Watchful Eyes

When Karsu had finished her last boat checks of the day, she suddenly felt someone watching her. The same thing had happened yesterday, and the day before. Karsu turned to the forest behind her, trying to separate shadows from trees.   There was nobody there, yet she was sure she felt someone’s presence. Someone had been watching her for the past few days. Perhaps she was detecting spirits. Apparently, there were many on the island. The locals had shrines dedicated to them.   She couldn’t stay here any longer, in case her dad started looking for her. If there were actual spirits, she would lose in a fight with them. Armed with only her torch, she set off towards the city.   Lanterns hung from tall posts, illuminating the road. Yet, Karsu felt more alone now. The only sounds present were the waves crashing against the harbour and the wind blowing the leaves in the forest. Or perhaps those were the sounds of spirits. It was hard to tell what was what on the island sometimes.   Karsu shuddered and clung to her torch. If she kept scaring herself, she wasn’t going to go any further. After taking a breath, Karsu quickened her pace and kept her gaze on the road ahead. She could see Mizutoshi’s lights in the distance. She would be in the city soon.   Unfortunately, those were not the only lights in the distance. On her left was the forest, which was normally dark at this time. However, a pair of bright eyes suddenly lit up, its gaze fixed upon Karsu. Was it an animal? Was it a spirit? Karsu had no way of knowing, and she didn’t want to find out. Her mind said run, but her legs stayed stuck.   For a moment, the pair of eyes didn’t move. Then, another pair of eyes lit up. And another. In the span of seconds, the forest was covered in small eyes. Karsu didn’t wait to figure out what they were. She screamed and dashed straight to the city.