317 Shh

Together they slowly walked further through the fog.

The undead slew any leeches that popped up from the earth before their spiny teeth could grasp anything.

They came to the bottom of the mountain as the walk became flat, and various murky puddles appeared. Clumps of moss had climbed higher and took refuge on rocks and dead trees from the dark, muddy earth below.

Thicker patches of swamp grasses appeared and were reaching higher, up to the skeleton’s knees, along with an occasional puddle, pond or boulder. A warm, rotting smell became stronger as they moved deeper.

The skeletons footsteps began to periodically squelch into watery moss mud at they continued. Thankfully, the mud had not become too deep, but Jay and Asra moved closer to the middle of the bone platform in the event of the skeletal carriers mis-stepping.

More of the ashen-gray dead trees passed them by, but Jay could still hear none of the whispering children’s voices.

“Asra, do you still hear them?”