Paradise
Chapter 3: New Digs
Previous Chapter Next ChapterWell would ya look at that... this one is shit as well, but better and I get an idea of what I'm doing after this.
“Uuuuuuggggghhhhhhh….” I groan from my face down position on the floor propping myself up with on arm slipping the helmet off and bringing my hand to my forehead feeling the relatively small cut on my head from the ballistic two by four, the crunch of broken glass sounding whenever I move.
Rolling over onto my back the early morning sun shining into my closed eyes I bring my hand up to protect my eyes from the assault the sun launched to further make my day worse. “Alright mother nature you got one and I got none, you win.” I moan just laying on what I hope is still the floor connected to my house. “Fuck how did I make it through that?” I question moving my hands around the floor around me patting it “It seems the old cabin made it through as well.” I rub my face. “That or maybe I’m just layin’ on the floor in the middle of a field somewhere, fuckin’ hope not.” I hope laying my arms at my sides.
“Well time to see how much of my house is left I suppose.” I mumble fluttering my eyes open and looking at the still attached ceiling further letting my eyes adjust to the light. “Well ain’t that strange.” I say looking all around the cabin only seeing misplaced items that were thrown around during the storm “I mean this is fuckin’ awesome, but the last time that a person was sucked up into a tornado they ended up killin’ a witch n shit.” I say standing up and inspecting the cabin closer still only seeing thrown around items.
“Hell I’ll take it.” I say laughing while finishing my inspection with a nod satisfied with the low amount of damage before walking over to the two by four and picking it up “I am going to cut ya up and burn ya though, ya little twat.”. I say throwing the board out of the broken kitchen window turning to walk away before my eyes shoot open and my body goes on autopilot making me practically push my face out of the small window, “What in the hell…..”
Looking past my humvee at the very green leaves on the trees that are two hundred or so yards away from the cabin I rush to my door frantically trying to open it finally unlocking it, throwing it open, and stepping outside still in my clothes from the day before.
Feeling the warm summer air on my skin and hearing the birds chirping I spin around in a circle to absorb my new surroundings stopping as I look at a very small wooden bridge that crosses a fairly wide stream on the other side of the property. “WHAT THE FUCK?” I yell grabbing my hair and pulling on it my brain not processing the new location my cabin and humvee now reside in. Okay calm down there Hank, we’re in a new location that looks like it’s right out of a page of National Geographic or possibly off a postcard, but that’s no reason to get worked up is it? Just look no smoke, sounds of death, and dying trees. All that’s here is you and nature, that sounds good doesn't it?.. the still rational part of my brain says making me take a deep breath to calm myself down.
“Okay, so.” I calmly say taking in my current location “Me, my cabin, and my fuckin’ truck are in what looks like a twenty acre clearing, in a very dense forest, that has a very refreshing mountain brook lookin’ thing in it after being picked up by what could've easily been a EF4 twister. Oh yeah and it’s goddamn summer now. Did that fuckin' shit biscuit of a board put me into a coma and make me sleep through winter? Cause if it did that’s some rick grimes level of bull shit right there” I say venting my frustrations still pulling my hair. “And---AND nothing is broken or missin’, other than my kitchen window which is in a million pieces!” my rant suddenly stops as I remember a very important and fragile part of my cabin that I happened to leave on the roof during the storm. “God please tell me the solar panels are alright.” I plead slowly turning around and looking up, “THANK CTHULHU!” I yell falling to my knees, and my arms shooting up into the air.
“Okay, I think I’m done with my quarterly freak out, my quota has been filled.” I say putting my arms back down and standing up, “Now all I gotta do is figure out where I am”. I say walking towards the door to my cabin before the blue tarp covering the lean to catches my eye, “Or maybe I should check if everythin’ really is still here.”
