Katie ran. Oblivious to the world around her. She didn’t know where she was going. Didn’t know where she was, or how to get home. At that moment in time, she didn’t care. All she could think about was her sister.  

Gentle music drifted across the wheat stubble. Katie froze. Her face drained. What was she hearing? Her eyes scanned the field around her. Goosebumps reared up all over her body. The panic welling up inside her was fighting with the soft comforting melody that surrounded her. She was being pulled into a warm embrace, but every muscle was stiff. Her mind wasn’t ready to give in. This wasn’t right. 

Her goal hadn’t changed. She still needed to find her sister and get as far away from that monster as possible before he woke up. She tried to move. Her legs refused to budge, cemented in place by fear. The sound itself wasn’t terrifying. What scared her was that she could hear it. 

A hand touched her shoulder. Katie whirled around, bunching her hands into fists as she did. A smiling face leapt into her eyeline. Not the horrifying unnatural grin that she had dreaded, but a cheerful, happy smile. As warm and welcoming as the music. All her tenseness dissipated. A tear of relief trickled down her cheek. She had no idea who she was looking at, but there was no way she could ever be afraid of such kind hazel eyes. 

She relaxed, taking in the round rosy cheeks and roguish goatee of the man stood before her. He had a carpet of hair growing on his chest and arms, and nothing covering them except for a red scarf. His messy auburn hair hid a pair of short, stubbed horns, and he wore furry trousers that fell to his cloven hooves. 

Katie shook her head and looked again. Horns? Hooves? Those weren’t trousers, they were his legs. Brown, hairy, goat-like legs. The man’s smile widened. His chest and stomach shook. He was laughing. He raised a short wooden flute to his mouth and blew. A beautiful melody once again filled Katie’s head. Her mind no longer resisted the sound. All sense of danger was forgotten as peaceful relief washed over her. Her eyes drifted closed as for the first time in her life she enjoyed the ecstasy of music. 

A different noise tore through the sound. Katie snapped back to her senses. The flute had left the goat man’s lips, but its melody still rang inside her head. He opened his mouth and formed his lips into words. 

“Hello Katie.” The noise came again. He was talking, and she could hear it. Panic took over her face. The goat man’s eyes widened, and he dropped his flute. He raised his hand to his chest and moved it in a circle between his breasts. “Sorry” His words didn’t force themselves into her head anymore. The sound of the flute vanished, and the world was as silent as it had always been. He continued signing. “It was never my intention to scare you. I thought you might like… Sorry.” Face wide with shock she too raised her hands.  

“How did you? Who are you?” The goat man took a step back beaming once more. 

“I am pan.” His last gesture swept across his chest like a camera mapping out the perfect panoramic picture. His movements pushed Katie’s attention towards the scenery behind him. His hands were still moving, but Katie didn’t see anything he was saying. Here eyes were fixed on the view. 

What had been mud and empty fields only moments before had morphed into snow and vast coniferous forests. The landscape, which had been flat now fell away from her. Rising again, and again into dozens of mountainous peaks. A frigid wind clawed at her neck. Adrenaline flooded through her body. It was him. He was back. She was sure of it. Katie turned and dove into a reckless sprint down the side of the mountain. Two hands grabbed her by the arms, and she screamed. 

Startled birds poured from the trees around them. The sky blackened under a blanket of crows as they panicked and took flight. Blotting out the sunlight. The hands didn’t loosen their grip. Instead, they turned her around, bringing her back to face the goat man. She had forgotten him. Too drawn in by the change in location. His kind, yet concerned expression helped to slow her breathing. 

“Are you okay?” His hands moved slower, and his face was filled with worry. She breathed deeply and nodded. What did he want with her? 

“You haven’t answered my question.” She signed. “Who are you?” The goat man smiled. His shoulders shook with laughter.  

“I told you.” He said, the pace of his arms picking back up. “I’m Pan. God of mountains and music… And I am your father.”