SHADOWS JOURNEY. CHAPTER 1 – Day 5

SHADOWS JOURNEY. CHAPTER 1 – Day 5

He stands at the top of a hill, at the mouth of the sewer drain outlet, and looks down toward the valley woods. It was hidden from view only four hours ago, swallowed by the low-level cloud, but now it lies open before him. The “Tacca” is waiting in that green-and-orange haze.

Two steps to the water:-

He sniffs. The water appears fresh. Anxiety builds, causing a mild hyperventilation, but he gains control and laps from the stream flowing down. Everything is a trigger; everything is memory—the grass, the water, even the stairs to the tunnel. His memories flood as he stares at his reflection.

The water ripples:-

Imagination reviews his past decisions. He sees himself and his female native partner walking with a cub through open riverbanks covered with greenery. This was their home—a place of sanctuary, a place where hu-mans did not go. They could hide and hunt without hindrance. As Shadow was a parent, this was a perfect environment, yet so “wrong” in hu-man eyes. As an immigrant, it was not possible, but with other “illegals” hiding away too, one that looked like a native had broken nature’s rules.

They had clicked, and one thing led to another, and he was born. Like in life so often, it should not work, but it just did in the end.

The memory turned to the most recent view: walking the same area, but now the river and the greenery cleared and was scraped from existence—and hu-mans were present. Anger whirled in his stomach. His partner had taken fear on board and turned; she ran from him. He jumped in a half-act of fear and anger.

He looked and he caught in her eye: We need a new home. You know when your partner gives you a glare, a look, as if to communicates to you something must be done.

His paws leapt forward to concrete; he roared with anger while leaping to gain ground and height to jump a concrete wall—after all, it was just a large step, a hu-man hindrance. As he reached the top and was walking away, he regained composure. I promise I will find you again, my love. But first, I need to find a new, safe homeland, but you must run, keep running.

He turns to the metal monsters, arches his head up, and with total anger and frustration, dramatically roars: “I am not beaten, you animals!”

His thoughts return to the water. The ripples are gone; a mirror image reflects back. He turns and leaves the waterway, the nightmare processed.