literature

Nix

Deviation Actions

Published:
160 Views

Literature Text

It was near dusk, another stifling summer evening, in the late reaches of June. Crickets chirped in the brambly bushes that lined the long, rutted lane that ran across the highlands. The sun was low in the sky, casting deep shadows upon the grass, and lighting the clouds a million shades of pink, orange and red. Skylarks fluttered high on the thermals, warming their wings in the heat of the setting sun, and thrushes perched in tall, leafy trees, singing their hearts out.

The shimmering lochan on our left caught the reflection of the sky as it burnt with colour, turning the tranquil waters a deep crimson hue, yet despite the sanguine sheen of the surface it seemed hardly sinister. A small yet energetic burn bubbled into the lochan, carrying spring water from the mountains rearing up beyond the horizon. The roar of a distant waterfall echoed at the back of our thoughts, not quite breaking the serene atmosphere of the grassy plateau.

As the reddening sun slipped below the horizon, the waters of the lochan rippled in welcoming of a new presence, sliding beneath the untainted surface of its domain and playing hide-and-seek with the long evening shadows. The Nix did not surface, but for one golden eye, peering out from the crystal-clear water. A sweet-smelling haze seemed to descend upon us, and we felt that stare cut into our veins, discovering our deepest secrets. Oh, the Nix was clever; it would wait for unknowing souls to stumble upon the dusty track by its lochan, then entrance them, hypnotise them with its golden gaze. We were enraptured. My logical side screamed out, a warning not to succumb to the spell, but I pushed it down, drawing nearer to the lochan and the Nix with every step I took.

Reaching the waters, we slid down the muddy banks and plunged beneath the frigid surface, seeking the owner of that mesmerising eye. I felt water fill my lungs, but took no notice. The Nix was right in front of us, reaching out, stroking our roughened skin with its silken hands, dragging us down, and we made no conscious effort to prevent our watery demise. I suppose that eventually we must have drifted off to the bottom of the Nix's den, and maybe we were eaten, or skinned and used for clothing and our hair weaved into bracelets for the water-elf, or maybe we were as a toy to it, I don't know. I suppose that the Nix must do this a lot; capture humans and, slowly and inexorably, drag them down to its lair.

It's a sweet little thing, the Nix. Its eyes are by far the most noticeable thing about it, as its body is an indistinct shadow; a suggestion of what might be there. When it does show its full self, its skin glows a pale, ghostly silver in the cold ripple of light in the depths of the lochan. But the sweetest thing of all is its smile.
Did this for a competition once. I posted it on my old account so if you've seen it (you probably haven't), it is mine.
© 2011 - 2024 ArranTheGreat
Comments1
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
D-E-M-Emrys's avatar
Really, really like this! Fantastic imagery :D