Other Lands

Prologue

The wind burns my cheeks as I stare at my kills. A white tail doe, and a wolf of light grey, lustrous fur. Their blood stains the freshly fallen snow. I struggle to hold back the raging waters stinging the backs of my eyes. I've never liked killing, but this time...
Fear.
Panic.
Rage.
Fear.
Panic.
Rage.
Over and over and over; it plays in my head like a cat scratching a chalk board, pounding at the seems of my mind. My heart beats as fast as light travels. My blood rushing like a rip current through my veins. My entire body begins to shake as my emotions put my mind on overdrive. A scream rises up from the bottom of my being, but stops at my throat. I gasp for air as I'm forced to choke on the scream. I struggle to keep my eyes open in attempt to prolong the arrival of tears, knowing how much more my cheeks will burn if I allow my top eyelid to meet the bottom. Then calm. It rinses all other feelings off my body. I stop shaking as my bursting eyes are relieved of the previous strain. My heart and blood flow slows. My mind stops racing. I close my eyes and wipe the single tear that falls. I continue my previous task of making the carcass of the first kill useful. I grab the single arrow that still lay in between her ribs and pull it out slowly as I watch the blood gleam in the newly arrived, morning sun. I cover the arrows in snow before wiping it with my sleeve. I skin the animal as quick as I can, knowing that if I take too long the scent of blood will attract another wolf. Perhaps this time, a pack. As the thought passes over my mind a stare at the second carcass. I realize just how queerly large the animal is. A ghost of the panicky feeling hints at my thoughts. I say to myself, "No, that's absurd. The wall's still there."