Tearing through the air at 100 miles per hour at around 20,000 feet was the standard way most operations started for me, but this time is different. The sky is not its peaceful blue riddled with puffs of clean-white clouds, and the air is not refreshingly cooling as it usually is from so high up. Rather, the sky is an intense and brazen mix of reds, oranges, and yellows; even the most skilled artists would have difficulty recreating its entrancing beauty. The air was warm and heavy, and that was when the stark realization struck me. I am no longer on Earth, for I had just seen 2 celestial bodies shining in the sky.
I am now beginning to approach the ground, which was becoming closer and closer with each passing moment. A vast jungle covered the landscape that seemed to stretch on indefinitely. I cannot find a clearing, and so I brace myself for a harsh landing in the canopy of the trees. My parachute automatically opens as I speed into the tops of the trees. They rush by me in such a blur I only slightly notice the bizarre colors emanating from them. It was not until I crash into one of the larger trees and fall to the ground that I actually observe my new strange environment.
The plants are not luscious and lively greens, but glow with neon colors of different assortments. All of the trees, grass, and all the plants have an acute glow that stung the eyes after a while. There are bright hues of blues, purples, and whites that remind me of the skylines in the great cities of America. I find myself lost in the captivating glow of all of these extravagant colors completely surrounding me. It is after so long that I realize I must keep moving. While it is an astonishing sight, I cannot remain in the vivid palette of colors for much longer.
I proceeded through the wooded labyrinth on this curious new world, and paid close attention to the miniscule features of the area. The various and peculiarly shaped footprints in the ground, and the many large scratch marks engraved into the trees I passed by. Something is off. Even the air seems to take on a different feel, as if it suddenly grew fearful and ran away, leaving me breathless. I do not know what I might encounter on this bizarre planet, but the obvious signs of damage to the timber and features of the environment I see make all the more apprehensive to continue.
I press on, and finally reach a clearing in the tangled underbrush of the jungle. It’s then that I see the source of the damage of the forest. A monstrously large creature in a deep sleep was slumbering in the center of the clearing. It is covered in a dense fur, and colored an ominous black with traces of bright red blood in certain places. It is too far to be carefully examined, and I creep closer to get a more detailed look. The strange animal has large golden claws tipped in fresh blood that stuck out from a paw the size of my head. Without noticing, I step on a stray branch and the crisp crunch sound of the branch awoke the creature. Its eyes shot open, displaying it bright green eyes with cat-like corneas. I stand, frozen in mortal fear, as the eyes of the monster locked with mine. I do not know what will happen next, but I fear for my very life.
No comments:
Post a Comment