Do you know what happened to me tonight…? Of course not. I shall inform you.
I took an evening walk to the local market. On the way to point B, there were many insects frolicking through the damp summer air.
On my jaunt back to point A (home) with the sun further down and the mountains trees drinking in what light was still left of the eve, I began to see black figures swooping in front of me.
At first I paused.
Upon realizing that the forest bats were in the middle of their breakfast, I smiled.
I walked further along and I felt safe in the near darkness. Regularly on this walk I find use of my pocket light. Tonight, this device was quite unnecessary.
Toward the closing of my journey a grand thing happened. A swarm of them came out to greet me. I was not afraid for even a solitary moment. I walked slowly and was empowered by the circular dance they wove around me. I could hear their tiny echo locative signals soft in my ears.
They did not touch me even once, but they came so close. I could hear their wings slicing through the air only inches from me.
I felt as though I was being watched over… Guardians of the forest.
I have a new appreciation for bats.
I have suffered from night terrors, and do not like to be alone in the woods or darkness anywhere. I normally feel a presence or more that is not friendly, even hostile.
More than mere paranoia or insanity, though I do not deny that I am a little of both.