Struggling to push the tarp away I grab it and pull accidentally ripping it free from the nails holding it on, “Shit.” I mumble throwing the tarp to the side and stepping into the cluttered shed making my way over to where the dismounted Fifty is on the workbench next to my old forge my grandpa had seeing it’s almost moved it’s self off the table.
Grabbing the gun I tense my muscles preparing to move the eighty pounds of freedom, with a unneeded grunt I pull the gun off of the table making myself stumble backwards from the lack of weight. “Woah, what the?”
I say moving the usually heavy gun around in my grip without it’s usual amount of strain. “This thing is a lot less heavy than usual.”
Setting the fifty backdown on the workbench I walk over to a steel forty five pound weight I once used for target practice and grab it with my right hand and start sliding it off the shelf.
The weight slides off the shelf and I just stare at it quizzically as I hold it out at full arm's length without much effort. Now forty five pounds is not that much but with a thing called leverage the further things are away from the body the heavier they are and the shorter you’ll be able to hold them before your arm gives out. What I’m getting at is that at full arm’s length I’m holding this near fifty pound weight like it weighs twenty pounds.
“That’s not normal.” I say switching the weight to my left hand, it being a little heavier due to my left not being my dominant arm but it still not being anywhere near the strain it usually would be. “Did I not notice the gravity being less?” I question setting the weight down and walking outside. Starting into a run before pushing off with my legs and jumping up, my eyes go wide as I go way higher than average. Waving my arms in the air I land and stumble forward before going into a roll and correcting myself.
Standing from my crouched position I look behind me and look at the distance I covered. “That must be twenty feet.” I say looking at where I started to where I landed “Not to mention how high I went, way above what I could do before.”. I say thinking out loud backing up again before running forward and pushing off again.
Stumbling forward and rolling again because of my less than flawless landing I once again turn around looking at the distance I just cleared amazed. “Okay I musta just jumped five feet in the air and went twenty feet. What. In. The. Hell?” I say walking towards the door and leaning against the wall next to it. “Is the gravity less now too, or am I fuckin super hero now?” I think rubbing my face “.No, If I were a superhero I’d be able to lift cars n shit, and I don’t think I can do that.”. I look over to my humvee before walking over to it and lifting up will all my might it only moving up a inch or so. “Nope, not gonna happen.” I say walking away from the humvee and back to the shed stepping back inside before grabbing a mountain bike I have and easily lifting it with one hand. Setting the bike aside and going for a toolbox full of old heavy wrenches and such I lift it without much trouble before setting it down and going to the next thing and the next.
After lifting almost every object in the lean to with the same results, everything weighs a whole lot less, I make my way to the corner of the shed where a small brown tarp is covering one of my greatest projects. Carefully pulling the tarp away I uncover my project, “The 1969 450 honda scrambler” I say smiling and rubbing my fingers down the gas tank. “can’t wait to get that engine of yours purrin’ girl, but it may be a while.”. I frown realizing I might have to put off my project further due to the circumstances I seem to have found myself in before grabbing the mount the engine sits on and wrapping my hand around the top of the seat squatting down a bit.
“One. Two. Threeeeeee--”. I grunt using my legs and back picking up the bike before walking backwards out the shed and into the sun setting the bike down and deploying the kick stand dust flying. “You’re still a heavy one there girl but fuck, you’re suppost to weigh fourhundred pounds and I know I couldn’t lift four hundred like that before.” I say panting from the strain the weight of the bike put on my back. “Well that settles it, gravity ain’t working right.” Walking back into the cabin I start to wonder What if I ain’t even on earth no more? I think looking out of the broken window. I can’t really worry about that, I’m still alive, still have all my things, and I guess I’m stronger now too. All that stuff is good so I’m not gonna question it, what I do need to worry about is getting this place cleaned up. I turn around around finishing my thought and looking at the one room cabin “Fuck, this is gonna be a lotta work, looks like a damned twister tore through here.”
