescence stretching in both directions, then nodded. “What were you doing all the way out there?”

“I-I didn’t listen to someone who was trying to help me,” he said, his breath shaking his rib cage. “I-I messed up. And I … e-ended up out h-here.” Shivering, he added, “I need to find my sister.”

Through the veil, Jason saw the woman smile sadly. “The house has her?” she asked.

He nodded, fighting tears.

“A shame,” she said. “It’s a hungry place. Never satisfied.”

“Who … who are you?”

“Ah!” came a pip of an exclamation, as if she’d realized suddenly that they hadn’t been introduced. “We do not share names on this road. Dangerous. However, for simplicity’s sake, you may call me Madame. What should I call you?”

No names? Jason thought for a moment before answering. “Brother … I guess.”