It wasn’t until I had been doing so for quite a while that I realized how strange I felt. I felt like everything that made up me – my heart, my soul, my memory, my personality – was being drained. It was as if someone had tipped my body over and was slowly pouring me out. I immediately realized that it was the swirling mists doing this to me so I looked away. That is, I ordered my head to turn away from them but it did not respond. I no longer had control over my body, but at the same time I did. I knew deep down that I could move any time I wished, but I felt like I was surrounded by millions of venomous serpents; one move and they would strike.
I was beginning to feel very empty. My memories were quickly being erased. I worried that soon there would be nothing left of me, but then that emotion disappeared and I was no longer able to do even that. My emotions were disappearing one by one. Soon all that was left was love. I was able to hold on to that for a few seconds longer but then that was gone, along with the rest. I was… wait, what is the meaning of the word “I”? There was nothing here but a body, the empty shell of a soul.
Then there it was. It was coming. The beast. It swooped down from the sky and grabbed a worm in it’s beak, then flew away to her nest in the old oak I was leaning against. I took a deep breath of the fresh air, and my nostrils filled with the heavy scent of wildflowers.
Somewhere nearby a bee buzzed lazily over the soft green grass that stretched out to the horizon, disturbed only by an occasional tree which cast its shadow over anything, be it beast or bug, seeking relief from the great ball of fire high in the blue sky. Small, puffy clouds drifted across the heavens in a slow and steady manor due to the cool, steady breeze sailing down from the distant, snowcapped mountains.
The fierce cry of a hawk rang out from high above. I glanced up and saw the bird flying majestically through the air. I thought about what a wonderful life I had, sitting here with my back up against the rough bark of the ancient tree. I have always been sitting here, at least as far as I could remember. And because of this, I suddenly realized, I have never even seen the other side or the tree. A new feeling erupted inside of me, one I had never felt before. It was a feeling of curiosity. It was strange to feel this way. Up until that moment I had never wondered what was on the other side of the tree, or anything for that matter.
Slowly, I stood up onto my feet and walked around to the opposite side of the tree where I was met by the fiery breath of a monstrous beast. I quickly raised my shield to meet the stream of fire shooting toward me. When it hit, I was nearly knocked off my feet, but I held my ground. My red-hot shield burned into my bare hand, causing me to wince in pain. The beads of sweat forming on my brow evaporated from the extreme heat.
When the fiery onslaught at last subsided, I allowed myself a quick peak out from behind my shield but soon regretted doing so. I saw the titanic tail of the monster come hurling toward me at a terrible speed. I braced myself for impact, but I knew it was in vain. The impact was so great that I was thrown clear out of the cave. I slammed into a sheer rock wall and slumped down. I didn’t feel too badly hurt, but that may have been that I was numb from the freezing rain that poured down from the black sky.
When I saw the beast walking awkwardly toward me I forced myself to stand up and face it. That’s when I tried raising my shield. Nothing happened. I looked down and saw not only that my shield was gone but also that my arm hung limp, broken in a hundred different ways.
Then the beast was upon me, Its devilish face an inch from mine. I lifted my sword high above my head and brought it down with all my strength. Steal clashed with steal, broadsword against broadsword. I gazed through the face mask of my opponent and into his deep, purple eyes. His sword swung around in an arch meant to slice me in two, but I swiftly dodged and struck him down in turn.
He was just one of the tens of thousands of enemies left on the battlefield. One after another came to fight me. For every man I slew five more took its place. It was an endless battle. I fought on valiantly, but I was weakening. It took more effort to lift my sword every time.
Finally there came a time when I could lift it no longer. The enemies blade rent through the air toward me, and I could do nothing to stop it. It sliced through the flesh between my ribs. I fell to my knees. The battle raged on around me, but it was distant, a whisper in my ear.
Bright lights flashed in front of my eyes. The stars swirled in a spiral. I pulled on the joystick in an attempt to right my spinning star fighter. A glancing hit on my right flank from a laser charge had caused my small ship to spin out of control.
When I looked out the window I saw the small moon that this war was all about. Glancing down at the radar on my console, I saw the little red blip representing an enemy ship on my tail. I swerved to the right, then left and around an asteroid. The other ship wasn’t fast enough. It crashed into the rock with a silent explosion.
Another fighter flew in front of me, and with laser-fast reflexes I pulled the trigger and blasted it to pieces. But then two more were on me. One was shot down by a friendly fighter, but the other remained, intent on destroying me. I tried every trick I knew, but I couldn’t shake him. The white laser charges zipped by on either side of me. One of my wings was shot, blown right off its base. I was going down.
The moon loomed larger and larger in my window. Soon I could see nothing else. There was a single building on the entire surface, and I was heading right for it. My fighter crashed through the window. Shelves of books flew by. There was a boy standing in my path. He was reading a book. He looked up from the book….
I closed the book, put it back on the shelf, and resumed reading off book titles.
By Animorph
Pages: 1 2
Reader Feedback