Seeking Solace

Ch. 2 The Moment

Deep in the mountains is a little cabin surrounded by a massive forest, brimming with life. The trees sway in the breeze like a cacophony of timpanys, the birds warbling like rows of horns as the bugs trill and chirr like flutes; the symphonies of nature, alluring to most, but not Elliot. Elliot sits in his cabin, the melodic sounds of the wonders outside, barely a whisper in a cabin that sounds like a grave. The dead are alone, and Elliot floats precariously through the cabin like a newly dead ghost; unaware, droning, trying to continue on with life, but death waits for no man just as loneliness is eager to swallow you whole.

It had been a day since Citrine left, then two, then three, then four, five, six, and seven. The cabin was stiller than a frozen lake. The only noticeable differences were the piling dishes, emptying fridge, and the brimming garbage bin.

Elliot sits on the couch. His tawny brown hair, a greasy mess, his clothes, the same set of pj's from a week ago. His eyes bore into the wall as if it was his captor, his hands idle as they pile popcorn into his mouth. He feels nothing but the crunch of buttery disatisfaction. The only thing that seems to stimulate him is food. His stomach growls in frustration for something that might actually feed him, but he ignores the wrenching in his guts. He feels nothing, thinks nothing, is nothing... Bam!

Elliot jumps, the popcorn spills, his heart flies as the sound repeats itself. The force bouncing off the glass of the sliding doors in the kitchen. Elliot creeps into the kitchen... Bam! He stiffens, then creeps forward slowly but surely. Bam! He stops, peeking through the curtains, and he sees nothing outside. Bam! The sound vibrates through the door, and he looks down. His heart slows as he sees a little red fox throwing itself at the door.

The little red fox stares up at the dreary young man as he opens the door. The fox pauses, the smell of old food and body odor waft around the two, the fox grimaces, well, as much as a fox can grimace. The dreary boy's eyebrows perk up; he lifts his arm to sniff and also grimaces. "Maybe you've got a point... but did you need somethin'?" The fox whines and tries to pull the dull boy out the door. He backs up, "woah there, I've gotta get shoes and clothes, okay."

Elliot comes back to the sliding door where the fox walks in circles, whining, "okay, I'm ready, but where are we going?" The fox chirps in anticipation and rushes off, Elliot takes a step out the door and that's when he hears it, Citrines voice, "stay inside, it's for your own good." Elliot takes a step back, the fox looks behind her at the weary boy, he shakes as the fox tugs at his pant leg. "I'm sorry I'm not allowed..." Elliot is frozen like a statue, the fox begins to panic and rips Elliots pant leg. "I can't, I can't, I don't belong outside, I have to stay here, I can't!!!" The fox barks loud and growls at Elliot, he drops to his knees, the fox Aproachs him slowly, pressing her head against his.

His thoughts spiraling, never stopping, memories of the loneliness flooding, the longing and want, the need, the desparation clawing at his insides but fear takes hold and the walls of his prison, begin to feel comfortable, like home, like there was never an entire world outside to begin with!... But before Elliot could give in to these thoughts he felt a drought of calmness flood over him, a motherly voice taking hold, "its okay, it's okay, everything will be alright, the outside will not hurt you. You have to help me, please."

Elliot stops shaking. He takes a deep breath, and the fox pulls away, "are you a shifter?" The fox squeals and runs off, Elliot stands up to chase after, freezing at last second, "I got this, come on Elliot, just gooo!" He bolts, rushing after the red fox.

"Where are we going?!" Shouts Elliot as he runs, and after two minutes or so, he was beginning to slow, running out breath, but he kept on 2 more minutes, and he was wheezing. Stopping, "I --- need a-a-a--- break---- just- a- a--- min---ute---- please!!"

Elliot collapses as the fox jogs back, exasperated. Leaning on his his hands, legs spread out, "I haven't been outside in the last Four years, and the roadtrip doesn't count since I had to stay in the car, and only made it to the parking garage to leave anyway, so be patient... GOD, I'm so tired!"

He sits, still breathing for a moment then he gets back up quite fast, in an attempt to pump himself up but vertigo took hold and he fell on his ass, the fox chirped, "don't laugh at me..." Elliot pouted at the fox as he took a stand at a much slower pace. "Alright, I propose we jog this time, yeah?" The fox huffs in annoyance but slows its pace anyway.

They jog through the forest, trees towering over them as sunlight pools in the cracks, lighting up the expansive forest floor and all of its shrubby wonders. The sunlight dancing on the mossy rocks and bounding off of shimmering leaves, bathing the maze like tree roots in a heavenly glow. Elliot breathes in the crisp, dewy air that smells of pine and moss water. Only slowing to take a breath as he traverses through the ever winding trees and boulders.

After twenty minutes or so, the fox slows and Elliot begins to hear whining, looking around the fox sniffs then sprints off, Elliot does his best to keep up as the fox scitters through trees in a panic. Finally, they come across a small wolf pup tangled in rope, caked between two thick tree roots that sit on a big, rocky mound.

The pup squeals in panic, Elliot takes a breath and fixes his hood atop his head. First, he tries to pull the pup out between the roots, but the tangled rope prevents him from doing so, so he tries to untangle the rope. That doesn't work either, though, as it was a rather old rope, so old it seems the tree roots grew around the rope, so it was stuck too. The pup whines and the fox croons, Elliot sighs, petting the wolf to comfort him. He tries to pull the pup out again, this time looking at what parts of the rope are catching him. He bends down, placing the pups head and arms on his shoulder as he untangles the pups back legs and tail. An excruciating five minutes later, the pup was finally free.

Elliot sat back, breathing in relief. The pup curls up on his chest as Elliot has a celebratory lay down, gazing at the yellowing sky. The fox joins their cuddle party, and the looming loneliness seems to subside if only just for a moment.