Prisoner, or a blank slate?

Chapters

Its a start
Fuck that, Fuck you!
goodbye trees
Shadows of doubt.

Its a start

Author's Note

One of my first times making a fictional story.
Give me any criticism, please keep most of it useful.
tell me what you thought and what parts were good, what parts were bad, anything about it you liked or hated.
Thanks for reading.
I did write some of it at 3AM. sorry.
Never been in a forest before, sorry, going after the obvious, it has trees.
and I don't know how to make sounds for an angry wolf.
that's all, no editor so sorry for that as well.

Its a start

The air in all its magnificent stillness, forced a taut, sterile feeling, with an aura of anger that seems to perversely seep into every shadow cloaked corner of the room. The soft chilled feeling of air conditioning fluttering across the skin of the judge, jury, and defendant, serving a purpose that only a fool would call “to keep the room cool”. If sounds were emitted, they did not find a recipient, as the whole room froze like stone. The only sounds coming from beyond a door directly behind the gallery, that is, until the words of injustice were spoken.

“Max Talbot, I sentence you to life in prison! For the first degree murder of Jordan Powell. Case dismissed with prejudice” said a empowering black clad judge, holding back an anger of a father missing a son, and whose breath most likely smelled of alcohol. A man who was slumped over behind a desk that made him look as if he was sitting in a box.

Whose face was blurred out by the tears of an innocent man, whose life was turned aside in a false accusation, his life destroyed by a prejudiced judge, whose illegitimate secret son was killed. But not by Max.

Clack!- The gavel spoke, as its head was slammed onto the table.

“-Just like Jordan’s head was slammed onto the floor of your apartment, wasn’t it Max? Of course it was, there’- is no question about it,” were the words that slammed through Max’s head, the lawyer that prosecuted against Max was brutally efficient as he gave Max’s own stuttering, cheap lawyer no way to rebut against him. The prosecutor was now smugly gazing at Max with a look that could only be called greed, a greed filled man that stood tall with shoulders abroad in a way that would make an ox proud, with a suit that clung to his chest forming a smooth curved shape. This was a man of one purpose, business, and nothing would get in his way.

A couple of guards walked over to Max with a certain swagger in their steps, as if they were superior to those around them, their uniforms well fitting and belt tight. Each step sent a clack through the room.

Clack-clack-clack-clack...

Quickly grabbing the chain on the cuffs that bound Max’s wrists together, and placing their hands on each shoulder, one to one, they pulled him up. Leaving marks on his wrists from being pulled, marks that Max didn’t feel due to him being stunned beyond recognition.

“Get the fuck up,” whispered one guard as his hot breath hit Max’s right ear, sending a chill down his spine, “you fucking child murderer!”

“Chill, you can fuck him up later, we’re in public,” the guard on the left whispered behind Max’s head. Max felt the breath tickle the hair on the back of his neck. The courtroom stared at the defendant as the words began to set in, one mother cried in a mix of sadness and happiness, with the false belief that her son was avenged. No one else made a sound, no family for the defendant, no friends, no lover, no one. Almost as if he was non existent in the world. And the room returned to the cold, stale, lifeless form it had before the gavel hit the desk. And the shadows seeped into the corners once more.

Max, was carried out of sight of the public, put into an old dusty squad car, and dropped off at the nearest Police Station where he waited for the prison bus, in silence.

_______________________________

Sounds seemed to blur into existence for me, almost as if I was clearing my eyes, but with hearing. Words soon faded into existence.

“-hing, is he even awake?”

“He hasn’t said a single word since he arrived, and he looks asleep. Can’t use your eyes?”

They’re talking about me aren’t they? Oh yeah, my life is ruined. You know, being framed isn’t as cracked up as it’s made to be.

“Shut Up... Well he doesn’t need to speak to get his ass on a bus, fucking child murderers, how do they live with themselves?”

Yup, that’s me. The really real child murderer! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! SO FUCKING FUNNY! I don’t think so. Kinda sucks really.

“I don’t know, but he won’t be alive very long with where he’s going.”

“Damn right. Ah he’s awake, grab him.”

_____________________________

Protip, prison buses suck dick, and not in the fun way. Don’t end up on one.

That is the lesson Max learned that fateful morning as he was ushered into a bus and told to sit down. The rays shining through the window as the bus drove through the city, all of the people out on the street staring at the bus. Birds singing, leaves rustling, and the permanent scowl and glare of the guard, aimed at Max. The seats were cracked and broken, nearly solid plastic, once fluffy seats now fit to be tires, leaving trails of discomfort along Max’s back. Not that he felt it in the least. The inside of the bus smelled and felt of dust, invading the noses of Max, the driver, and the guard, none of which seemed happy to be there despite the beautiful morning that it was. All in all, a decently well rounded environment.

___________________________________

My god, I'm going to prison, not any prison but Riker’s Island. I'm going to die, fast. Maybe I could-

“Why did you do it?” quietly asked the guard, who sat up straight and stared right at me, his eyes seeming to pierce into my frame, “why did you kill that kid?”

I took several minutes to think, to think of why the hell the bus guard of all people would ask me that. His face almost looking like a slate of sandstone, no movement, and looking like it might crack any moment. With an eye twitching and a face see-

Cough- “Are you going to answer?” he said impatiently.

“Why do you want to know? If I tell you the truth you’ll just reject it, just like everyone else,” I replied, the feeling of utter defeat rushing back into my mind, “I mean, everyone thinks I killed a child, the evidence even makes sense! But I know I didn’t kill him.”

The bus became silent once more, as shadows seemed to push themselves from out under the seats, seeming to spread across the floor. Seeming to push towards my feet, I wouldn't have been surprised if the shadows jumped up and ate the rest of me. I didn’t think I would care. The guard with his somber face would probably laugh at my pain, feeling I deserved it. Who knows, maybe I do?

“If that’s true, keep it to yourself, and try to stay alive. Live the rest of your life the best you can.” The guard said, “But until I’m sure that you didn’t do it, I'm going to treat you as if you did.”

I hung my head in partial shame, I knew that I did nothing wrong, but the feeling of others hate pressing upon my conscious makes me feel guilty.

The rest of the ride would go on into silence, a silence that pressed upon my being in a way that makes me doubt my innocence in the whole view of things.

____________________________________

A little about me is in order. My name is Max Talbot, I’m 32 years old, born and raised in Tucson, Arizona. My parents were killed in a driveby as accidental casualties, as they stood directly behind the target. Their funeral was one of the few times I cried.

I was a weird child from the start, as most are, but I never felt as much emotion as others said they did. When someone would get enraged I would at most be slightly miffed, if someone was happy I would just feel awkward and smile for the crowd. It continued on like this for a while, and while I did feel all emotions, I didn’t feel as strongly as others; this lead to problems with being social, much less getting a date, but at least I was really good at dealing with customers.

