Lore

Gaea

Neon gripped the steering wheel of his rental car. It was a small black Toyota, much smaller than he wanted or was comfortable with. But it was transportation, and he told himself he should be grateful. He didn't really know where he was going yet, he just knew he had to get out. Neon didn't know why he kept having these visions. Were they even visions? His sister is fine, so why did he see his mom upset about her? Was he just hallucinating? He had taken antidepressants while in college, but he didn't know of any serious mental illnesses in his family.

He watched the trees pass by as he drove down the small backroads laced around his town. Neon really did love it here, he didn't want to live with his father forever, but he couldn't imagine living anywhere else. He lived in the quiet town of Meadowsweet, Alabama. Nothing was too close together except for the downtown area of Main Street. Nature flourished here, there was a town ordinance protecting the natural landscape of Meadowsweet. There were countless nature parks, two lakes, a river, and even a swamp. Neon felt at home here, he always had. His sister on the other hand, she had grander dreams. She longed for a business you just couldn't find here, she felt trapped here her whole life. When Hera was offered a position at a marketing firm based out of LA, Nike jumped at the chance to move with her. She got into her dream school and was studying political science with a minor in economics; Nike was a lot smarter than Neon, he never argued that. It took Neon almost six years to graduate with his bachelor's in creative writing from the University of Alabama, and that bothered him, being 23 and being almost nowhere. He had piles of unfinished stories, they were good, but he had a problem with applying himself and could never finish much. He dreamed of being published and becoming a working author, but he knew the odds of that were low. George encouraged him to go to graduate school for something he could get a job in, but Neon knew where his passion lied, he would hate being an editor or working for some newspaper.

It was early Autumn and just starting to get cold, the falling leaves gave Neon the idea to go to the swamp. He liked going out in nature while it was cold because no one was there, he could really take in the peace and sounds of the woods. He needed that peace right now.

Neon drove in silence to the swamp, he usually loved to sing along to the radio, but he had too much on his mind today. He pulled up to the parking area of the swamp to see it empty-good-he didn't think he could be around people right now. Neon got out of his car and took a deep breath, smelling the cool autumn air. He could already smell the water, that was his favorite smell, water in the air. He walked slowly down the boardwalk, really taking in the sounds around him. The wind blowing through the trees, the birds singing to one another, the creak of the old wood under his feet. He admired the colors as he walked, the bright red of the red maple trees juxtaposed with the rich green of the evergreen trees, the other trees turning an array of yellows and oranges before letting go of their leaves for the winter. Neon sat down on a bench at the end of the boardwalk and sighed, this was happiness, this was peace.

Neon sat watching the bugs that were still out for a moment, he had so much to think about, and he didn't understand any of it.

"I don't really know who I'm reaching out to here...God, I guess?" Neon said quietly. "I don't even know if I believe in God. The universe then? I don't know..."

He sat in silence for a moment, he felt dumb, but he felt like he had to talk and he couldn't talk to anyone about this. "Well, whoever...I could use some guidance. I don't know whats happening to me. I'm having...visions? If that's what they are. Am I just crazy? Why did Kat have to die...why did I have to see it?"

"Neon." He heard from behind him.

Neon froze. His first thought was it was his father, but he didn't recognize the deep, smooth voice. He quickly turned to see a tall man standing behind him. The unknown man had snow white hair and the smoothest skin Neon has ever seen, but his eyes, they were so unsettling, his irises were pitch black. He wore all black, a button down, slacks, and nice shoes, he certainly didn't look like a hiker.

"I'm sorry, have we met?" Neon said, shock still in his voice.

"No." The man said coldly. He held out his hand, "I am named Nico."

"I am named Nico?" Neon thought, "who talks like that?"

Neon reluctantly shook the stranger's hand and moved over enough for him to sit down. "How did you know my name?"

"I know many things." The stranger said flatly.

Neon stared at the man, confused. He tried to think of every reasonable explanation, maybe he was a friend of his father's. Maybe this was some kind of prank.

"You asked for guidance, child. Ask and ye shall receive." The stranger smiled, "Or whatever garbage they're preaching now."

Neon shifted in his seat. "Um yeah, I was just rambling, just going through some stuff right now, you know?"

"You have the gift of sight." Nico said matter-of-factly.

"You know it's rude to eavesdrop, right? How long were you standing there, anyway? I didn't hear you walk up."

"I have always been here, child. Your gift just not did surface."

"Okay, who are you?" Neon said, growing angry. "Do you know my dad or something? Or my mom?"

"No." Nico said in the same flat tone.

"Who the fuck are you, man?" Neon asked sharply, standing up.

Nico let out an aggravated sigh, "You asked for my presence, Neon." He sat back and held out his arms, "Here I am."

Neon's heart was pounding, what was Nico saying? "So...so what, are you God or something?"

Nico chuckled, almost condescendingly, "Many have referred to us as Gods, but no, I am not the Creator, I am a Guardian."

"A guardian?" Neon asked, "Like a guardian angel?"

Nico nodded. "Some have called us that."

Neon started laughing, "There's no way this is real, I have to be going crazy!"

"Real is relative. You're experiencing this aren't you? Then it's real."

Neon rolled his eyes. "That's not how it works. I can be experiencing this and be fucking crazy!" He buried his head in his hands, even more confused and distraught than before.

"Believe what you wish, child. I will return should you ask."

Neon looked up, and Nico had vanished.