The After Effects

Unmarked Graves

The stench of decomposing bodies filled the decrepit house, making me choke on a gag.

The house had caught my attention a mile away mostly due to its modest size and somewhat nicer appearance, at least nicer than the other houses in the neighborhood. I immediately regretted my decision as soon as I crawled in through the kitchen window.

Despite the somewhat new appearance of the bodies, I was still shocked to see the horrible shape they were in. Savagely and brutally murdered, the women most likely defiled, I knew exactly who had ruined these people. Sadly, it didn't take a genius to figure out that this was once a happy family that was now rotting away in their own home.

A voice in my head urged me to keep moving, especially since it was apparent that the Vikings were near, but I couldn't help but feel empathy for the bodies spread out around what once used to be a living room.

I knew there was no point in searching the house. The Vikings would have already cleared it. So I instead went out back and found a shovel in the shed. I caught myself thanking my past self for leaving early this evening.

Wasting no extra time, I began digging four separate graves. The two kids' graves took less time as they were smaller than the parents, but each grave still took two hours apiece. As much as I wanted to dig each grave six feet deep, I had no time for that.

Eight long hours later, I stood in front of four semi-deep graves, covered in sweat and almost regretting my decision. It took me another hour to move and bury the family of four.

I knew I had to leave the graves unmarked. Because the Vikings were not above grave digging and the last thing this family needs is to be violated anymore.

With my night almost completely gone, I glanced at the horizon to see if the sun was peaking over it. Luckily it seemed I had another hour before dawn. A whole night gone...

Somewhat remorsefully, I left the graves and started my trek to The Black Forest. As if the black forest wasn't dark enough in the daylight, it was near impossible to see in the dark. Hence why I travel at night and sleep in the trees in the day.

The Black Forest covers most of this continent, making it quite an ideal place to travel through, plus the Vikings avoid it due to the many trees and the fact that it's so dark in here, it'd be impossible for them to travel swiftly through here.

Thanks to three years of traveling at night, my eyes have become quite adjusted to the darkness. In fact, I'm pretty sure I have superior eyesight to the everyday human.

I felt the temperature drop and my eyes adjust as I entered the strange environment of the Black Forest. Unexplained tingling covered me like always whenever I first entered the forest.

The mossy floor seemed to welcome my boots as I stepped deeper and deeper into the forest that's almost felt like home. Tall and ancient trees towered over my 5′8 body, making me smile at the familiarity.

An hour into my walk in the forest I paused. The snap of a branch caught my attention. I smiled as I walked to the nearest tree and kicked my old boots against the trunk of it three times.

My signal must've worked as not even ten seconds later heavy footsteps started thundering towards me. A grunt was my only warning as a two thousand pound stallion barreled into my back.

I remained facing forward as a black nose went over my shoulder in my peripheral. Steam rose from his nose as he huffed a greeting to me.

Ragnar stomped his foot when I ignored him. Such a drama queen.

Grinning, I turned and faced the massive stallion.

"Hello Ragnar." I started scratching his nose as he glared at me. "You baby. I wasn't even gone that long."