I lived in a small apartment doing a desk job, which came after I got out of the Corp. I had attempted to do well in the military, but I didn’t succeed in the fashion that I wished. Because you see, since I made the mistake of letting the Corp select my job, I got infantry. Shittiest time of my life, but it’s better than being a cook I suppose.

My life was good and boring, until I came home one day to the body of a child with his head smashed in on my floor.

_______________________________________

The bus pulled to a stop at what looked to be a heavily guarded bridge, it gave a sinister vibe, maybe it was the way the bridge looked like a lifeless tunnel, despite the openness of the bridge structure. Or maybe it was the feeling of sympathy that the guard and driver both echo’d onto Max, with the guards on the bridge echoing the same feeling, it must have made Max feel like he was in waist deep shit.

The driver of the bus shut the bus off, and as he stood up from his seat, the cushion seemed to stick in the pressured position, he grabbed a stack of files, they looked nearly three inches thick. Opening the creaky door of the bus, he walked out and over to the guard that was in front of a gate and handed him the papers. They talked for a few minutes, seemingly a mix of business and friendly chat.

_________________________________________

Damn this is taking forever, it's almost as if they want to torture me with this waiting. What are the inmates going to do?! What if they rape me? Murder me?! Torture me!? I can't believe this is happening! Is there anything I can do?!

“Hey kid, I'll be staying on the bus until we get you to Rikers, but I think I've changed my mind about you being guilty,” the guard almost whispered to me, with that damn sympathetic look on his face “ in Rikers island they rape, murder, and torture, and you don’t seem like the other killers I've seen, you seem very confused and filled with sadness, so here’s the choice, would you rather get to kill yourself? Or let the inmates do it for you?”

I sputtered and coughed, thinking WAIT WHAT!? He is offering me a way to kill myself! Almost like a mercy kill! Is he serious?

“Are you serious?” The words came sputtering out, nearly jumbling.

“Shush! And yes, I've seen a few people convicted of murder turn out to be innocent get killed in there. I want to help at least one, this is how. Now the driver owes me a favor, and the plan would be to make it look like you staged a coup and caused the bus to hit the fencing on the side of the bridge,” he said in a hurry, he was almost as freaked out as I was “ then you jump into the water, it would be an instant painless death”

I can’t be thinking of doing this! Should I be thinking of doing this? I can’t kill myself, what would my father say?... ‘son, figure it out your damn self’... That didn’t help. Ok so I should weigh the pro-

“Decide quickly! I need to know now!” he rushed.

“Yes!” I yelled in the moment“ thank you so much”

“Shut the fuck up, can you whisper any louder? Holy shit.”

__________________________________

The bus driver came back to the bus, and sat in his chair, and sat there for a minute as the gate opened up. The guard slowly shifting towards the bus driver as he did so. Again the bus filled with a silence as the driver ignited the engine and slowly pulled up onto the bridge, and continued on.

It took a minute of the guard and driver talking, Max got confirmation when the diver turned his head and nodded. The guard sitting back in his seat and the driver sped up. The guard then braced himself.

Max, noticing what the guard was doing, did it himself and waited for what felt like hours until the bus started to drift slowly to the right. Max could feel the concrete under the buses tires, he could feel the air expand in his lungs and his fear lumping into his chest. It was an amazing experience for Max, that is until the bus jerked to the right suddenly.

The bus hit the fence, shearing it out of the concrete, the bus continued, hitting a support beam, stopping the buses momentum. The guard was sent flying into the floor of the bus, he quickly recovered and walked over to Max, who was still in his seat, holding tight.

“We have to get you going! We don’t got long!” the guard yelled, pulling Max to his feet.

“Thank you so much. But can I have your name? Before I go?” Max said in a slight panic, as a feeling of thankfulness pushed its way into his mind.

“Sure,” the guard said as his eyes shifted to an orange and red color, with a crazed mischievous look in them “It’s discord, now get your ass moving!”

_________________________________

SHIT! SHIT! What the hell am I doing? I thought to myself as I quickly limped to the front of the bus, where the windshield was smashed, I climbed through.

The glass cut into my hands, my knees, but I ignored the feeling and walked to the right of the bus where I could look over the edge of the bridge, the water seemingly forever away.

I heard the sounds of sirens and I took a final look behind me to see the smiling guard watching me. Creepy fuck, I thought to myself.

One step and I was falling, a pit forming in my stomach as the water neared, it would be over in a second. Or it would have been over if a red and orange circle something didn’t appear in front of me, I crashed into that instead, and blacked out as soon as I touched it.

___________________________________

The Everfree forest, home to many deadly predators, and very few prey. From hydra to manticore, everything in the forest emits an aura of unwelcomeness and despair, only feeding to the darkness that stretched from the trees, into the soil itself, stretching along massive expanses of deep forest. Giving it an unparalleled silence.

THUMP- was the sound of Max’s body landing, to break the silence.

FUUUUUUCCKKKKK! FUCK! FUCK FUCK FUCK! My leg, why the hell is the world so into hurting me?!

I tried to open my eyes, and slowly but surely they opened, and soon all I could see was gray. Blinking a few times, until things became clearer, I attempted to sit up as soreness pummeled its way into my muscles.

Trees, I was surrounded by trees, of all the things I would see, trees would not be one of them. There was no shore either, no sound of one, someone dragged me here? I looked around and attempted to scrutinize where I was, but I had no idea. The trees seemed to usher a flow of liquid shadows, pouring onto the grass below the canvas of leaves, flowing around and within each individual needle. It was a sight of impurity.

I also heard no sounds, I was always told to listen to sounds when I'm somewhere I don’t recognize. Whether it's the bass of a low rider telling me I'm southside, or birds telling me the place is not actively hunted in, or the cars telling me I'm in a very common area in a city. Sounds are important, and right now, I hear none. No sounds, means no prey, no prey, means predator. Humans are not typically associated with 'predator' in wildlife.

Viewing the shadows, attempting to see through them, with no luck, until a shadow moved. It was more of a shift than a move as if something was waiting for its prey to act.

No sounds, no prey, the only prey near me… would be me. Is what quickly rushed through my head as I frantically looked around for any other signs of predators.

Another shift... two shifts. The shapes were all around me! They slightly moved in and out of perspective. All while staying almost stock still.

There was a tree not five meters away from me, on my right, I could get up slowly and attempted to climb it to get out of the reach of whatever was stalking me, then they might’ve gone away! Another thought, as I slowly stood up, ignoring the pain within my body, and with a spring that only an ex-marine could have, jumped right into the tree and slammed my head right into it.