<><><> An hour and a half of cleaning, reorganizing, and music later<><><>
“Well, glad that’s over.” I say relieved that I’m finally done with cleaning the cabin and checking if everything is still in working order walking over to a rectangular mini fridge that I pulled out of a wrecked camper, “Let’s see what I got.”. Opening the door to the fridge I’m met with a few bottles of premium liquor I prefer cold, and start to look through the fridge for my special stuff. “C’mon I know I had like seven of those left.” I say getting impatient and opening the lower drawer to the fridge, the cans clunking around inside as I do, “There you are my pretties.” I say mocking a witch’s voice grabbing one of the seven arizona green teas I keep for special occasions and holding it up. “This is gonna be refreshin’ as fuck!” I say enthusiastically taking the stereo with my phone plugged into it and my tea outside.
Jumping up onto the top of the humvee in one motion and stumbling a bit. “Still not used to that yet.”. I remark setting the stereo down on the roof then taking a seat myself, “Let’s see what’s on here.” Scrolling through my phone I say before picking a song “Tom Petty never disappoints.” I state poping the tea open with a faint crack from the escaping pressure.
Taking a sip of the tea I happily sigh laying my back closing my eyes and taking another swig of the delicious tea “Oh fuck, I forgot how damn good these things are.” I say taking another mouthful just enjoying the change in weather and the cool breeze. “Now THIS is how you’re supposed to spend a summer mornin',--” pausing as I take another drink “--spendin’ all your time outside listenin’ to the birds, the breeze, and Tom not a care in the world.”. Taking one more large mouthful before finishing the can off with a sigh putting my arms behind my head and dosing off.
Hearing some heavy metal my phone shuffled to I open my eyes and look down to my watch. "12:30, not too long then." I say turning off the music and packing my stuff up before heading back to the near by cabin.
After the setting the stereo down next to the fridge on the kitchen countertop I walk over to where I set my alice pack and dump it out. Looking at all the items I got in my previous haul I begin to sort them by type. “Okay, medical supplies. I’ll put all you in the bathroom cupboard, except for one of the tourniquets that I’ll put in my pack and one first aid kit that’ll go on my belt. Mres. Well I guess I’ll put all but two in one of the plastic bins in the loft I use for non-perishable food storage.”.I say setting all but two in a pile. “Now for the magical exploding fun rocks. I guess I’ll just put four in the weapons closet and I’ll keep one in one of the grenade pouches that are sewn onto the sides of my ammo carriers on my belt.
Putting everything in their respective places in my house and putting the tourniquet in my smaller pack along with two mres, the grenade in it’s pouch and the first aid kit on the left side of my belt right behind the hatchet. I walk over to the gun closet and open the door, Seeing my ar I go to reach for it before opting for my 1903, grabbing five full stripper clips before closing the door and turning around actually grabbing my binoculars this time and slinging them across my neck.
I grab my smaller pack and my helmet putting them both on before I step out of the door while putting the extra striper clips into a mag pouch before putting one into the rifle taking it out and closing the bolt with a very satisfying sound.
Jumping back up on the humvee top stumbling lot’s less I climb onto the top of the truck and look around for any exit from the clearing deciding it would be best to find just how far from any civilization I am. Looking around the clearing from my vantage point I see a area where the tall grass has been bent away showing some dry dirt straight from the front of the cabin, “Well it might just be a game trail but that’s the only thing I see so It’ll do.” I say jumping down from the humvee and walking towards it, “Although the wooden bridge over there tells me that people have been here before, although that bridge is small as fuck so maybe a group of munchkins live nearby.” I laugh shaking my head and getting closer to the trail.
Raising my rifle to my shoulder out of reflex I push through the the bits of tall grass and make it onto the dirt trail. “Huh.” I exclaim looking down the twelve foot wide trail and lowering the gun “This trail ain’t too old, there’s are clear paths were what looks like horses, small horses, have been followed by some weird ass dog’s. Cause I ain’t never have seen dog feet that had that texture on the bottom.” I say getting down on one knee feeling the mold of the dog's paw that has small cracks along the edges.
