My eyes fly open as my whole body jolts itself awake. What had caused this sudden start was the feeling of falling that you sometimes get when you’re in a deep slumber. As my eyes begin to swim into focus, I wonder why people didn’t get rid of their alarm clocks and just use in-bed trapdoors to wake up. Or maybe a killer combination of the two, but I digress…

I shield my weary eyes from the bright morning sun that always seems to beam down relentlessly whenever I have a hangover. Placing my hands back on the ground I notice that I’m lying on some really soft grass.

Did I fall asleep outside… again?

This thought prompts me to sit upright and begin to examine my surroundings.

I’m lying in the middle of a small clearing in what appears to be a rather dense forest. Flowers adorn the clearing; they all have bright pastel petals that remind me of a children’s picture book. There are some birds chirping in the nearby trees and a soft breeze that leaves my skin tingling with a refreshed feeling. I take in a deep breath through my nostrils and smell the sweet scent of the beautiful flora that surrounds me. Releasing the breath out of my mouth, I taste alcohol.

So I guess I got drunk last night and passed out here. But where exactly is “here”?

I stand up, still taking in the beauty of the peaceful meadow. I spy an opening in the trees and make my way towards it hoping there is a trail leading me back to the car.

Oh yeah! The thought of the car gave me a flashback. I remember that me and the guys were out drinking last night. We went to King of Prussia and were walking the mall being total assholes due to our high blood alcohol levels no doubt. Then that rent-a-cop told us to “vacate the premises” or else he’d call the actual authorities. So we pissed off and started driving back home, but then Josh turned into Valley Forge park. Robert had gotten out of the car saying he was gonna puke and let loose the fury inside one of the old log cabins in the park. What great way to honour our nation’s heroes…

I reach the opening and see a dirt path cutting its way through the trees into the utter darkness of the woods. With some slight apprehension, I begin to trek the trail just like I had back in the Scouts.

What did we do after that though?

The dense treetops quickly stop all light from reaching the ground as I continue hiking along the path. The whole environment almost immediately transforms from calm to eerie. I hear screeches and other creepy calls coming from the darkness and it sends goosebumps up my arms.

Where are the others for that matter?

With no light shining it’s starting to get chilly which doesn’t help the fact that I’m getting seriously spooked from being all alone in the dark. Finally, my eyes start to adjust to the…
“OUCH dammit!”

I lay spread-eagle on the dirty forest floor. I look back at my feet wondering what had caused me to eat shit so effectively and notice a tree root protruding out of the ground near my left foot. Sighing, I lift my body up and see that my blue jeans and t-shirt are now covered in dirt stains. While I pat the dirt off my clothes, something in my peripheral vision catches my attention. In a split second something dashes out of sight and behind a mangled stump and makes every hair on the back my neck stand at attention. My pupils have now completely dilated; I take off in a mad sprint just wanting to get out of this damned forest and away from whatever was behind that stump.

I hop over fallen trees and storm my way through small bushes, some of which are unfortunately laced with sharp thorns. My arms are now decorated red with stinging scraps and scratches while my breathing has become rather ragged as I slow down slightly. I’m in a light jog when I hear something running up behind me.

Shit! It’s chasing me!

I take off again with renewed adrenaline.

“Wait! Else you become bait!” a voice calls out from behind.

My eyes widen and I consider turning around until a horrible thought stops me.

Wait! Why the hell is someone out here in the middle of the forest so early in the morning? Are they hunting? It sounds like they’re riding a horse. And their accent is pretty thick. South African maybe? It kinda sounds like a woman. And what do they mean “bait”? Bait for them maybe. What if it’s an axe murderer or Slenderman or something?! Wait Slenderman doesn’t even talk and he is definitely not a woman… then who…?

Still running, I turn my racing head around. I can make out a silhouette of some kind of horse but not much else through the darkness.

Okay there’s the horse, but where’s the jockey?

I squint my eyes, thinking that would somehow bring the horse into focus.

Hey is that a ze…

“Brruuhh?!” The air in my throat gets pushed out as my neck collides with something hard.

Dafuq…?

My thoughts are interrupted by my head making acquaintance with the ground for a second time today. Hell, they maybe best friends by the end of the day.

Stars are popping and sparkling in front of me. Darkness is slowly starting to take over my vision and as I drift out of consciousness all I see is black and white.

(Several Hours Pass)

“Uhhh…”

My eyes open to blackness.

I’m blind! Oh wait.

My hands reach up and touch the wet towel that is obscuring my vision.

“Remain calm. And that towel, keep it on,” says a voice off to my side.

I’m lying on some kind of chair or small sofa. My legs dangle off the edge and my head is propped up by a soft pillow. The position was uncomfortable yet comfortable at the same time.

“Who are you? Where am I?”

“Zecora, you may call me. And your name is…?”

“Anthony, but that doesn’t answer the ‘where am I’ question,” I respond while noting that the rhyming nature of this woman’s speech was quite odd.

“I saw you running through the forest all alone and decided to bring you to my humble home.”

“I was only running because you were chasing after me. I thought you were gonna kill me,” I retort.

“I’m sorry that you were scared, but I wanted to tell you to beware.”

“Beware of what?” I asked with curiosity.

“The blood those thorns caused, would’ve have left you in a Manticore’s claws.”

Manticore? Like from God of War? Oh great now I’m rhyming too!

I move my hands over my arms and feel bandages covering almost every inch. I shift my head on the pillow slightly and groan in pain.

“Uhh… why does my neck feel like a dull guillotine came down on it?”

“When you were running you had looked behind; you ran into a low branch and were clotheslined.”

Oh how eloquently put.

“Like I said, I was only running because I thought you were gonna trample me with your horse.”

“There was no horse, only me and I’m a zebra, see?” says the woman as she removes the wet cloth from my eyes.

“A zebra?”

My eyes swim into focus and standing over me is exactly that. A zebra. And not just any zebra, but a zebra bejeweled with a gold earring and necklace.

Oh Boy.

Author's Note

My first story! Please be gentle...