Lost in the World: Book One

First Steps

           ¨If you ever seek to get anywhere, you must take your first steps¨

                                                                        03.03.2056

         As I stepped out and heard the gravel underfoot. I saw the burning sun, I felt the icy wind, but most of all, I felt alive. I breathed fresh air for the first time in years. I looked more carefully and I noticed a small creature in the distance. Two tall fuzzy formations on its head which I later realized were ears. Then I noticed something that was so obvious, yet I couldn't think of the name. It was, I think, a rabbit. The creature jumped in the air, but instead of going slightly off the ground, it leaped 50 feet in the air, and began to fly, using its ears as wings, and its arms to guide itself.

        I began to tread out into the world around, ensuring I was careful as to not anger any of the creatures. The farther I ventured into the world, the more I realized that nothing was what it seemed, the animals I once knew were gone, or transformed. Even seemingly peaceful creatures could be dangerous. Therefore, I decided to try to create weapons to defend myself.

        I dug in the dirt beneath me, searching for sizeable stones. Eventually, I found one large enough, I grabbed a smaller stone, and began to hack away at the rock, chipping off pieces slowly.

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        After hours of work, nightfall came. The result of my toil was a small blade, more blunt than sharp, and very jagged. I wrapped a small portion of the blade with fabric from my shirt. I then swung the crude dagger in the air, testing my new weapon. I then decided to enjoy the coming of night.

        It was one of the greatest experiences in my life. The stars glowed brighter than they ever did in the city, I could see the milky way, and the radioactivity of the world around added a faint glow. The animals were a bright green, and used dirt to camouflage themselves into their environment. The moon was almost blinding, and it lit up the everything for miles.

        New creatures sprung from the darkness and they were more incredible than the ones in daylight. Yet at the same time, they were more dangerous. The ones I assumed were at one point fireflies, were now twice as big, and they flashed numerous colors, from shades of purple to bright yellow, The frogs seemingly looked the same, but when they opened their mouths, a dart shot out, almost too fast for the eye to see, and pierced an insect twice the size of a hand, and with the wings of a butterfly. The butterfly fell with a loud thud, and the frog jumped and fell right on it. It the swallowed the insect with one gulp. Now twice its size, the frog stayed still and quiet. Then a glowing, purple, two headed, hawk swooped from the sky and snatched the amphibian from the ground.

         Cycles like these were taking place all around me, with different creatures, I decided to lumber over to a cave entrance in order to have shelter for the night. I was about to step into the cave, when suddenly the entrance crashed shut. I realized, that the cave was a living creature, and that it had just tried to eat me. I decided maybe it was best to sleep elsewhere, as the cave began to grow legs seemingly out of nowhere, and opened its gigantic eyes.

        Thankfully, the cave was not very fast, and I was easily able to outrun it in the night. I stumbled across a clearing during the chase. I decided that perhaps it would be best to set up shelter there, where I could see all around me. I had pitched a tent from the fabric I had in my bag, and I was in the process of creating fire, when suddenly a lion appeared out of nowhere, It bared its neon green fangs and growled loudly, as if claiming its territory.

        I was in shock, yet I continued to add embers to the kindling, as I stared at the lion. The lion stared at me and lunged forward, I dropped the last of the embers from my hand to the fire, and reached for my makeshift dagger, and as I did so, the fire roared to life. Bracing myself, I lowered to one knee, closed my eyes, and held the stone blade in front of me. After several seconds, I realized that no impact had taken place, I gradually opened one eye, and I saw the lion rearing in fear of the flame.

        I grabbed a log from around me, and held it to the fire until it caught. Then I steadily walked toward the lion, both flame, and weapon in hand. The lion reared, but never fled. It was in a trance. Then, the lion began to take a few steps forward, and sniffed at the flame. It burnt its nose slightly and jumped back. But after a few seconds, it began to come closer once more.

        As it did so, I pulled the wood back with one arm so that it was closer to my chest, and not held out in front. I slowly put the stone in my pocket, and I reached out with the empty hand and held it slightly in front of the lion's nose. The lion stepped back for a second, before finally stepping forward and allowing me to pet its snout.

        The lion then bowed forward, as if inviting me to seat myself on its broad shoulders. Curious, I did exactly that. The lion looked back at me, and then bound forward with intense speed. It roared as it ran. Or at least I thought it did, I later realized that was the sound of its paws as they hit the floor. The lion seemed to speak to me.

        I heard its voice as it told me, "Prove you are worthy to ride me, or die trying." The lion then proceeded to buck and twist while running, and I squeezed its chest with my knees in order to hold on. He then began to slow down, and when he did, I noticed a group of 4 panthers, all staring directly at the lion. No, directly at me.

         The lion said, "Go" and as if on command, the panthers lunged. I pulled out the stone dagger and prepared for a fight.