Grunting and turning around I noticed the shapes begin to move once more, rapidly as of now. A lump of fear balled in my gut, giving me a disliking of what would be to come.

Angry wolf sounds!- the predator's growled and stepped into the visible area, they were dark brown coated wolves, from their muzzle a thick light liquid slowly lowered itself to the ground. The wolves eyes were piercing with their flowing green glow, a neon green smoke poured out of their eyes, emitting a force that could only be called evil.

I scratched up the trees, pulling myself up branch by branch, the tree scratching my arms and hands. The pain only surviving a higher purpose as it motivated me to climb higher until I reached the top. Reaching to a branch and pulling myself on it, I sat on the branch and looked down on the wolves. The wolves circling the tree, one clawing at the side in an attempt to get up. I would find it funny if I wasn’t freaked the fuck out.

The wolves, their fur was the same coloration and texture as the tree I was on!
The wolves look like the tree. The wolves look like the tree! THE FUCKING WOLVES FUR LOOKS JUST LIKE THE TREE! Oh god, where the fuck am I? I’m in a forest that seems to be made of dickatry and despair! The wolves are made of wood?! What the hell do you call these things? Woodwolves? Twigwolves? Timberwolves? What happened to the water!? The bridge? That guard that helped me?

It took what felt like years, but I eventually stopped hearing the growls, whining, and hissing of the timberwolves.

I was so confused, and in so much shock, I blacked out.

___________________________________

I later woke up to find my chest on the ground, under the tree I climbed last night, looking up I saw the scratch marks left behind by the wooden wolves, must be a good inch and a half deep each.It wasn't a dream? Thank god I'm alive. There really are wolves that are made of wood? with eyes, that glow green? I have to get out of this forest. Figure out where I am and how I got here, maybe go back to a normal life under a new name.
And so I picked a direction and started to walk until I found a high spot or a landmark.

___________________________________

Max recited the marching words of wisdom, over and over as he walked for god knows how long,Left... left... left,right,left.Left...left...left,right,left.left...left...left,right,le-

RUARGH!- A solid roar came from the right of Max

the roar shook the leaves, what little amount of birds he had heard, and his mind. No bear roars in that fashion, no wild lions live in America. This must be another new predator, one that Max's internal conflict forced him to search for.

___________________________________

I walked in the direction I heard the roar from, it must be dangerous, so I must obtain information about it! Yes, that is why I wanted to see the au naturale killing machine, for tactical awareness. As I continued my trek into what could possibly have been a trap, I started to notice something about the trees, they were becoming sparser, the ground a little lighter, and more light was shining throughout the forest as I moved in the direction of the beast.

After walking for a considerable amount of time I found myself facing a giant boulder, that went above the canopy of the forest, it was perfect for what I had in mind. I climbed the rock and lowered myself before peaking over the top, and thank the lord I did. It was a field, and sitting directly in the field was a monster, a being with the body of a lion, wings of a bat, and a tail of a scorpion.

A motherfucking Manticore

Fuck that, Fuck you!

Author's Note

A cool editor helped me with this one! he goes by the name Koekelbag!

Fuck that, Fuck you!

Fuck that, fuck you, fuck that, fuck you, fuck that, fuck you, fuck that, fuck you, fuck that
The glorious thoughts of Max were shouted to the heavens as he ran the fuck away from a big monster that would most likely kill him.

fuck that, fuck you… fuck that… fuck you… fuck.
His thoughts ran to an end as the forest started thinning. Appearing as if it was coming to an end, the ground becoming lighter, the shadows slowly stopped flowing through the trees, and sounds of wildlife soon came into reach. Light poured through the splits within the treeline, bringing a pain to the eyes of the marching human.

Max continues a little farther letting his eyes adjust, forcing his eyes open. A field, brimming with chest high weeds, spreading over all visible horizon. The light seeming to fight against the shadows for control over the scene, flashing in the eyes of Max, bringing a sense of beauty that practically poured itself through his mind. The scene distracting Max from-

RAUGH!- An extremely close, and loud, roar cut through his emotions and thoughts, reminding him of his most recent scientific development of a phrase.

Fuck that, fuck you, fuck that, fuck you!

Max continued his hike of survival, pushing through the weeds, hardly paying attention to his surroundings, merely looking into the sky watching as the mix of night and day attempt to press themselves together, each fighting for dominance over the other. Presenting in a way that denied everything he knew about the world.

Max continued with confidence, feeling a mushed ground beneath him. Looking forward, he saw something that shocked him out of his mindless daze and pushed him into absolute wonder.

A tower, made of old stones, Renaissance style! A structure that made sense to only be in one area of the world. Europe, he was no longer in America, he was free! He would just have to get out of europe, travel through the middle east maybe go to Asia, India would be best.

Castles in Europe are almost all museums, he could use the name as a point of reference for where to travel, and in what location he was in. There he could find a path to get where he wanted, and figure out what the hell was wrong with the world. Knowing he couldn't fix it, but curious in the least.

He pushed forward with extra umph, determined to figure out where he was.

Coming to what looked to be the edge of a ravine, Max takes a look at the sizable castle, or its remnants to be more exact. It stands, clearly on the older end of castles, big too, early crusades by the look of it. Structure style is wrong though, but it's most certainly in bad enough shape to be easily 700 years or older Max thought to himself, bringing his sightseeing to a stop to start looking for a way to cross. His sights came to a stop at an old looking rope bridge. Most likely for aesthetics, a castle this size has most definitely not escaped discovery which brought Max to the entrance of the bridge.

I’m pretty sure it’s just aesthetics. Maybe. Testing the first of many boards on the bridge, it held up surprisingly well, didn’t even creak. This information gave a sudden boost of confidence about the mystery bridge, and on his way he went, across the bridge. Going almost halfway before encountering a problem.

Crack-
snap-

_______________________________

A few of the boards behind me fell, one from being too damaged to hold itself up, and the other from having one of the knots holding it snap.

I was frozen in place staring at where the rope snapped with a fear and uncertainty rivaling an NBA coach betting on Shaq hitting a free throw, which made me freeze with anticipation and tension waiting for the fall that would bring me to wheelchair status.

The rope held, and I slowly moved forward, with the decision of not coming back this way. Hurrying across with care, I reached the land and almost threw himself off the bridge. Note to self; don’t cross random bridges, even if they look cool. A very useful note to be brought to all mortals that wish to make a living finding random castles. But almost definitely a one time thing for me.

Getting up from my knees, I looked up. The dark gray stone of the castle filling my eyes to the brim, forcing me to take the details into his sight. Mold coated and infiltrated the stones that made up the walls. And a pair of doors were on the far left of where I was standing.

Those doors look heavy as shit, probably a back entrance to the museum, if it's a museum. This place looks like shit. I thought, moving towards them, scanning the door for any signs of a lock, which to my delight there was none.

