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...

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