A Place where I Belong
Written by: Pixelated
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I walked into my home drenched in rain from head to toe. My shoes were incredibly moist and I was tracking mud onto my carpet. As I stepped into my apartment I looked around to make sure that everything was where it should be. Couch: check, T.V: check, Black futon I always keep in the back of the room: check. I kinda always had this paranoia where I think people are going to break into my house and steal my stuff, but that doesn't matter now. I'm tired, stressed, and hungry. All I want to do is dry up and eat something.
I walked into my bathroom, grabbed a towel, and began the process of drying myself off. Once I was finished I placed the towel back onto the rack. I left the bathroom and looked over the place. A good old fashioned All-In-One apartment building. Everything was connected in one room: A small living room, small kitchen (if you can even call it that), a small spot where I put my futon, and a small bathroom. Everything was small as hell, and I was okay with that. Some might not agree with me when I say this place is kind of nice(just a teeny tiny bit), but I don't care about other peoples opinions...or people for that matter. You can make it work if you have the most "talented" design skills like me right here. I walked into my kitchen (AGAIN, if you can even call it that) and looked into my cupboard. Everything was just Ramen noodle cups."Hmmm...what should I have? Chicken soup, chicken soup, or.... chicken soup?" Yes I think to myself out loud, don't judge me. Given the "wide" variety of soups I have, I chose chicken.
As I grabbed my steaming hot Ramen noodle cup, I looked for a place to eat, the obvious solution being my miniscule looking wooden table. As I sat there eating my soup, I was dreading on having to finish up soon, take a shower, and lay down in my "bed", Knowing I had to go to my 12 hour job again tomorrow. In case you were wondering about my oh-so interesting job, my current occupation is a video game coder. All I even do is just sit there, type till my fingers feel numb, take a lunch break, and type some more until they get cramped as all hell or my shift is over. The reason I work myself to the bone for twelve hours is because I want to be able to have my 401K ASAP. I want to retire into Oklahoma and get a GOOD house. I don't know what I'll do there and I don't care. Maybe I'll learn to play a banjo and just sit in front of my house all day. I looked around my small table to see if there was anything for entertainment value and my eyes stopped at a newspaper. A wrinkled, old, dusty newspaper. I just stared at it laying there, mocking me with what it held inside. I never found the time to throw that old piece of junk away, but even if I did I could never bring myself to do it. I knew the contents which it with-held, and I couldn't do it.
Before I could lose my thoughts with that newspaper I heard a scraping noise and looked at my bowl in which previously with-held soup, but now it was just dry and empty. I guess I must have finished it a while ago and I didn't notice. I got up and put my barren bowl into the sink. Up next, showering.
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As I finished washing out my mouth with water from the toothpaste and mouthwash, with my dry new clothes on, I looked into the semi-foggy mirror above my sink. I overlooked myself and saw the same thing I see every day: My light green beanie and my dark black hoodie. Sure I don't wear the SAME thing everyday. I mean, I change my shirt underneath my hoodie, my undies, and my pants. I'm not just some slob who wears the SAME EXACT THING EVERYDAY, I thought you guys would know better from me with all the things we went through together. Like that time I ate soup. Or, or that time I walked into my apartment! Yeah, I'm getting side-tracked aren't I? ANYWAYS. I looked into the mirror and I looked at my boring old clothes. Nothing ever really stood out to me when I looked at myself, or the world in fact, anymore. Everything I looked at was bland and old, except for my eyes. My bright sapphire blue eyes that came from my mother."I should probably get going to bed." I said to myself. I walked out of the bathroom after putting my clothes from the day into my "dirty basket" and turning off everything in my house. Gotta save that electricity, you know what I'm saying? I flopped onto my futon that was barely big enough to contain my body and laid on my back staring at the ceiling in the darkness. That's all I ever really feel anymore, to be honest. The world around me keeps spinning and I just sit alone in a deep dark corner waiting for the world to implode. "When are things going to get better?" I asked as if there was someone in the room with me. I turned to my side and checked. Yup, all alone. I curled up in my futon under the blanket beginning my descent into sleep. To continue my life the way it will always be.
I fell asleep blissfully hoping to dream about something wonderful. In the darkness...All alone.
All just a dream...right?
Chapter 2: All just a dream...right?
Written by: Pixelated
I opened my eyes as I found myself surrounded in water. I looked around in this abyss of darkness, but I couldn't see anything (obviously). I began to realize I was running out of breath, so I swam up hoping to reach the surface. I could feel my lungs burning with the ever-growing need for oxygen as I began to swim harder in this seemingly endless water. I almost exhaled any little air I had somehow kept in, but I saw the dim gleam of the surface begin to show. I had to keep swimming, I couldn't die now.
I burst out of the surface gasping for sweet, sweet air while trying to rub off any remaining water from my eyes. Even though I couldn't see anything, I began paddling toward any surface I could find, if there was any around. Luckily though, I began to feel my hand touch dirt. I continued onto the path of land until my entire body lay on the cold surface of dirt, soaked from my wet body. I lay there breathing with my eyes closed trying to calm my beating heart from the terror of almost drowning. I continued on with this for a couple of minutes until I decided to sit up and look at my surroundings. I appeared to be in some kind of dark cave, with a pool of water in the middle, which must have been the cause of my nearly impending fate. I looked around to see if there was any way out, and my eyes fell upon a light shimmering through a opening in the cave. I rubbed my head trying to figure out what was going on. That is, until I realized my beanie was gone. I saw it beside me, it was soaked and a little bit of the green from the beanie had faded from the water too. I wrung it out and stuck it on my head making sure some of my hair stuck out, the way I like it.
