Bound

Hunting hares was a very much enjoyed sport for the locals of this time. Farmers, hunters and anyone who enjoyed the "Sport of real men" as it was called, could join in as they pleased. Big Dale Easton was the man who traditionally led the monthly hunt across the open forestry of Cleveland in the North-East of England. Dale always stood with his chest puffed and lower lip out stiff as he inhaled the smoke from his pipe. He had no time for the weak minded no more than he had for people's nonsense. No one would question what he said, even though often he would be wrong they would never correct him for fear of retaliation of his caused embarrassment. 

On the face of things he had no enemies, well maybe just one and that was the Nanny of the Woodlands. Her and Dale never got on, they were similar in age and knew each other nearly as long as they knew themselves but pride from their opposite social hierarchy prevented them from talking to one another. She hated everything he stood for, especially his love for hunting innocent wild animals. He hated her dirty, hermit, reclusive ways he just could not understand why someone would choose that life.

About twenty five years ago was when things got really bad between the two. They were both approaching thirty when one of the Nanny's beloved Red Squirrels was found dead outside her small residual cottage, stomach blown open from a gun shot. She furiously approached Dale that day in the village, spitting and scowling while trying to claw at his face. Dale's men held her back, pushing her to the ground and laughing. Dale too was laughing and wondering why she cared so much for these feral furry creatures so much. This was when she was christened her name. 

Over the next few years she would never show her face in the village again. When the monthly hunt was on she hid inside, gathering up all the surrounding animals she could and keeping them in there until the hunt was over. Dale knew she was doing this but although he wanted nothing more to kick her fragile wooden door down even Dale wouldn't be that brave as he knew if he done so then he would have to kill her,  she would then be similar to that of a cornered rat she would fight till her death and have no problem doing so. Dale had the village people on his side and killing an innocent woman might be a bit too far and turn them against him. They eventually made a pact that any animal on her land would be safe from the hunt, a pact they both reluctantly agreed on.

On Dale's fifty fifth birthday he organised a special hunt to commemorate the occasion. Him and the village men all sat around drinking and shooting at propped targets mainly consisting of the empty beer bottles they had just guzzled. Dale stood up and ordered that someone bring him the largest hare in the woodland and he who does so will be rewarded in turn, this led to a cheer followed by some drink fueled singing.

They waited for dusk time as this was the best time to hunt. They marched out into forest area in double file as if they were in a marching band. The drunk singing had well stopped by now and each one of them focused on the nights task. Gunshots rang out and Dale was brought three dead hare's. He examined each carcass but threw they all away grabbing three of the men in a close huddle. Taking turns he looked them all directly into their eyes while boisterously demanding bigger over and over again before letting go of the grip he had on their back necks.

Only a few moments after this pep-talk one of them men spotted something up ahead. The closer he sneaked up the more he realised his luck, it was the largest looking hare he had ever laid eyes on, it was as if the Easter bunny was actually real. The hare sat there feeding on the green grass, one of the hunters tried approaching as close as he could to get a clear shot, he knew he couldn't mess this up. As this was going through his head he stood on and snapped a twig only about fifty feet away alerting the hare who ran off deeper into the forest.

The hunter dashed after the fleet footed mammal who now had crossed over on to the forbidden land of the Nanny, but once there it stopped running and sat there looking directly at the hunter. He cocked his gun, aimed directly at the hare knowing well that this was against the pact but didn't care, when was he ever gonna come across one as big as this. He pulled the trigger and the bullet struck the hare right in the center of its body, killing it upon impact. The dead body was thrown over his shoulder and he marched back to Dale beaming with delight.

Back at the base camp where they had set up Dale was now lying on the ground, badly wounded from a bullet in his stomach. The hunter carrying the hare dropped it on the ground in confusion and ran over to Dale who was getting worse by the second and asked him what happened, he responded with his last breaths; "The Nanny......the nanny done this", before departing this life.

The hunters angrily marched towards the grounds of the Nanny, barging into her home but what they seen took even the most irate of person by surprise. She lay on her bed with the same wound as Dale had and indeed the hare. She laughed uncontrollably pointing at to the right hand side of her cottage before she also passed away. The hunters edged over in trepidation. They came across a stack of voodoo drawings and writing, most of which they could not decipher but the part they could brought great fear among them all. "Should a killing happen on forbidden territory then whom are bound in this pact shall die also, and should revenge be sought then impending doom shall come to those who seek it"

The spell was signed with the blood of the Nanny and a long brown hair she had managed to get from Dale some twenty five years back.