What now? (88 story)

dayne's picture
( This story takes place over the last days from when she got attacked. She's pretty down, so please if you don't like 'emoness' I would avert your gaze. )



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...What time was it? I had forgotten. Asleep- yes.. I'd been sleeping. Where...? Where was I? It was too blurry to see. A internal fog hazed my vision. Red.. Blurry red. What was this? The smell of something foul. Slowly I raised my head, and right from the moment it moved I knew it was a mistake. Vertigo. Everything whirled around me and I was forced to drop my head harshly to the ground. My eyes squinted as the sickness went away. Light. Light was filtering through my mask.. but how? I looked. Cracks. How had I gotten those.. Why was I sick? That odor filled the air. I had smelt it once before.. it was the same smell that had flooded my nostrils when I first took my breath into the world. A metallic smell. I looked through the small eye sockets of my mask. A rock lay near by, or was it a rock? I couldn't tell, it was still hazy. I slowly lowered my head down on it, causing my mask to lift away from my mouth. My lips parted as I went to lick a spot on my chest- a spot that was hurting. Right as soon as I did, a taste.. a taste oh so familiar. A metallic taste.. This was blood. As my mask slowly slid back over my head I looked lost. Eyes empty as I lay stranded and alone. I was bleeding. I was cold.

..Was I dead?

No... that couldn't be. I heard the sounds of the forest. Deer in the distance bellowing, fawns and their endless bleating. A forest of endless things... With so many inhabitants in the forest, you'd think one wouldn't be able to be alone.. but no. Here lay a doe, cold and alone. Most likely on the brink of death. Paralyzed. What had happened.. I had forgotten. Someone caused me this pain. Why would someone do that? What had I done? I seemed almost in shock, my gums had turned pale and my eyes had lost that living shine. Was I dying? I didn't know. How long had I been laying here? Who knew... Who also knew how many deer had passed my slowly declining body and hadn't cared? Did anyone care? Or had everyone been too caught up with their own needs? I looked out, helplessly. There was nothing I could do. Sleep.. sleep my mind said. The more you sleep, the faster you heal..

"...Where am I?" my voice whispered. I was standing. However.. I was small. I felt weak and defenseless. However.. next to me, warmth. What was this warmth? Looking to my side, A taller figure stood there. A doe. This doe was familiar.. my mother? The doe looked softly down at me, her antelope eyes staring with a motherly gaze. "Why, my beautiful little 88, we are in the forest. Can you not see that? Don't you recognize it? We have been living here for at least two months, dear.." ..Mother? Mother was dead. This wasn't my mother, was it? Everything was hazy. A foggy clouded world where everything looked happy. I heard the sounds of the pond. The frogs with their daily song and the popping noises of the koi coming up for their meal. Slowly I walked toward the sound. Water. Cold liquid lapped against my furry hooves, and down I stared, to drink. However, before I could drink, I noticed something.


..I was a fawn.


"...This can't be. I am not a fawn, I am a grownup... where am I? Why am I here?!" My mind spun. Then it hit me. Sleep.. Had I been asleep? Was I dreaming. Yes... I was dreaming. Mom let out a rushed moo, telling me to hurry up. Cautiously, I slowly departed the water I had called my friend, and followed the enigma that was my mother. The only mother I remember. My mother.. she was a beautiful doe. She wore a mask, a beautiful mask. It was of a bird.. a peacock? Maybe that was why I was so fond of that mask. My mother.. my mother had the same pelt as me. An antelope. After all, she was indeed an antelope after all. Antlers.. yes, my mother had them. Antelope. They were long and they jutted backwards. She still kept her ladylike appearance. Dad... I remembered him only faintly. A mask that made a whistle, and a pelt that was the darkest of browns with stripes the goldest of gold. Was that why I followed.. him.. around? Was that why I so eagerly did as he asked? How I so eagerly learned? My father had antlers. The same as my mothers. Antelope. He had been strong, was my mother still with him..?


Yes.. she was. As we arrived, there he lay. He lay amongst the middle of his herd, strong and proud. My eyes opened farther, and I let out a small bleat as I trotted forward to rub affectionately. He returned it, and ushered me to lay next to him. I did. We lay there, and mother came to greet him. She lay down near us. Between them, I slowly fell into sleep..

My body was jolted awake by a sudden flash of pain. I cried out in sudden fear. Looking wildly around, I noticed I was awake.. I was back into the normal world.. And my vision was no longer blurry. My tongue was dry, and I was dying of thirst. Slowly, my body arose. One hoof under my body, two. They lifted. My body's weight pushed on them, made them cry out, but with all of their strength, my legs lifted me into the air. I stood, dazed, staring around, squinting from my mask. Something.. something was different. Maybe it was the puddle of blood beneath me. Maybe it was the stains of blood on my chest. Or maybe it was the feeling of something I'd never felt before- need. A need for food, for water, for.. friendship. My leg lifted, taking its first step forward. I wobbled. I winced and quickly retracted the leg. The other one came forward, and I slowly began to limp towards the pond. My nose trembled with scents, overflowed. I was trying to find the smell of the pond. It... was almost impossible. Deer. Blood. Scent markings. The faint scent of the pond was there.. but I was too confused to find it. Where.. where was it? I concentrated harder. No... I'd have to use my memory. I walked in the direction where I thought was the pond, wobbling. I passed many deer, most standing, shocked, at my condition. I ignored their glance. They hadn't noticed before. Why notice now? Fawns ran up to me, but as soon as they saw the blood, they scurried away. I... was I a monster now, wasn't I?

