An original fiction passage set in the nineteenth century.
Edmund had been told to bring the forester’s account book from the cottage before nightfall. The track narrowed between the trees, and the last light caught only the upper branches. Below them, bracken crowded the path. He heard a crack somewhere behind him and turned, but the trunks stood close and still.
A gust swept through the canopy. Leaves spun across the ground, hiding the ruts in the track. Edmund walked faster. Ahead, a pale patch of sky showed where the trees thinned; then the wind dropped, and a single branch creaked above him. He kept his eyes on the opening and did not look back again.
Analyse how the writer uses language and structure to create a growing sense of threat as Edmund makes his way through the wood. Support your answer with references to the passage.