The end of my first day as a college sophomore felt like a breath of fresh air. The moment the professor dismissed my class, I was already packing my laptop into my backpack and rushing out of the room. Navigating the flooded halls, I dodged backpacks and stationary idiots, finally making it outside. Relieved to be away from the packed corridors, I took out my phone and keychain. Before I could unlock my phone, I heard a familiar voice.
"Leo! Wait, were you trying to leave without me?" Jon called out, sporting a sad face as I turned around.
"Jon, you have your own car, the same car your dad has had since we became friends in middle school. I thought the happiest day of your life was when it became your 'Baby'?" I teased. I finally caught sight of my car as Jon sped up to match my faster pace.
"Oh, you know I love Betty. Besides, I'm not asking for a ride. I was just going to say I'll be having some new friends over later around one-thirty. Some lame-ass professor assigned a group presentation, so we're just going to get it out of the way," he said while checking his watch.
"That's in thirty minutes, and couldn't you have just called?" I said, taking off my backpack. We had finally made it to my car, and while I opened the door, Jon continued.
"I wanted to see how you were doing today. I didn't see you this morning, and I know you were visiting their graves. Do you want to go again later today? I miss them too, you know?" He moved closer, giving me a somber look.
"I planned on going again but if you really want to, the cemetery closes at eleven. We could go at ten?" I asked, my voice slightly cracking as I took out my phone to check the time.
"Okay, I'll drive us there. Just call if you ever need me, man. I know you don't like being sappy, but I'm here for you. See you at home," he said, waving a goodbye.
"Thank you man, see you at home." I replied, waving back as I watched him walk torwards the campus before getting into my car and heading back to the apartment we shared.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffV48nvMDy
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The drive home was uneventful, the familiar route allowing my mind and eyes to wander. My eyes falling on the cars time and date. It was the death anniversary of my father and brother, one that was hard everytime it came around. I visited their graves on the way to campus this morning, leaving a stuffed raccoon on my brother's and my dad's favorite soda on his. Arriving at a red light, I sat in silence, reminiscing the goofy memories we had made. It had been six years since then and Jon had been supportive the whole time, soldifying our friendship growing up.
Arriving at our apartment, I parked and grabbed my backpack and keys. Inside, the apartment was quiet, Jon's absence almost unsettling. I went straight to my room, dropping my backpack on the bed.
After taking a moment to settle in, I decided I needed some fresh air. I slipped on a comfortable pair of sneakers and headed downstairs. As I stepped outside, I noticed Jon meeting his group for the presentation in the parking lot. He waved when he saw me, and I waved back, offering a small smile. He knew I needed space on the anniversary of their death and I was thankful he was being respectful of it. I quickly continued walking and rounded the corner, heading for the forest behind our apartments.
The forest behind the apartments had always been a sanctuary for me, a place to clear my mind and find peace. Our apartment was on the edge of town, barely located near any high traffic streets or strip malls. Stepping into the greenery, I took a deep breath of the fresh, earthy air. The well-trodden path I had formed beckoned me, and I started walking, letting the serenity of the forest envelop me. The sounds of birds and rustling leaves were soothing, a stark contrast to the stressful chaos of college life I was not anticipating.
As I ventured deeper into the woods I emerged to a small flat area that was normally my stopping point, feeling a sense of calm wash over me. The stresses of the past day seemed minute in the moment. Then, suddenly, the ground beneath me began to tremble. A low, ominous rumble resonated through the forest. My heart skipped a beat as the shaking grew more intense, the once serene woods now filled with the terrifying sound of the earth groaning and cracking.
Panic surged through me. I turned on my heel and started sprinting back towards my apartment, the path now a blur beneath my feet. The trees swayed violently, branches snapping and leaves falling like confetti. The ground buckled and heaved, making every step a challenge.
As I rounded a bend, a deafening crack split the air. I looked up just in time to see a massive tree begin to topple. My instincts screamed at me to move faster, but it was too late. The tree crashed down with a thunderous boom, its branches reaching out like the grasping fingers of some monstrous creature. One branch caught my leg, pinning me to the ground. I heard a very faint scream in the distance in between the thunderous cracking of trees, causing me to wonder if the earthquake was affecting the town as well.
Pain shot through my leg, but I was lucky—only a smaller branch had caught me, sparing me from a more serious injury. I struggled, gritting my teeth against the pain as I worked to free myself. With a final desperate push, I managed to shimmy loose, losing my left shoe in the process. I tried to stand, but the pain made my leg buckle. As I steadied myself, I noticed a small, trembling shape nearby. A baby leucistic raccoon, curled up and breathing hard, lay beneath the fallen tree. Its tiny body shivered with each labored breath, and I felt empathetic to the little creature. ****
Ignoring the pain in my leg, I gently picked up the raccoon. It was so small, its fur soft and warm against my skin. I cradled it close to my chest, feeling its rapid heartbeat against my fingers, the thought of leaving it in danger did not sit right me. My phone started to vibrate from my pocket, causing me to wonder if it was Jon. Switching the raccoon to my hand, I took out my phone. I hastily opened it and seen it was my mothers contact information.
I froze. She was a Wildlife Photographer and frequently traveled, even more so after the deaths in our family. She eventually got a job at a National Park overseas and rarely came home after. I had stayed with Jon's family until I was eighteen and bought an apartment and applied for college with money my mom had put money aside beforehand. I knew that I was a constant reminder to her of what happened that day. I declined the call and started running.
"Let's hope we can get somewhere safe." I whispered, more to myself than to the raccoon while putting away my phone. The forest was still shaking, but I forced myself to keep moving. Each step left me staggering, but the thought of getting us both to safety pushed me forward. As I hobbled along the path, the ground gave another violent lurch. This time, the earth split open in front of me, revealing a deep chasm that seemed to stretch downward endlessly. I skidded to a halt, my heart pounding faster.
Before I could react, the ground beneath my feet crumbled, and I tumbled into the sinkhole. The fall seemed to go on forever, my screams swallowed by the darkness. The raccoon clung to me, its tiny claws digging into my shirt, panic filling us both as we plummeted. I inwardly wondered, 'Am I going to die?'
Suddenly, the darkness was replaced by a kaleidoscope of flashing lights. Colors swirled around me, disorienting and beautiful, like some twisted dance of light. My body felt weightless, suspended in the strange, luminous void. Then, just as abruptly as it had started, the light show ended, and I landed hard on a cold, damp surface.
Groaning, I pushed myself up, blinking to clear my vision. The dark cave around me was unlike anything I had ever seen, it looked to be about ten feet wide in a squarish shape. Strange, glowing mushrooms cast an eerie blue light, illuminating the moist walls lined with unfamiliar plants and cracks. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and something else, something foreign.
I checked on the raccoon, relieved to find it still breathing, though clearly frightened. I held it close, trying to soothe its trembling body.
"What the fuck?" I muttered to myself. The cave was silent except for the soft echo of my words, the drip of water and the occasional rustle of unseen creatures.
As I sat there, catching my breath and trying to make sense of everything, a green square of light flashed into existence in front of me. The words, "Hello Survivor!" next to a sphere sporting an emoticon face appeared on the screen.
"WHAT THE FUCK!?!" I screamed in disbelief.
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**** LETS TALK ABOUT LEUCISM!!!! Leucism is a genetic mutation!! It disrupts the cells responsible for pigmentation during development resulting in a loss of pigmentation and a sometimes pale or patchy appearence. People often confuse this with albinism but the key difference is that LEUCISM often affects part of the body (instead of the whole body like albinism) and animals with leucism often have normal eyes. ****
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