The Haunted Cottage

The silver rhino was moving slowly and lazily, reveling in every step, as always when he headed home from the nearest meadows, content and invigorated; sure of one thing. Rina was going to await him on the veranda or in the garden. But not this time. His inner light flickered warningly like a dying bulb. Sig didn’t like to speed up, but he felt forced to do it; by nature impatient to wait longer than it was needed.

Rina was sitting by the table, lost in a reverie. Her golden, long hair avalanched a beautiful face. There were a couple of things that might ruin the rhino’s usually elated mood, namely Rina’s thoughtfulness.

“What happened?! Why didn’t you wait for me, as always?” Sig halted at the front door.

All the windows in the cottage had been smashed open, making it unnaturally sunlit. Sig began to tremble at the thought that their home had been haunted by something unfathomable and mysterious.

“Don’t freak out, my friend; it was just the wind” Rina came up with an explanation, emerging for an instance from the bottomless world of her thoughts.

“Are you sure?” Sig’s voice broke with uncertainty. He glanced incredulously at the warrior who leapt to her feet and began to twist them in a weird way as if dancing. The rhino’s naturally narrow eyes turned wider.

“Look at my feet, please. Can you see anything unusual about them?”

The rhino creased its mouth and squinted to become more perceptive.

“Well, they are delicate and shapely.” Sig looked bemused and disoriented.

Smiling fondly, Rina came up to her friend. She gently brushed her fingers across the silver horn, making the rhino produce a grunt of pleasure.

“I have grown too strong and deep roots. It’s the high time to set out for a next journey,” Rina said hotly.

‘A-next-journey’ phrase began burning itself in Sig’s ears.

“We’ve just returned from the Abyss,” the rhino muttered, gazing at Rina. His light dimmed slightly, as always when he encountered a new challenge.

“’Just’ has lasted too long,” the warrior added.

The silver rhino lowered its gaze and heaved a deep sigh.

“Will you take me with you on this journey?” He glanced up at Rina again, hopeful.

“It’s not up to me. You know it, right? We always obey the silent voice.”

“Yes, we do,” the rhino nodded, remembering the journey to the Abyss and how their paths had split and later crossed again, bearing new, fresh meanings.