Sunlight shone through the leaves of the tree’s, carpeting the forest ground in a warmth that was gladly eaten up by the plants. Birds sang their favorite songs and squirrels scuttled and ran, stocking food for the coming winter. The leaves were a light orange now, Fall had just begun and the changes were noticeable. The wind was colder and the nights longer, but the beauty of the changing seasons was enough to make everything else seem to fade away.
Leaves crackled and twigs snapped under the weight of Grayson’s steps. He had not seen anything like this before, the colors, the animals, the gorgeous scenery that he was now taking in. The beauty of nature was calming, soothing. He stood in the sun and let the beams of light warm his skin. He had felt something now that he had never felt before, happiness. And although there was no other people for him to enjoy it with, he was glad that he was living in peace with himself. Grayson was content with what he had.
Sam had run up next to him and sat, panting with her tongue out her mouth, she barked to get his attention. She loved attention, Sam would always be the one to start a game of fetch or get Grayson to a steady jog as she ran along with his shoes gripped in her mouth. She loved him and Grayson loved Sam, they were the only ones left that they knew of, and they trusted each other. They could never leave each other behind.
Grayson kneeled down and scratched behind her ear and under her chin before offering her a treat from his bag which she happily ate. Grayson smiled and sat down next to her as the German Shepherd laid her head in his lap. He smiled as Sam let out a small sigh and closed her eyes before she drifted into a light sleep.
Grayson looked back up to the trees and took in the scenery. He was happy again. With Life, with what he was given to deal with. Nothing seemed to send him over the edge anymore, his panic attacks suddenly just stopped and his depression had left him. He had lost the fear that he had once placed into the heart of his problems. He was able to live without being afraid of what might happen because he knew that the world had changed in a way that would protect him from the evil of a broken state of mind.
The sun shone across his face and warmed it like a comforting hand promising that he would be alright. Grayson laid back with the crunching of leaves under him and let his eyes slowly shut. He could hear the forest speak. The leaves gently dancing along with the steady rhythm of the crisp breeze blowing through the trees and the honey bees doing their morning rounds for pollen and nectar alike. He could hear the calm breathing of the Earth and the the movement of the world as it slowly tried to complete its revolution around the Sun.
Then he began dreaming. The Earth was silent and the noise of the Industry had taken its place. Fire and smoke layered the atmosphere causing a glowing orange-red sky. The sound of pollution and sickness had echoed throughout the land and the forest he was lying in was riddled with tree stumps and hills of sawdust. Grayson panicked and stood up quickly, his stomach was twisting and his hands shaking. He could feel the world begin to turn like someone had spun a globe as fast as they could. The beads of sweat running down his face were cold and his lungs began to fill with a thick black exhaust.
He fell to his knees in agony, his chest felt like it was set on fire. He fell forward grasping at his heart with one hand and holding himself up with the other. He looked up and saw a horror. The horizon was lined with factories, spilling thick black smoke and ash from the towering chimneys. The smoke would rise and add to the darkening atmosphere. The sun was barely visible anymore, the smog passing before it like clouds. He felt his eyes water and tear up because he was back. Again he saw the Earth as it choked on the death that was materialistic greed. He laid his head down in submission, sure he was not going to make it out again.
Grayson woke with a start, he shot up and startled Sam who was sniffing at a nearby tree. The sun was setting, coloring the sky a light pink. He looked up at the clouds as he wiped the sweat from his face and tried to stop shaking. Sam was now sitting next to him, watching and wondering. Grayson grabbed a water bottle from his backpack and drank and washed his face with it. The leaves were still now and the birds singing became quieter almost as if they were trying to do it secretly, like the lyrics meant something else now, something more controversial.
Sam began to whimper and laid down at his feet. Grayson stood up and rubbed his eyes, night was coming soon and it was about thirty miles to the nearest town which meant that they would have to spend the night in the forest. It wouldn’t be such a bad experience but Grayson didn’t have any rations left so he would have to make a quick hunt for dinner. He reached into his pocket and pulled out pieces to a DR pistol. He assembled it while walking through the sea of trees, when he attached the barrel to the body of the pistol the words Ray’s Disintegrator TM glowed green across the copper body. He set the gun to stun and readied it in his hands.
The sun fell behind the horizon and the moon took its place in the night sky. Stars sparkled and glowed against the pitch black canvas it laid on. Darkness fell heavily, blanketing the forest in its starry abyss as the moonlight painted trees and creeks with its silver light. Grayson was crouching halfway behind a bush, trying not to be seen by the deer he was hoping to have for the night. Sam was next to him, her body close to the ground and her eyes fixed on her prey. She slowly stepped forward and Grayson snapped his fingers, at this sound she became still. Like a statue Sam stood motionless and Grayson slowly stood up. He took aim and a deep breath. The stun would only keep the deer still for about five seconds which would be enough time for Sam to get to it before the paralysis wore off.
Grayson steadied his aim and calmed himself, everything seemed to run in slow motion as he pulled the trigger. A bolt of purple light slowly escaped from the barrel of the pistol as Grayson whistled sharply. The moment seemed to move behind time, happening so slowly he noticed the details of the shot. He noticed how the bolt was a dark purple, and in the middle of the light was a darkness which seemed to somehow have a brightness to it. He saw how the deer’s head looked towards the light and the pupils in its eyes grew bigger to absorb more of the bright light in order to see clearer. He saw the muscles in Sams leg contract and relax while she sprinted towards her dinner.
Everything seemed to suddenly jump back into time when the bolt hit the deer, an electric purple light visibly running through its body making every nerve glow. Sam jumped and had the deer’s throat in her jaws almost immediately after it had been struck.
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