I walked in front of it, and put my back onto what looked like a sturdy clean part of it. And pushed, the heavy door must have weighed a hundred pounds at least, but enough alice pack marching gave me the back strength of a horse.

Grrrnn- the left door groaned as it was forced open.

________________________________

Max slipped through the crack he made in the doors, trying not to scrape his back on the rusty casing of the door.

The air was still, dust unmoved but willing to spread through the air at the slightest movement, shadows stalking in the corners, waiting for an apt time to snap and slam themselves throughout the whole of the room. The silence bringing a tautness uncomparable to even the ride on the bus, the memory of an unfavorable deed soaked itself throughout the floors of the room.

Max, looking around noticed none of this, instead noticing the scrap worthy banners that the mere thought of still existing amazed him. Their post rusted and small, but in a rather pristine condition compared to other older ferrous items.

He looked around the room that he could see, his eyes scanning each archway containing doors. The excitement that could be considered giddiness boiled throughout his mind, destroying his thoughts, and making him walk carelessly towards one of the doors. Until the sound of cracking stone caught his attention.

Crack- small bits of stone ground into the ground.

Looking down, Max noticed he crushed one of the corners of a stone tile, halting his movement completely.

_______________________________________

The floor, castles had cellars, im sure they had very thick distances between the cellar and the floor but risking it is a good way to wind up on the back of a milk carton. If I didn’t want to be, and already was, on the back of a milk carton.

I looked further through the room, only to notice that those doors entrapped my attention far more than I thought. This was a throne room, two wide chairs a few meters apart, one with what looked to be blue inked cushions and tapestry coating it, and the other with yellow. Clearly showing two rulers. Through the yellow one was a little higher than the blue maybe the primary rulers seat? Maybe the blue was an esteemed counselor.

I walked up to it and looked at the cushions. They held up way too well, someone fixed them up, feathers don't last that long. The chairs themselves were made of a similar stone that the walls were made of, and they were in almost perfect condition, unlike the rest of the castle.

But the idea that someone could have been here is incorrect, the dust is too hardened on the ground and walls, these floors have not felt the presence of pressure in years upon years. As can be told by the prints my shoes leave on the floor. The only two ways this could have been possible is that these pillows are of a different material, or they have been in near perfect isolation for all these years. But that would have been impossible, nothing is in perfect isolation, most definitely not something like this.

I slowly lifted the yellow cushion and looked for any sort of cut within the material, I turned the surprisingly light and soft cushion over and over in search for a broken seam, and I found one.

Down, this is impossible, no down of any sort could have lasted the life of this castle. What in the hell is up with the world! I need to get shit together, could I be hallucinating? No, the environment is too detailed and i'm too cognative to be hallucinating or in a coma. Maybe, i'm not on earth?... Thats fucking stupid, i’m not putting my chips towards god being pissy.

_____________________________________

Max took no notice of his surroundings as he walked through the throne room, trying to decide which door to go through, all of them beckoning his redneck curiosity. Each pulling at him for him to explore, but the need for identification of where he was at pushed at his conscious.

Looking up, through the cracks and holes in the roof, max saw the tops of spires that reached far above the forest. The perfect high ground, they would be great for looking for any surrounding towns, pathways would be easy to see too.

____________________________________

“FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! I fucking hate old castles. Where the shit is their fucking stairs!”

Walking around for hours can be very annoying if you're not a fan of breathing old dust, but the structural planner of this castle sure was. I was walking around the castle for what felt like an eternity, entering random doors and random hallways attempting to find a stairway that would lead up to the top of the spires.

I was in what could only be described as a library, books lining the walls. Their presence showing two things; the owners were very powerful, possibly the highest power of the nearby land; and that no one has ever been here, nobody could resist bringing a reporter here and becoming the famed explorer that found this motherload. The room's floor was covered in rubble, broken tables strewn about as if there was a fight that happened here. A twenty foot tall broken window was across the room and two doors nearby.

I looked to the left and noticed one of the two big doors, walking towards it and forcing it open, I saw something that has evaded the reaches of my sight for the past three hours. Stairs, the beautiful stairs decorated the small room, stretching straight up to what I presumed to be a watch tower.

I tested the first few steps, to test for any amount of wiggle room, this was the best chance I had to tell where I was. To my eternal delight no movement happened in the least. Testing a few more steps I pushed on, until my confidence in the stairs grew to an average level.

I quickly climbed them, each step taking a little bit of my soul away, until I was nothing more than a soulless husk of its previous self on the edge of a staircase. Panting as I looked around, I noticed I was in a personal study of some sort. Some cushions thrown around, a few book cases on the walls, and a smashed window the size of a wall, with what looks to be some slight remnants of a huge burn mark under a few pieces of glass.

I walked around the room, testing the floor for the chance that it would fall under my weight, which to my good fortune didn’t immediately fall, and walked towards the left of the room.

Pulling out a book from one of the shelves I noticed the paper, more specifically How the hell is the paper not fully roten away, wind has to blow through this tower constantly, it should be nothing more than dust. I thought as I opened the book.

Thump- the book fell out of my hands as I looked at the language that was on it. This is impossible.

Looking out the window I nearly died of a heart attack. I can’t possibly be on earth.

______________________________________

Max stared out the window, light stabbing itself into his eyes, reflecting the image of what could only be considered the dumbest architectural decision to have ever been made. A shining marble castle built onto the side of a mountain, looming over a city of marble itself, an amazing feat that would have been a worldwide phenomenon. This meant one clear thing, this thing was so amazingly hard hitting that Max dropped right then, right there and fell out of the window onto the stone roof below. Causing a low thud that could have been heard miles away.

goodbye trees

Author's Note

This chapter was revised for you by Koekelbag.

goodbye trees

Light slowly scaled the castle walls as the sun rose, replacing the darkness that stilled the air, and filling it with a wild sensation of warmth. Falling through windows, covering the newly exposed insides of the forgotten castle, slowly encroaching on the territory of the roof, and laying on the sleeping body of Max. Who, due to being induced to his daily dosage of trauma was currently asleep.

Fog crawled its way into the abandoned castle of the most powerful leader on the planet, falling into the cracks of the stone, down to the exposed dungeons of the underground, rising to the broken windows that used to be a sign of political power. Invading the lungs of the human called Max, creating an itching in the man's lungs causing him to slowly rise from trauma induced sleep.

Ughhh- Was the sound Max made as he woke up, feeling like shit.

Max survived the fall. Miraculously, he didn’t suffer from any broken bones. They just felt that way, and would continue to feel that way for quite a while. The fall was ‘softened’ with his first impact to the roof, it halted his first session with gravity, and tapped in the second to take its place. Though despite the cheers ushering on session two, it simply could not hold up to the pressure, and did not succeed in killing, or even harming Max.