As the pond came into view, my pace quickened but my limp intensified. As I reached the pond, I collapsed into a laying position and lay my head in the water, drinking water from the side of my mouth. Walking had taken all the energy from me. Nearby.. reeds. I moved my head over, and my tongue reached toward them and ripped them fro m their roots, to bring them into my mouth. I did this for what seemed like hours. Thirsty.. Hungry... but still, lonely. I finally rose. Limping, I looked for somewhere to go.. somewhere to hide.. somewhere to rest. But.. a noise. A smell. The smell of the devil. My eyes quickly darted toward an approaching figure. No name hung above his name to tell who he was. It brought it back to me. A nameless.. I had fought one. I had protected precious Zero. One of them gave me these wounds. Gave me this pain. However. I would not attack. He came closer, and then my hooves dug the ground. I took off in a gallop, but half way through the pain in my leg became too strong, and I tripped. I landed flat on my face and tumbled quite a ways, landing painfully on the ground. I cried out in distress. But no one came.. I had no hero. I was alone. Quiet, sad, and alone... So I slept.

I awoke the next day, I presume. I was not thirsty. I rose swiftly and trotted toward the Blue Bowl, my safe haven. My limp had worsened and so had my condition. Running had worn me out... so there I lay, ready to doze. But someone came.. a familiar smell. It wasn't... him, but it was another friend. Crowe, I believe.. he came to me. He lay near me to comfort me. I appreciated his gestures. I slept quietly with him beside me. He would protect me. I however, woke to an angry sound. He was fighting back a nameless. He was protecting me.. Crowe, this nice fellow who I had only met a few days ago, was putting his life on the line to protect me. Did he care about me? Obviously.. but, was it true? Or was it just a simple act to suck up to me, to act strong? I didn't know.. but as long as that heathen was pushed away, I would be fine. I fell asleep again, and awoke to be alone again. Alone.. always alone, wasn't I? The next day I saw him again. He told me I should rest. I trusted him. I took his advice. He took me to a safe place- the graveyard. A tree in a rubble corner where no one could see me. I sleep there, and he protected me. Did he care?

As I awoke again, he was gone. I still heard him, but he was far away. With others? No one else was around. Was I alone, again? Had I been forgotten, again? I arose. I limped to the pond and drank. I then limped my way to the blue bowl, where I sat, alone. I stared down at the ground below me, my eyes welled with tears that fell the soft sockets of my broken mask. I made myself small. I coughed, I was sad. Depressed. I bellowed for friends, for someone to come comfort me, but none of them came.. none of them cared. "I hate this.. I hate being alone... I don't like this feeling... the feeling of being weak. Why can't I just toughen up and face life? Do others sense that I am trouble and that drives them away? I... I don't like this feeling." I bellowed more. No one came. They didn't care, did they? No.. no one cared anymore. As all the tears fell from my ducts, I slowly limped myself back to my spot in the graveyard and fell asleep, a gentle, gentle sleep...

I awoke.. and heard something, loud. A bellow. A familiar bellow. As I raised my head.. there he was. He stood in front of me, sniffed me and nuzzled me. I didn't raise, I returned it while lying down. I had no strength to get up. He moved away and stood proudly on the ruins above. I stared at him. All the while, I felt safe. Did he care? Maybe. I wasn't sure yet.. however, I closed my eyes and let my body drift to sleep. Maybe when I awoke he would still be there.. however, there was a good chance he would have left..
Unplugged's picture

Very intriguing, can't wait

Very intriguing, can't wait for the ending. I'd love to read more from you. Laughing out loud
Edit: Wow, the second part really caught me. Sounds like 88 needs her friends more than ever. I love the way you described her feelings.


ocean's picture

She is in bad shape, isn't

Shocked She is in bad shape, isn't she? o.o
Anyhow, very nice. :3 Now I can track it. xD
dayne's picture

Finished! Emo 88 is

Finished! Emo 88 is emo.

However, thank you guys. <3 I really appreciate it.

She was in bad shape, from being chased by multiple nameless, and a stag that was known for randomly attacking, while hurt, so she just kept declining. However. She's resting more now, so she's getting better. :B

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Verycrazygirl's picture

I'm sure this he dude must

I'm sure this he dude must care very very much. Shocked

Poor 88. Excellent writing piece though! 8DDDD

ocean's picture

Reading it now. x3 I think

Reading it now. x3 I think we all know who MY emo character is. xD

Ahh. Nameless are attracted to her, I think. That's good. LIIIVE 88! xD

[e]: Read. Poor thing, though I liked it.
*pushes The Fawn away as she tries to say something*
I don't think it'd be good, somehow. >>
*pets 88's friends and 88* xD
CynicalTabby's picture

Baaw. D: Crowe was not

Baaw. D:
Crowe was not trying to show off, he was trying to keep her safe. XD Gawd knows what Virgil would do to Crowe if Crowe was around to protect 88 when there was a nameless, but he didn't. :B
alsoiknowwho88likes

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Thank you Padlock and Sablekat! <3
dayne's picture

Thank you guys! I really

Thank you guys! I really appreciate all the comments! <33

Also 88 doesn't know that Crowe wasn't showing off. 8D She's all tired and confused so she doesn't know what to think of everything. XD Don't worry, I knew he wasn't. <3

And of course everyone know who 88 likes! That frog!

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CynicalTabby's picture

I want to write about Crowe

I want to write about Crowe now.
Of course! XD
Crowe wants to hang out with 88 more, but ever since she told him to stop following her he doesn't want to get on her nerves. :B

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Thank you Padlock and Sablekat! <3