"What's going on here?" I asked, with obviously no answer. I began to realize this must be one those lucid dreams. You know, those ones where you have complete control over everything and you know that it's a dream. I began to venture toward the exit of the cave, once there I overlooked the scenery. My eyes painfully began to adjust to the bright sunlight, but when I began to see clearly, I saw the most beautiful sight I had ever seen. I saw big grassy plains and trees everywhere. Everything looked so alive and bright, I didn't think my mind could create such a place in this dreamscape. It was so different from the grey tone of real life. As I continued took look through the beautiful scenery, I saw a something just beyond the trees. A small blur that looked a town. I decided maybe I should trek through the trees and check it out. I might as well enjoy this dream ride while it lasted, right. So I began my long venture into the forest heading to the town...boy will my feet be sore.
I continued through the foliage down the direction to town, or at least I hope I was on the right path. I could be lost for all I know, I've been walking for what seems like hours. "I should be there by now!" I exclaimed, but then I stopped in my tracks and thought. Wait, I've been walking for what seems like hours...if this is all a dream I should be awake already. I looked at my arm and decided to test if I was really dreaming. I pinched myself as hard as I could...
Nothing...
I pinched myself once more, even harder than last time.
That's weird, I'm not waking up...
I pinched with all my strength, the spot on my arm growing bright red and stinging with pain. I held the skin between my fingers, hoping it would work...
"OW! GODDAMNIT!" I yelled out of sheer pain from holding the pinch for 2 straight minutes. I put my hand over the abused spot on my arm, hoping it would stop that agony. My heart began pounding as the realization set in.
I'm not dreaming, everything that has been going on so far is actually happening. I almost died from drowning, I'm not in my house where I should be, And I'm sure as hell not in any place in or around my town! What's going on? Where am I and HOW DID I GET HERE!? I was freaking out, I tried looking around to figure out what the best solution was. I was more scared than I ever was, I REALLY was lost in a forest! I could die in here for all I know! I panicked even worse, as I began running in the direction I hoped led to town. I pushed any low hanging branches from all the trees out of my way, quickening my running speed at the same time. My mind was full of questions that needed to be answered, but there wasn't anybody around to help. I lost that calm and peaceful mood I had gained from the scenery, and replaced it with fear and terror of not knowing anything that was going on.
"OH SH-", I exclaimed, before tripping over a fallen branch I wasn't paying any attention to. I tumbled onto the ground landing on my side and had ended up rolling over violently some more until I ended up with my face in the dirt. I lay there moaning in pain, and grabbing my side from the impact of the hard ground. all the wind was knocked out of me, and had left me hoping I could just wake up from this crazy nightmare, even though I wasn't dreaming. I rolled onto my back and looked above into the sky, at the leaves from the forest and the bright sun that shone barely through the leaves. I breathed slowly, trying to stop the pain from my entire body and hopefully calm me down. It was working. I listened to the leaves rustle from the gentle breeze. There air hummed ever so softly in a melodic tone...
In fact, it sounded incredibly real...
Almost as if someone was humming loudly...
I sat up quickly and listened closely.
..."Hmm hm hm hm hmmm, hm hm hm hm hmmm. La, la, la, laaa..."
Someone IS humming!,I thought, and that means there's a PERSON nearby!
I got up as quick as I could, even though my body was still sore from the fall, and I headed towards the direction of the humming. The humming got louder and louder as I approached.
"Here you go little bunnies, eat up so you can grow big and healthy!"
I could hear a female voice! it sounded so calm and gentle. I quickened my pace until I had finally reached a small opening in trees. I pushed one of the branches out of my way. I saw house! Well, more like a cottage. Who lives in a cottage in the middle of a forest?, I pondered.
"Oh, don't think I forgot about you little birdies!"
My heart skipped a beat when I heard that voice again! A person who could help me out! I turned my head from the house to the voice. But what I expected to be a human being, was entirely different...
I stood there shocked, staring at a flying pony from a distance. It was feeding 3 birds on a tree from the hoof with bird seed. It was yellow with pink flowing hair. At first I thought I was seeing things, just illusions... but then it spoke.
"You eat up now, but save some for the others okay?" She said smiling at the three birds as they each pecked bird seed from her yellow hoof.
I began to back away slowly, my palms and forehead sweating. T-This can't be real...it just CAN'T. I thought to myself but before I could think any further, I stepped on a branch, which made a loud SNAP sound. The flying yellow pony's ears perked up, as the birds stopped eating and looked in my direction. They all saw me and flew away, still leaving the yellow pony flying in mid-air she started to turn her head in my direction.
"H-hello?..." she squeaked from fear.
Luckily I hid behind the tree so she couldn't see me. Oh crap..., my mind was in a blur of confusion and fright, but mostly the latter.
"It's okay, l-little guy...I won't hurt you. I-I love all animals." she still said with fear in her voice, unsure of what the creature was.
"You can come out."
I could hear her land on the ground, but slowly walk over in my direction. My heart was beating faster than you could ever imagine. Her steps were getting closer I had to get out of here, and fast...
"Come on, you don't have to be afraid of me." she said, raising her confidence. Maybe it's just a cub who's lost it's mother. Or another little bunny.
My stomach was sick with fear. I only have one shot to run...
3...
2...
1...
NOW!
I began to run away as fast as I could, pushing through all the small bushes.
"W-Wait don't run! I only want to h-" her eyes grow in fright as she stops in mid sentence.
I turned my head around while running, I looked at her. She see's me.
While running though, I tripped again. This time, though, I fell and hit the side of my head on a tree.
Everything went black.
"What is it, Twilight?" I faintly heard the calm voice from the forest in the darkness.
"I-I don't know... but we must inform Celestia. Spike get a quill and paper.", a different voice said. "Spike, begin writing. Dear princess Celestia..."
The voice then faded away, as I fell into unconciousness...
