"Incident" [Canceled Series]

8

     In a blink I was back in reality. The sun hit my face and while I was in motion the new sunburns on my skin were obvious. I never really did like wearing sunscreen. I noticed that my body was going off muscle memory since I had been out or something. And I was hauling hay in the old wagon again. I was probably about half way from home already, not too far. 

     I guessed the incident, and all that other drama had just been a dream. An extremely long dream. And it was so real. I guess I could talk to Mom about it once I got back home. I needed to finish the task I found myself in first. I took in the peacefulness of just walking through the peaceful meadow with a mixture of just every Oklahoma weed, grass, and flower there was. Some of the ground under me was moist and squished under my feet, telling me that it had rained that morning. 

     It was hard for a moment to believe all of that had only been a dream, just a moment gone. I almost felt cheated out of a year and a half since I was just fifteen again. I would have to go through all that ageing again, not much, but I bet it would still be an odd experience to go through for sure. 

     I just kept hauling the hay in the little old wagon. Out of all the things I had missed, that squeaky wheel was not one of them. I so badly wanted to just turn around, run home, and hug everyone I saw. I missed them. But I was sure that everyone would think I had gone insane or something since I had only been gone for a little bit, at least I thought. I couldn't exactly remember the date, but I knew that I used to haul the hay out to the pastures all the time so the specific date wasn't exactly necessary. It must have just been a normal Tuesday evening. 

     As I walked I breathed in as much fresh air as I could. It was moist like always, especially since it had just rained. However the humidity always made everything seem hotter or colder, and in this case it was hotter. At least there was a peaceful northern breeze flowing by, telling me it was either late spring or early summer. The sky was blue and only remnants of storm clouds that were now white floated in the sky above me. I looked at the bugs as they jumped or flew away. 

     It was so good to be home. 

     Then, I felt a weight suddenly making my load a little heavier. Before I could choose to ignore it I heard an impossible, but still recognizable voice speak. 

     "Pull me Ev!" The voice of a young boy chimed. I was confused but overly happy at the same time. I turned around slowly, and there I saw little Eli, probably only four or five years old, sitting on his knees in the wagon smiling at me. He wore grey slack pants and the blue and white striped t-shirt I always remembered him wearing. He had light blond curly hair and greenish blue eyes that could never decide on whether they wanted to be blue or green. I did nothing. So much of me wanted to squeeze my little brother in the happiest hug ever, but I couldn't move. Too many questions kept me still. My brother, almost twin, the dearest friend I told more secrets to than my parents, was so young. Last I saw him he had been fourteen. He was only a year younger than me. But the Eli before me was four or five. And I knew it couldn't have just been some sort of all of it was a dream, because I was still fifteen, maybe even sixteen. 

     My head rung as I tried to answer all the questions spinning through it. Then, I felt something furry rub against my leg. I looked down and saw, "Tiger?" I whispered his name as I looked down at the cat. He was a brown cat with black stripes. My ten year old birthday gift, since in our family we weren't allowed to have a pet of our own until we were ten. But, he was dead. I remembered the early morning, when it was still dark, Tiger's corpse laying by the road. I had stroked his fur one last time as I said goodbye to my already dead pet. How was Tiger here?! He was dead!