Chenaniah's ear twitched and he slowly awoke. His eyes blinked drearily. A strange feeling was in the air. It was too busy. The birds were too excited. Why would...

The Epiphany! He remembered now. Today the twin gods would visit the forest. Today they would perform!

Chenan eagerly arose and trotted toward the statues. Then he stopped. Deer. Far too many deer.



Of course there would be a party. He was, after all, not the only deer in the forest. How many were there? Could they see him?

His heart jumped and he began to run... no. No, not this time. This time he would not be that stubborn. He wanted to see the gods. They had painted this forest. They had grown the flowers and shaped the rocks and gave the birds their voice. He HAD to see the gods. Nothing would stop him.



Chenaniah sat down by a tree. He was far enough away from the deer. He could see the statues... but the other deer wouldn't be able to see him. He hoped.

Time dragged on as more and more deer joined the dance. Chenan moved along the outskirts of the party, observing each deer. A fawn and a great green-scaled stag danced on the end. Eventually they moved off. A black skeleton doe with a grinning mask lay between two dancers. Another skeleton, a stag with trumpets instead of antlers, reared and laughed with a butterfly-pelted deer. A small party of stags stood off by themselves, bowing and nuzzling one another. Red, brown, gray, orange, black, white. Many deer. Many faces. Many stories and hopes and dreams. Such diversity painted by the gods. He was one of the many colors... if only he could join the dance.



Chenaniah began to droop and curled up on the edge of the hill... far from the nimble dancing hooves. He fell in and out of sleep... not sure what was dream and what was reality. Excitement pounded away in his heart. Today he would meet the twin gods.

A change in the air. Chen jerked awake.

Long red shadows swept over the land. The sun was setting. Fast. Then darkness. Bouncing pictograms in the night. They were coming.

THEY WERE COMING.

Chenaniah's pounding heart was deafening. He couldn't see the dancing deer now. All his fears were focused on the statues.

And then on the glowing light that arose from within them.



The deer erupted in what could only be cheers. Chenan burst into song. It was all he knew. He was a singer, and he would give the gods his song.

A bubble appeared around the statues. He dashed to them, amid the excited stampede. Lights flared as running and dancing deer brushed his side. He didn't care. He didn't care who touched him. The twin gods were here!



Colored walls of light rose around him. Rainbows zig-zagging through the forest. One of the paths of light went through him. Straight through his body. He leaped with joy at the sensation. He sung louder as lightning flashed from the sky. He raced towards it, his fear completely gone. His laughter and joy had escaped from their prison.

Yes. Yes! There was a giant deer behind the statues! He had to touch her... just to touch the gods...




Then something pulled at him. Tugged him back. He was moving away from the statues! Weariness began to overtake him. His legs quivered and his eyes began to close. He curled up on the ground.

"NO." He screamed silently, "Don't do this to me! Please let me... let me...!"

NOOOOOOOOOOO.

And then, in a puff of black smoke, Chenan had left the Epiphany. And the deer ran. And the gods rose into the sky. Chenaniah had been left behind.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

UMYEAH.

The Abiogenesis was at 10 AM in my part of the world. I was in school at the time, but I had my laptop with me... and my 2nd class was a study hall from 9:30 to 10. I decided to at least try to see something of the Abio in that study hall (I did my homework first, sillies.)

Chen has never seen an Abiogenesis. I thought maybe going to one would make him a bit more social. He seems to get easily excited.

Well...

All he got to see were rainbows and some lightning. And then the bell rang. IT WAS LIKE DEATH.


UUUUUGGGGHH.


I WILL NOT.

MISS.

THE NEXT ONE.

>:C