Max attempted to sit up and take a look around the room, with small bits of rubble surrounding him, and under him.

But while Max dealt with his situation, a group of friends headed towards the castle, all merrily chirping their own tunes of friendship..

________________________________

“Are we there yet? Now? Now? I'm sooo excited - now?” Pinkie asked, bouncing above the heads of her friends, cutting through the air in a manner that should be impossible. Her bouncing leaving two inch imprints on the ground when she lands.

“No Pinkie, and we won’t be there for a while!” said an irritated Rainbow Dash in her scratchy voice, lazily flapping slightly above the ground “just calm down, we are just going so we can see who’s the toughest pony! I'm gonna pick up the biggest and heaviest rock, from the walls!”

Rainbow Dash puffed her chest, flying forward with an unbeatable confidence.

“Called rubble hun, an we'll see ‘bout that, might jus’ have ta’ deal with losing on this one.” Applejack said, walking to meet up with Rainbow Dash. Not nearly the amount of ego flowing out of her when compared to Dash.

“It's not a competition, we are there to fix up the castle, not play around with the remnants of it. Plus, think of the books! I bet there are spells in there that could let me lift the whole castle!” Twilight said, her excitement almost on par with Pinkie’s, the thoughts of ancient knowledge causing her mind to loop in circles.

“I agree with Twilight - that is, we are here to fix it… if that's what you would like to do… ,“ Fluttershy whispered, softly treading behind the group, her voice only being heard because of the dead silence of the forest “oh no, I didn’t mean to seem to pick favorites.please don’t fight I di-”

“It’s okay Fluttershy! We’re all friends, it’s just a competition! After we get back I should start planning for a party! NO! I should plan now!” Pinkie shouted, seeming to jump well above the seemingly impenetrable canopy.

“Oh my, will you dears please quiet down, you’re giving me a headache” Rarity said.

“Sorry... if that's what you okay with you.”

“Sorry sugarcube”

“SHHHH! We are almost there, I can feel it!” Pinkie Pie said bouncing even higher, getting Rarity to stare at her in mild annoyance. Rarity would have ground her hoof, but that would have gotten her coat dirty.

“Is it because it's right there?” Twilight quipped, to which Pinkie nodded.

The castle sat headstrong, with fog rolling throughout, flowing to the edge of the ravine, reminding the six of their first trip to the castle by sending chills down their spines.Some hardened their resolve, some cowered, and some bounced, and the group of ponies walked towards the bridge post, each readying themselves for the scary trip across.

“Alright girls, I'm going to hold the bridge still with my magic, as you all cross. And remember to just stare at the back of Applejack, Fluttershy, don’t look down.” Twilight told the group.

“Okay… are you sure this is safe? It just looks so scary… why don’t I just wait here? Please?” Fluttershy quickly and quietly said.

“It’s okay Fluttershy you got this! Just hop skip and jump! Just don’t jump!” Pinkie said.

“...That doesn’t help”

Twilight carried her friends across the ravine one by one, each of them holding their eyes shut out of fear, her horn lighting up as she picked her friends in a firm telekinetic embrace. The glow around her horn flowed like a mix of lightning and water, power coursing through it and manipulating the world around her.

Sweat dropped from Twilights brow, as she recovered from the slight exertion

“Ready to get carried across?” Rainbow’s scratchy voice asked the faint unicorn, her face showing concern for her friend.

“Yes, just give me a few seconds”

___________________________________

I was in the library, and noticed that the roof was severely damaged, light pouring through the new opening created by my fall.

Remembering the layout of the discovered castle, I stumbled across the room, towards the door leading to a hallway. Once I got to the door I forced it open with my already sore back, groaning in pain as stinging returned to my back. Small bits of flaked rust falling onto my shoulders and head.

-ybe...e...ould...ook...ov...hea… whisper like voices traveled down the hall making me stop in my tracks, the light coming through the walls illuminating the hallway, to which there was nobody to see.

Fog still covering the floor flowed around my legs as I rushed towards the end door, leading to the throne room. The sliver from the door becoming more and more clear as I neared.

The voices became clearer, I thought I could make out four distinguished voices. We shoul… ontinue… ay… may...nd...library.

Shit, the library, I was just in there, I don’t think I want people to find me here. I looked around in a frantic, noticing the cutouts in the wall, similar to the ones that held doors. Rushing over I hid behind the second one in the row behind a tapestry, two away from the library. I would wait for the voices to pass me, but since I couldn’t see anything I would have to rely on sound alone.

Fear emigrated from my chest, to my brain, to my legs. It made me think of all the things that could go wrong, coming up with conspiracies as well. I could get shot, get enslaved! I could- iIm not on earth though, I remember that castle, those creatures! They might not have guns here, especially due to the castle I saw.

Let's go down this hall girls, I can practically feel the book’s presence...What! You can feel stuff through walls too?! No… wait, you can feel stuff through walls? That would explain so much!... No silly! I was just trying to make you feel better.

Feel stuff through walls? A bunch of druggy explorers? How did they make it across the bridge without falling? Thoughts ran through my head, blurring out background noise, feelings across my body numbed, and I thought of nothing but how badly this could go. What felt like hours passed, until I realized what I was doing and forced myself to listen for voices.

Oooh! The library! So much knowledge... is in here!... Thousands of years old!

I nearly jumped when the voices came from the opposite direction than before. They must have passed!

I quickly pushed the cloth off my body and rushed out the hallway door. Into the brightly lit throne room, torches on the walls lit. I ignored my surrounding and sprinted towards the door. Pain coursed through my back as I slammed into the door, pushing it open and running out to the right of the castle in hopes to find a bridge.

_______________________________

“Hey Twilight did you hear that noise? I bet it was a super scary ghost!”

“No Pinkie, it’s just the door openi... Girls, I think we might not be alone here!”

“It could jus’ be some critter.”

“I don’t think so AppleJack, those doors were reaaaaalllly heavy!”

One by one eyes widened, ears laid back and the group then proceeded to erupt into chaos, Rarity and Fluttershy passed out, while the rest of the group started to run around.

______________________________

The sun stabbed its rays on the canopy of the dark forest, shadows withering at the touch. Leaves soaking up the light, so they can further serve a purpose counteractive to it, natural smells poured their way into the nose of Max as he walked, him coming to the conclusion and questions of multiple things.

First, I’m not on earth. Second, They speak english. Third, narcotics are presumably easily accessible here, one of the voices sounded too happy, and another as if they smoked a ton.

But what would the forest be if not graced with the echoing thoughts of Max. This forest is a piece of shit, fuck that tree, fuck that sound, fuck me, that last one wouldn’t be bad really, unless it’s a guy. The pushed down marine resurfaced, reforging itself into Max’s thoughts.

