Departure.

journey of the fox.

       I continued running deeper into the dark paradise known only to me. The woods. The woods that raised me, my home away from home. I was running, maybe from my problems- maybe from myself. Or maybe I'm just running, just for the hell of it all. I look to my left, and I quickly notice I'm being followed; not by a human-by a fox. As my feet come to a stop it continues to run. After only a few moments, it turns to face me. I look at it. Light red fur shines in the midday light, its eyes a light gray. Something about its eyes- I can't explain it. It made me feel safe. Home, even.

     I didn't know how to react in those few blissful moments I'd spent staring at that fox. I took one step forward, breaking a branch underneath the weight of my both my boot and myself. This was enough to spook the small fox, and it ran. It was still running on the path I had always ran on. The path was once coated with rich green grass, but after nearly four years of running on it nearly every day, it began to wear down, now all the grass and plant have been replaced by cold, hard brown dirt, small stones, and the odd bit of grass. I quickly run as fast as I can, trying to once again build up enough speed to surpass my small, red competitor.

     After what feels like an eternity of losing, I catch up to the fox. It's now running at my side. I allow it to pass me, and we both continue to run, I then run in a zig-zag formation, giving my worthy opponent a challenge to follow. I'm laughing at this point, having had much more fun than what I ever have on a run before. I'm just looking down at this point, my eyes following after the fox. I look up once it looks up at me. I notice that the shine is gone from its fur, and the once well-lit area is now dark, twisted almost; It just doesn't look, or feel, quite right anymore. I stop laughing. I stop smiling.