From autumn to ashes (Short Story)

From autumn to ashes

Autumn is finally here!

A chilly wind is blowing through my golden hair as I walk through the tall trees of the woods. I pull my cardigan closer to my chest, trying to close myself off from the wind. The smell of crisp air fills me as I walk.

It's usually around this time, that the leaves officially start falling. The cascading of golden leaves that filter through the air and the satisfying crunch under my feet. Yet this year felt different. We know that autumn is a time for change and to see what we can do to change, but still, something feels off.

The stream flowed next to me and I followed it down the path, steadily making my way through the trees that were painted in yellows and oranges. Little droplets of water still stuck to some of them from the first rain of August.

I smile at the sky. Slivers of sunlight finally make their way through the clouds and fall through the bony branches of the few trees without any leaves. I take my time, hoping that the sunlight will stay just a second longer on my cold shoulders. A few birds scream through the open sky, making me jump in my skin.

I walk over the little wooden bridge with moss-covered edges, as I take a step off of the bridge I feel a ripple through my body. As if I had just stepped through a mirror of water. I take a deep breath and instantly smell the pungent odour of smoke. I turn and my whole world feels like it has been flipped. I look back at the little bridge only to see a reflection of myself standing on the other side. Golden leaves around my mirage on the other side of the bridge. A wide smile is plastered on my reflection. Not mirroring my own distress.

She turns and walks away, practically skipping as the leaves crunch under her brown leather boots. My chest heaves as I feel a panic attack making its way through my cold limbs.

I keep my eyes glued on her fading figure and run towards the bridge. The instant I put my foot onto the ledge a shock jumps through my foot. Shooting me backwards. I tumble to the ground wincing at the pain that bolts from my head. I close my eyes for a second. Focusing only on the pain in my skull. Moving my hand to my head holding the spot that is throbbing.

A few moments pass before I open my eyes again. My vision is blurry, trying to regain focus. I keep my eyes on the sky and realise for the first time that it had no colour. As if all the colour had been drained from this part of the world and filled the side I had been focussing on earlier.

I move to sit up straight and notice how nothing had any colour. The once brown trees filled with flashes of orange are now black and white.

Have I been sent to an alternative reality?  I thought to myself.

Things definitely aren't what they are supposed to be. My thoughts run wild with all the possibilities.

I move up to my hands and knees, slowly making my way up till I'm finally standing. Holding my head in one hand and fiddling with my cardigan in the other. My eyes dart back and forth from the invisible barrier to my current reality. How is this possible?

A loud bang sounds through the air and a siren follows. I look up to see birds circling an area above my head. They were big, most likely ravens.

I hear footsteps thud against the ground around me and take it as my cue to leave. I ignore the pain in my head as much as I possibly can. My boots slam against the muddy ground as I run through the black and white scenery. Jumping over thick logs and ducking under low-hanging branches.

Tears start running down my cheeks. Burning as the wind slaps against my face. I head through a maze of oak trees. An opening just on the other side. I push myself, little by little to just make it to the clearing. The moment I reached the end of the line of trees my feet stop. I take deep breaths as I look around the open piece of land.

I wipe the trails of tears from my cheeks. A howl escapes a creature nearby causing me to move once again. Slower this time. In the middle of the open land stood a tree. Nothing like I've seen before. Almost thirty feet tall.

My eyes burn. It wasn't the colour that had drained from this world. I realised as I looked up from beneath the tree and saw a sprouting green leaf forming on the trunk itself.

It was ashes. As one leaf fell I grabbed it only to be met with black dust covering my fingers. The ash had settled like a blanket of snow over the whole forest. And the siren... the siren had been a warning call to leave.

I cough at the sight, not even realising how the smoke and ashes had filled my lungs. I move away from the tree, backing away from the open clearing and following the familiar trail I had always followed home.

The path had never been so dark or felt so wrong, but I followed it nonetheless. The ashy trees seemed to move in the wind and with each stroke against my skin it had left a mark.

Just a few more steps. I repeated in my head. Just ahead a street light had flickered and I knew I was close. I picked up my pace. Practically running to get out of the burning woods.

Another siren sounded and confusion was evident on my tired face. When it's a fire there should only be one siren.

Was it just another warning? I thought. 

As I finally reached the street I heard screaming from all around. Men, women and even children screaming. I turned my head to find people running toward me.

"Run!" Someone screamed in my direction and I blindly followed the order. I ran down the road. A few seconds later the earth had rumbled and a third siren had gone off.

This wasn't a fire warning.

The war has just begun.