Despite the Corp’s code of living being Hurry the hell up and wait, Max was tiring fast, his injuries adding the insults themselves as he dropped on the side of a tree. The tree pushed and scratched at his back, causing a few miniscule wounds on his back. He let breath after breath out, attempting to relax as bark ground itself on his shirt and in his hair.

It wasn’t long before an inescapable fog pooled into the lungs and eyes of Max, practically forcing him to sleep.

___________________________________________

When I awoke my vision was blurry, and my breathing quickened for a second before I blinked the blur away. The forest enveloped me in a bluish light, the fog seemed to die off, and a morning dew coated every visible edge. Stiffness braced itself along my muscles, mostly my back. Turning my head side to side I stretched while looking around, I noticed that there was an open clearing off to the side, filled to the brim with thorny weeds. Thinking it could be useful for telling the time I stood up and stretched for a second.

Walking over, I decided that the pain was worth seeing what the time of day it was. I pushed through the weeds, their thorns slightly piercing my skin, causing a little bit of blood to draw itself out. But I looked up and noticed that the sun was either setting or rising, but because I had passed out at sundown after running so long in the forest I was fairly sure that it was sunrise. Walking out of the brush I went on my way, continuing the direction I went before. Using trees as supports for the first little while of my march, the bark biting into my hands and giving me splinters and blisters.

After a few hours, the sun rose up and once again attempted to pierce the canopy of the forest but to no avail. The hours of marching coming to an end as I had come to the closing edge of the ravine, it had seemed to stretch for miles, must have been one hell of an earthquake. Might have even been a moat at one point, that slowly eroded into a ravine.

My best of luck would be to travel to one of the closer towns I had seen, get some help, food and water there. The last meal I've had was two days ago, thank the lazy civilian life for the bits of fat I gained, I could easily last another few days without food. Water is an extremely needed item though, my throat has been scratchy for the whole time I've been here, though adrenaline has kept my mind off of it. Walking has worn off every single bit of it though, which has left me with a deadly case of bored annoyance. But, thoughts came back to ask idiotic questions and rid me of my boredom.

I think I'm not on earth, but I know at least some of the residents speak english, are the inhabitants even human? maybe. Do I deserve this second chance? yes. Is this even a second chance? Probably not. Is this train of thought any good? no. Are there shitty fast food chains here? Most likely. What's the government like? Most definitely a shithole which I will be forced to create viva la revolucion. Is there a government? If not I will make a dictatorship or introduce myself as george washington. Can I have sex with the inhabitan- NO! BAD MARINE BAD! FUCKOFF! Can I become a top notch scientist with my knowledge of the world? nope. Can I rip off all of the artist from my world? Why the hell not.

After my utterly useless rant, I took a look of my surroundings once more, trees behind me, to the left of me, to the right as well, but I noticed one very important thing, The trees up ahead seemed to end, light streaking its way through the gaps between trees, heading towards me.

___________________________________________

The treeline to the Everfree forest cut off in a flat line, the forest setting a clear boundary where it was safe, and where you would be hunted. Light shone through the treeline showing the plant life on the edge, inadequately displaying the dangers of the forest. But beyond the light, a solid wall of silence and darkness awaited any foolhardy being to traverse its deadly layers.

Max was coming to the edge of the forest, light blinding his unadjusted eyes. Each step he took towards the edge shook his mind into a frayed state, the real aspect of the position that he was in hitting his mind at that moment. He gripped a tree and leaned into it, breathing heavy and closing his eyes as his vision clouded black. Tension in his head grew until, all of a sudden, it snapped, and the pressure and shock of the situation left his mind.

Wherever, I am is where I am, no reason to overstress myself on an unfixable situation. he forced himself to act, bracing his emotions against a wall of experience. Standing back up to his full height, he continued to the end of the forest fearlessly, while shielding his eyes with his scraped, bruised, and blistered hand.

After his eyes adjusted he observed the view, it was a hilled field, flowers, bushes, and a random tree every once and awhile. To the far left there were fields of trees, as soldiers standing tall, seemingly adorned with riped apples along their coats. The farm had a road leading to what looked like an amish town, with a small population. And to the right there was just hills upon hills. No sight of the white castle anywhere.

I think I'll avoid the town for now, but I do see a stream close to that farm, I doubt the owners will miss a few apples. Hopefully that stream is clean too. Would be a forever echoing thought that would run through Max’s head for times to come.

Shadows of doubt.

Author's Note

Holy mother fucking Jesus on a stick, this piece of shit took me a long ass time, with delays out the ass and a road trip to go with it.
Here you go, once more, tell me what sucked and what was good, if you dare leave that type of comment.
I did use g-docs and found out there are problems with it. might have missed something

Shadows of doubt.

The wet ground depressed under Max’s feet as he headed towards the orchard, the moisture causing his slippers to become slick with each step. The grass pushing around his legs as he trudged onwards, the soreness from his nonstop journey catching up to him, His scratches itching his head aching, and thirst crackling in his lungs.

The orchard filled with healthy, and ripe apple trees, the stream flowing its way through the treeline. The edge of the water splashing as he dropped to his knees, the fatigue further grasping his self. Lowering his face to the water he took a close look at it, the decision of whether the water was safe or not quickly dropped from his mind as he greedily gulped as much of the water he could.

The water cooled his throat and the moisture soothed his lungs, as he drank his fill. His eyes darting upwards, looking at the bountiful trees with the greed of a dragon.

His leg shot forward splashing the stream across his wear, carrying his body towards the tree. The bark a dark brown served as a grip as he pushed himself up to snatch an apple hanging low. Its crispness breaking away to his teeth as he started gnawing at the apple, the divinity of the apple creating greed as he reach up and grabbed several more.

After he finished eating, his mind came to a blank as he realized how amazing the apples were, most assuredly the most crisp, most natural tasting apple he has ever eaten. But as he began thinking he also began realizing that he just stole from a farmer in the middle of nowhere. Oh shit, how fucking stupid am I? The mothafucker that owns this farm is gonna shoot my dumbass. Fuck it, in for a dime in for a dollar.

Grabbing as many apples as he could carry, Max quickly walked off, following the stream towards the town. Looking around in amazement at the natural beauty of the landscape.

____________________________________

“Well darn granny I jus’ don’t think we can afford to keep those hectares of land! If we let the interest grow on the debt, we might jus’ lose the whole farm!” Applejack spoke loudly towards her grandmother, who was shaking her head in hard headed determination.

“When I was a little girl we had that land, and when you have a little girl she will have that land. I won’t sell no land to nopony, an thas final.” The lime green pony replied, stress seeping into her words.

