.......:The day was ragged, the clouds and their presense overwhelmingly obvious as they sputtered overhead, crossing the sky as fast as the wind could carry them. It was the first thing I saw when I awoke, my body screaming in agony, preventing any sort of attempt to move. My heart was stinging like fire, the pain coming in excruciating waves. I opened my mouth, letting out an exasperated breath, trying to keep the obvious pain within me. The clouds continued to carress the sky, leaving passing shadows to follow them upon the forest floor. I let my eyes wander, trying to get them into some sort of focus. I let out another breath, exhaling before quickly drawing my breath.
"What? Does it hurt? Oh poor, sweet Wudiin. Mother is here to care for you." I closed my eyes again, leaning against the cold earth, drowning in the dark grass.
"Now, now. My child, your mother only does this for your own good. Poor mother doesn't want his dear son to just wander off doing whatever he pleases. Your mother wants to make sure her son is in control of his actions. What your mother would give for her son to at least have a little more manners in his heart!" I opened my eyes, glancing dreamily across the land. Another typhoon of pain crushed my chest, and I let out a heaving breath, curling into myself. The pounding. Louder. Louder. I bit my lip, listening to the echoing voice in my head, squinting my eyes shut quicker than I had opened them.
"You are hiding, poor child? Oh, Wudiin. Stand up, that pain is nothing. I cannot have my son so weak that he lays upon the ground as the world passes him by. Child...." Gathering up all my strength, I left the cold ground, the forces of gravity fighting to push me right back down. It seemed as if hours had past before I managed to stand, and I tried to hold my head high despite the crippling pain in my chest. Louder.
?*?
