It was taken as given that night walkers quite naturally avoided the area.
Nobody actually knew what these strange apparitions that floated and swirled across the surface of the bog actually were. Of course, there were any number of stories about the phenomena. As to what they were precisely, was anybody’s guess. Generally, the spectrum of opinions fell into two major categories. One school of thought was that it was a troubled Will-o’-the-wisp, or for that matter any number of them, unhappy spirits that restlessly wandered around when the conditions were right. On the other hand there were others that maintained that these things were merely a phosphorescence, brought about by the spontaneous combustion of methane gas, made visible by decomposing organic matter.
On the basis that the latter scientific explanation was incorrect, it seemed that a great gathering of these tormented spirits had taken on a new form. Whereas, individually, these less than contented spirits offered little real harm, save giving innocent passers-by a bit of a fright, what was taking place was quite different, and definitely exceptional. There seemed to be a never-before-seen coalescence going on in the marshy wastes that lay just beyond the outskirts of the village. Why this particular bog and this very village had been selected was something that was not likely to ever be made clear.
A late night cyclist was the first to witness the terrifying event and hastened into the village with the news. There was a dreadful howling and a great swirling mass he told them, and it was building into something of a truly frightful size and power. The great, dark twisting cloud, with a flickering of lights spinning within it, grew with amazing speed as he looked on. Then it grew louder and rose and began moving towards the unsuspecting community. As word got around that this malignant force was coming their way, it became evident that the thing was bent on striking fear into the hearts of the village dwellers; and quite probably something a lot worse.
In no time at all the great seething mass of evil swept slowly through the main street as people ran screaming. All were finding some kind of shelter despite their not knowing if this would protect them. All but one, that is. An old man was walking slowly across the now empty street. He stopped halfway across and seemed to turn to face the oncoming horrifying spectacle. The old man in question had been born both blind and deaf, hence he had made his way through life in a dark and silent world that he had made his own. He had no knowledge of the events unfolding around him. He heard nothing, and he saw nothing, but he felt a strange air movement about his face and hands as he stood motionless.
In the briefest of moments, the thing, whatever it was, vanished, leaving an eerie silence.
It transpired that the evil was eradicated instantly when confronted by an apparent insouciance!