“Granny, you jus’ said you would sell it” a small orange pony told her grandmother while snickering behind her hoof.

“Oh shush, n’ go to your room” the grandmother told her, her eyes narrowing in annoyance as Applebloom grumbled while heading to her room “darn smartplot”

“But granny, we got to sell it!” Applejack spoke sternly to her grandmother, whose face scrunched up in annoyance as Applejack’s voice got louder with each word “This is final! Big Mac and I are the heads of this property now. Im gonna sell that land!”

“Eyyyuuup” A silent, large red pony said in the corner, eyes down and rubbing his foreleg in shame of talking back to his elder.

Granny smith breathed out very slowly and started to shuffle towards Applejack, who slightly cowered in apprehension of being struck, only for the older mare to reach behind her and grab a small cane. It's dark color contrasting with her coat, and the names of all past apple family members along its side, one of the most prized family heirlooms.

“I'll be going for a walk, make sure th’ little one gets to bed at sundown now, ye’ hear me?” The elder spoke, no malice nor joy sewn into her words, as she turned and started to shuffle out of the room, to grab her hat “An’ we better not have no debt left, those darn no good for nothings will get an ax to th’ snout if’n they push for more after it, ye hear?”

“Granny!” AppleJack and Big Mac Shouted out in shock, Applejack’s mouth on the floor while Big Mac’s face emboldened

“While they done somethin’ truly dishonest, they don’t deserve that!” Applejack gave one final shout as their eldest shuffled out of the house. Her voice dying out, as she looked towards her brother, whose face was stone.

“What did I jus’ get us into?” she said, her voice trembling.

“I dunno” A simple reply, yet one that refused to yield to the silence of the mind.

__________________________________

“Thems darn grankids, why can’t they just let me have my land?” She spoke softly to herself as she went towards her prized plot on the land, having a beautiful stream flow through it and many childhood memories embedded into the dirt itself gave it a special place in her heart. “One lass goodbye would do it well”

The midday sunlight poured onto her back as she trekked towards the land, casting a shadow that hardly represented her current shape. The names on the cane seeming to glow, and in her sorrow, she read them off in her mind, the names of the deceased brought back memories of those she played with, met, and watched die on that plot of land. Why couldn’t they jus’ let an old gal rest her soul in her childhood place? Its not like im gonna be around much longer, th’ debt should jus’ go ‘way then.

As the thoughts and memories provided emotions, she hardly noticed when she arrived at her destined location. Her eyes adjusting to the glare of the sun off of the stream.

Her soft gaze wandered the area around her, until she looked at the floor. On the floor next to the stream were apple cores, her apple cores. Someone had stolen her apples and eaten them like a common thief, looking at the apples she noticed that they were not yet darkened, the thief must have been in that spot mere minutes ago.

Looking near the apples for tracks she spotted a couple, the tracks were indiscernible, but obvious depressions. To which she followed with reckless abaddon, around 6 Trots Per Hour.

_______________________________________

Max had been walking for a little while, yet the apples in his arms caused them to burn, despite their light weight. Setting them down on a rock, and sitting next to them, he closed his eyes and thoughts about his life flowed before him. He didn’t even notice, or think about him slowly drifting into the dreamscape.

_______________________________________

So I saw what looked to be a hairless diamond dog, thing looked like it had been starvin’. My feelings turned to feelin’ bad for ‘im an’ all anger jus’ eased off.. I thought about wakin’ ‘im up to ask about my apples, but I decided he needed the apples more than I needed my darn stubbornness.

Shuffling towards the dog, I looked at his supplies and realized he had nothing but some weird fabric, kinda like what that rarity kept calling fashion, and some of my apples wrapped in another fashion.

He was asleep, and looked like he sure as heck needed it, bruises and scratches were everywhere on his body. Poor fella was probably in a fight with some creatures from the Everfree.

I realized I should get ‘im some darn help, he looked like he coulda’ done with a bath, and a bed for the night.

And I began my slow trek back to the house.

_______________________________________

Granny Smith opened the door to the house, the stale air filling her lungs as she heard talking in the other room. She rested her cane in the corner and shuffled into the dining room, where Applejack, Big Mac, and Filthy Rich were talking together.

“-ure th’ debt will go away? My granny is mighty torn over this” Applejack asked, a slight catch in her voice when she told him about her grandmother.

“Absolutely, it will all be covered, as long as we get all of that land.” Filthy Rich said with a mischievous grin, greed filling his mind as he shuffled the papers in his hooves once more.

Applejack sighed and let her eyes drift to the photos of her grandmother in her early years that hung on the wall. Each one filling her with guilt, until she came eye to eye with a short, lime green, old mare, Who wore the face of a well weathered soldier.

“Get outa’ ‘er, now” Granny said with supreme authority towards Filthy Rich, her voice slamming into the minds of the inhabitants of the room, causing Filthy Rich to jump in fright. Her eyes darting towards her grandchildren, she breathed out slowly once more.

“Granny! Wer’ discussin’ ‘bout sellin’ the land, I tol-” Applejack began to say.

“This is far more important, now young feller, get out before I boot ya.” Granny Smith told the guest once more, her face as stern as a bull.

“It’s okay Applejack, I understand she is upset, we will talk later.” Filthy Rich stated with the punctuation of the press, as he walked towards the door with his files in hand.

The door opened and closed with resounding thuds, and hoofsteps could be heard dying off outside. Once they were sure the hoofsteps were not near the house, Applejack vocally apprehended her elder.

“Granny! We need to sell it! ‘Nd we need to sell it now!”

“I understand that dear, but someone needs our help, a diamond dog I think, poor thing looks hurt and starvin”

Applejacks face scrunched up and she took a step back, afraid her ears had betrayed her.

“What! Diamond dogs are slavers! They enslaved Rarity! The-”

“Darn it Applejack! I coulda sworn you were taught better than that, not everypony acts the same! And we help thems that need help! No buts!”

“Eeeyup” Big Mac said, glaring slightly at his gear grinding sister.

“You two can go, but I ain’t helpin’ no slaver! Especially ones that had got my friend!”

“Goshdarn it Applejack! Go buck the darn orchard, we will help the poor feller!” Granny Smith said, glaring with disappointment towards her heir. Big Mac joining her with a glare that near rivaled her own.

“Eeeyup”

Applejack stomped out the door heading towards an unharvested plot of the orchard.

“What's gotten into her? She been actin like this alot lately?”

“Eyup”

“Oh well, ill talk to her later. Go help the feller get to th’ house, ima start him a bath, and be careful he got some of them expensive fashions on him”

“Granny, where is he?” He asked quite slowly.

“Oh darn, he a little down the stream from my plot. Got orange on him, looks like a furless diamond dog, bring his fashion with the apples back too.”

