Distorted Hope

                My paws ached. I have been traveling for days to cross this chasm and haven’t caught sight of any other creature. A few days ago, a meteorite had crashed miles away from the horizon. I immediately made my way to the crash site. I know where it landed. It had landed within a beautiful rainforest that was so full of life I hoped I’d be able to help anyone who could have survived.

I ran, and I ran yet I’ve not seen a single creature. I look under each stone, but none seem to have lived. I had connections with the few of the people that resided here, and it pains me that I will never be able to see them again. A few were so young they haven’t even been able to glimpse the vibrant colors of spring. It all seemed hopeless. How could anyone has survived a strike like that. Honestly, I’m a tad surprised it didn’t reach farther. It was strange. The Meteor only hit the small jungle despite being so large, or has my mind remembered its size incorrectly? No… no, no, no I don’t forget I don’t remember it being smaller. Though if it were larger it would have caused a lot more damage.

I heard the tumble of a pebble. I quickly turned around. What I witnessed was an incredible sight. The creature appeared to be a deer. Its skin was twisted and deformed; its antlers weren’t even antlers they somewhat appeared to be branches or roots, but their color was a translucent red that glowed with each pulse. It’s face was the only thing that made it look like a deer despite a swirl its flesh made on its forehead.

We both stared perplexed at each other for a while until the deer began to bound toward me in a very rapid fashion. I was frightened. I ran away. Its intentions didn’t seem right. The deer was charging at me antlers first and that usually means it does not want to greet me with open arms, but rather pound me into a sack of dust. I pushed myself as fast as I could go up the chasm. I reached land and felt the grass underneath my paws. To the left I saw a small opening and darted into it. I slowed my breathing in hopes that the deer would not hear my breaths. Thought I saw no deer jump onto the grass. I waited and waited yet nothing moved. I crawled out the cave and glimpses down into the cliff. The deer was nowhere to be seen. There was absolutely nothing. There was just dirt, rock, and stone. Had I hallucinated? Never in my life have I ever seen a creature like that before

“Sotta…”

Startled I jumped back. The deer had appeared behind me. He had known my name! How did he know it? I never uttered a word in his presence. And how had he just appeared out of thin air, that’s impossible isn’t it. I tried to hide the nervousness in my voice and said, “How do you know my name, I’ve never uttered it among your presence?”.

“You do not remember me?” the deer’s voice is faint, sounding similar the sounds that the wind makes when it travels through cracks in stone walls; he takes long breaths each time he says a sentence., “I’m an old friend…It’s been a while since you’ve visited here”.

“Erm, I-I don’t quite recognize you, if you don’t mind may I ask what your name was again your name again.”

“Oh lion, you’ve naught changed, your mind is as fickle as its always been. My names Etal, my friend”

“Etal! You’ve…um…changed. You don’t look like your old self”

“Have I really? I don’t feel very different, you, on the other hand, are the one whos changed”

“I’ve changed?” I feel no change. I lifted my paw to get a better look at it. My skin has indeed shifted. Swirls and zigzags have somehow altered my sculpt. I mumbled, “You’ve been altered the same way I have…it’s the meteor! The meteor that hit is altering our shape”

“Meteor? What meteor?”

“The meteor that hit two moons ago. It completely decimated the jungle and left a crater here. We are in the crater and you are the only survivor I’ve seen”

“My friend, I believe you’ve gone mad. No meteor has hit our world for the centuries you’ve been alive. The more reason no meteor will hit for many more. The jungle is still around us; filled with life. Why don’t you stay here for a bit and let us console you until you feel better again?”

That is impossible I saw it hit and I remember crawling down the crater, yet when I look around I see the trees, the vines, the birds, and all that was there a few years ago. Though they all were here only slightly distorted. No, this does not feel natural. When I dig my claws into the dirt it is not as soft as it’s supposed to feel, rather it feels more like stone. I still lament the fact that Etal might not be standing in front of me. He was one of the best people I’ve met.  I shouldn’t stay here longer.

“Etal…I can’t stay. I have not gone mad. You are an illusion, you’ve been altered. I must say goodbye even though it hurts me so.” I turned and ran before Etal stopped talking, and before anything else could distract me from the truth.

“Sotta what are you talking about? Hey wait, Sotta! Come back!"

I ran up the sky and jumped onto the grass that I hoped would be real. Once I landed I turned back, and the jungle was now a crater again. My paws were no longer distorted and returned to normality.

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