Something.

A ritual is the evening walk. The route is well known to me and to Riley. We've been doing it for years. Its great exercise and a time to notice the outdoors. one of our routes leads past a cemetery down the road. In the daylight I have ventured through it, partly out of curiosity over the dates that are on the gravestones, partly to pay respect to the dead.

Tonight, it is moonless as we pass by it, dark so that the many trees and stones are barely visible. Tonight, there is more...a sense of darkness, the unknown, silence and a tinge of fear. It is cool out yet warm for January. Trees line the road and in the darkness of night obscure light from cars passing on nearby roads and distant houses. As we walk, sounds of leaves rustling, twigs cracking and footfalls on gravel are as normal as breathing. I urge Riley to come along as he lags behind to smell something. He knows the way and is always off leash. I move on and look back as Riley moves closer to the tree line. I look to the trees as Riley stops.

All sound seemed to fade away. The sound of distant cars, the rustling of leaves and dogs barking in the distance dimmed to nothing. My consciousness sharpens as I move toward Riley. The darkness that enveloped the trees deepened further in and before us became impenetrable. No light is there. I sense at once that there is a presence. I feel it.

I look now at what now is a darkness that is utterly black and am drawn strangely closer to it, unconsciously. Something is there, I cannot see anything but a dark hole. Riley looks but does not move. It seems, upon reflection that he senses something also. I am frozen, peering into the blackness, feeling the presence of something malevolent, wanting, powerful. A growing fear, almost panic instantly becomes complete. I have to get away.

I call low to Riley "come on big boy" and we move away. I breathe, nearly a gasp and walk quickly away. With each step the fear subsided, the sounds of the world slowly came back into focus.

We put distance between us and what we had encountered. Minutes pass and now I must think about what will happen when we have to pass by this spot on our way back and a cold sweat chills me.