Grunting in reply, and hanging his head low, Big Mac walked out of the house and towards his elders plot of land, intent on bringing back a new guest. Who he hoped, would bring some sort of magic and create civilization to his household.

_________________________________________

I Hadn’t realized that I fell asleep, so when I re-opened my eyes I was face to face with a deep red large ass horse.

WATAFUK!-A sound that would be sheared into Big Macintosh's mind as I threw myself back beyond the stone in fright. My hands gripping the leaves on the ground relaxing as I realized that It was just a horse and nothing else.

Then the horse talked.

“Yall don’ look like no diamon’ dog”

No more PCP for me. Was my dying thought before I passed out from the mix of an elevated heart rate, and a shock that lightning couldn't compare too.

_______________________________________

Light shot to the back of my skull as my eyes pulled themselves apart, my mind seeming to rip inside out as my eyes adjusted to the light. Ears buzzing as I listened, attempting to gauge my surroundings.

My sight came to be sooner than my hearing, I was staring at a dark wooden ceiling that had shadows clinging to its corners and cracks. I slowly began to decipher what I was hearing, forming words that caused my mind and heart to skip.

“-kay?” I heard a deep voice slowly say.

“Whaut?” My amazingly sloppy response to the voice.

I heard a sigh as the voice asked “Are you okay?” very slowly, as if speaking to a very young child and wanting to be understood with no problems.

“Yea, yea” I responded, my voice scratching at my throat as I slowly turned my head in search for the voice “Hey could I ge-”

The red horse from before stared directly at me, its mouth opened and words seemed to come out.

“Could you get what?” It asked in a very gruff, deep, and slow voice.

My head jerked back, to slam into a cushion, my heart revved and went a hundred miles. My legs kicking out and landing on the floor as my arms pushed my torso up.

Standing up and backing away as fast as I could, attempting to flee the premises, I tripped on the step of a previously unseen staircase, falling onto my ass and hitting my head against another step.

Aughhh “What the hell!” My senses bursted into action as I hit my head, taking into my sights a wall of pictures, a table and sofa, and a red horse staring at me with what I could only determine to be a mix of befuddlement and amusement.

“Take it slow bud” The red horse said as he walked towards me, resting a hoof on my shoulder as if to calm me down, or a preemptive to subduing me.

I froze in place as I tried to calm down, my breathing tough, and my mind blowing up with thoughts. My hands gripped the steps and soon turned chalky white as my breathing slowed to a more normal rhythm.

Reaching out with my hand, I felt the hoof that was resting on my shoulder, trying to confirm if it was real.
When my hand came into contact with the hoof I paused, then tried to pull it off my shoulder. Seeing what I was trying to do, the red horse pulled his hoof back and let it fall to the floor, making a thump as it landed.

“H-how? How are you talking? what?” My stuttering voice spoke, it cracking near the end.

The red horse said nothing and merely stared at me, I soon zoned it out as I remembered how I got here in the first place, and what here was. Wait, I was condemned to death and now im free, im not on earth. Horses talk, and im not on earth. There is no reason to panic, im going to enjoy this, even if im in a coma. My panic slowly developed into wonder as I began to think of all the other possibilities that could exist here.

“So” my voice doing a 180 “How are you today?”

The horse blinked in confusion at my sudden personality change. “Fine, you?” a simple yet curt reply bounced back “You ‘k?”

“Yea Im okay, im doing better than okay! I escaped death! Im on an unknown world, with an unknown environment. My inner indiana jones is tingling!” A practically frantic reply shoved its way out of my mouth and into the ears of the recipient, two feet away.

Hopping to my feet, ready to adventure. I fell flat on my ass as a sudden pain arched through my back, the pains from earlier coming back with force. My stomach growled in hunger, and my throats dryness made itself known.

“Got a bath for ya’ some food n’ water too, ill grab some food”

Merely nodding my head, my intentions of adventure long forgotten as hunger and thirst caught up in my mind. I slowly moved back over to the sofa, taking in the finer aspects of the house and its inhabitants.

Creaky wooden floors, simple yet elegant furniture, and polished woodwork that light gleamed off, pictures of horses in poses and groups clustered along the green and red walls. The couch a deep green, with a nice feeling pattern woven into its cushions. The red stallions fur was matted around the neck, he was probably a work horse.

My gut stung as I waited for food, twiddling my thumbs until he got back.

“Here y’ go” an unnoticed stallion spoke from the right, in his mouth was my jacket that held the apples I had taken from his
orchard.

“Hey, im sorry I stole some of your apples, I was ju-”

“I understand” I was cut off before I could continue apologizing.

Undoing the knot holding the apples within, I tore into the first I could grab, its juices falling down my chin, and onto my chest, Then came a second, and a third.

“Ith it jusht you?” I said while finishing the third apple.

“Nnnyope, granny is making the bath, and my sis if out buckin’ apples” he said while eyeing the staircase “Checkin’ on granny, be back”

_____________________________________

Max found my eyes wandering to the pictures, each one giving a scene of joy that he attempted to play in his mind. his face scrunching up at one that displayed an out of the blue pink horse with all of the earth colored ones.

His eyes came to rest on the door, and a damn good question entered his mind, softly speaking to him its tone akin to a temptress. Why, do I have to stay here again?

Finding no answers within, he slowly sat up once more, being careful and preparing for the pain. When he became well adjusted he slowly stepped in the direction of the door grabbing a stick that was set in the corner, the door providing no resistance as he walked out of the house and onto a path that seemed to stretch well within the orchard.

The sun was setting with vigor, and it could be seen in the distance that the small town was beginning to illuminate itself as it prepared for the night. The air slightly warm and rapidly cooling off as the sun fell and the wind flew. the trees offering slight protection from the sun as it slowly receded into the horizon

The dirt road crunched under the feet of Max as he walked. His shirt with the apples in one hand, and his other using the stick as a cane to assist him in his adventure towards the town.

A smile crept on his face as he started to jitter in anticipation and wonder, his distraction allowed an apple to fall out of the shirt, with max’s ignorance.

And so he went his way.

_________________________________________

“When I jus’ come down he wa’ gone!” Big Mac told his granny, irritation present and clear.

“So, yer tellin’ me, tha’ feller jus’ upn’ lef’?” Granny Smith said slowly, annoyed and worried for the creature that left her abode in his current condition.

Granny smith walked towards the door, reaching out into the corner that held her family heirloom, only to grasp air. Her eyes shot open and her mouth dropped as she looked around for her cane, and when nothing came up she scowled something fierce, her eyes narrowing and her jaw set.

“Tha’ darn feller stole mine cane, darn thief he was.” She said while slowly walking towards the door once more “getere Mac, wer gonna’ get this feller, and my cane”