An Episode from the Ramblings of a Man Stranded in Hell Subsequent to a Sudden and Unexpected Death

the shadow hounds are coming out-

i can see their forms through the trees, 

if you could call those gnarled freakish entities trees, 

tonight. 

there's not much one can do when 

the shadow hounds come 'round, except hide very well. 

it's no use trying to get a good look, chances are you're far too close if you're getting a good look... 

you'll never outrun them, i guarantee that.

You may be wondering:

Why do they come here?

They feed on human souls.

well we aren't sure of that. 

but thats what i like to say. 

hell, after encountering a shadow hound, 

no one i've seen has had much of a life-force in them. 

so i imagine they eat souls or something like that. 

i don't really think we can test for that kind of thing though.

what is a good question is: 

where do they come from? 

no one can remember just when they showed up, and it seems so long ago. 

even though i know it’s only recent.

Or now that I think back, they may have been here before me.

Maybe I haven’t been here that long…

its all very confusing. 

time doesn't seem to run like it used to,

at least not like I remember it -

not that I can remember much anymore.

But i remember morning and waking, and noon and afternoon and lunch and work, the entrancing twilight and dank dusk. 

those were good times, not like the shadowy times now. 

day is still here, but it doesn't feel the same. 

just a carbon copy, thats what i like to say. 

and nighttime, well nighttime is just nightmare now. 

even when the shadow dogs don't come out to play, its the wailers, or the night-raptors, i remember one time it was a necrotic ooze... 

why...? 

...i just don't know. 

its no wonder that I have no neighbors anymore. They must have gone to the holy city I hear rumors of, or whatnot. 

Because this much I have learned: out here in the gray wastes, life can really be hell on you.