“Whatever. These dogs don't seem too big, if they give me any trouble they won’t hold up for too long. Looks as if this was a while ago anyways by how dry this path is.” I reassure myself kicking the dirt causing some dust to kick up before starting down the trail.
<><><> 45 minutes later<><><>
The sound of my boots hitting the dry ground, my gear shuffling around, and the birds being my only companions I make it further down the slightly widening trail. “Jesus this is a long trail, if it weren’t for the fact that the tree’s are thinnin’ and the trials a widenin’ plus showin’ more use, mostly by those weird dogs I may add, I wouldn’t think I was making any type of progress.” I talk to myself enjoying the short little nature hike. “This place does look like somethin’ right out of a Bob ross painting though, it’s weird.” I add gripping my rifle tighter still making my way forward.
Seeing the end of the trail finally I start to speed up before all the birds stop chirping and the forest goes completely silent. On instinct I turn around and raise my rifle while lowering myself closer to the ground. Backpedaling to the exit, hearing a rustle from the left, pointing my rifle to where I roughly expect the thing to be and following the sound a medium sized brown and green dog shoots out of the foliage crosses the path and disappears into the trees at my right.
Not getting a clear shot I don’t shoot but instead double my efforts to get out of the woods knowing I have a severe disadvantage in the trees against a faster opponent. Breaking out of the woods swearing I saw green eyes watching me before leaving I look down and see I’m standing in a ‘Y’ of three dirt roads including the trail I just got off of.
Looking to my right I double take as I see a small cottage right out of middle earth with a bunch of animals surrounding it. “That’s really not normal.” I whisper not taking my eyes off the cottage starting to walk down the path most traveled after seeing a yellow blur pop up in the window. “Maybe this place is OZ and munchkins are a real thing.” I think nervously chuckling after seeing the hobbit hole.
Double timing it away from the cottage down the significantly wider path, even with it’s fair share of what looks like wagon tracks, I begin to feel a weird sensation in my chest and smile deciding the feeling is that of hope. “Alright I definitely found somethin’ maybe not people, but some sort of civilization at least.” I confirm walking down the path keeping to the side that has most of the foliage incase I need to quickly conceal myself.
<><><> 15 minutes later <><><>
After some more walking, passing an apple orchard on the way and taking a few apples for the road and jumping into the trees on the left side of the path I start to think about how I need to get that honda going asap. Still staring off into space thinking about things I need to do I almost don’t notice that I’m approaching the edge of the woods. Slowing and stopping a few feet from the edge I look down into the valley, At the small town? “What.” I say creeping closer to the edge of the forest looking at the small town of cottages similar to the one I saw earlier.
Going prone and army crawling my way to a large bush ten feet from the edge of the forest I further inspect the village seeing colorful... things mill about before taking my binoculars and putting them to my face, adjusting them to clearly see the town.
Playing around with the binocs before getting the magnification right I look down at the town not believing what I see.
Taking the binoculars away from my face and rubbing my eyes, I dust off the lenses and put them back to my eyes. “Just how hard did that damn board hit me?” I ask no one in particular seeing what looks like a bunch of crayon horses picking up debris and fixing minor damage to their houses. “Okay I know I’ve said this enough already but, What. In. The. Fuck. Is that?” I further press myself for answers not believing my eyes and rubbing my head.
“So that settles it, I’m definitely not on ol earth no more and I’m crazy” I say focusing on a orange horse wearing a stetson selling apples trying to figure out what’s going on. “Those... ponies? I guess...because even from three fourths of a mile away I can tell those fuckers are small, even have their own economy n shit? What the fuck?” I say rambling on trying to cope with the very alien sight I’m witnessing.
“Guess that storm that brought me also damaged this little hor--- pony town as well judgin’ on the missing shingles and...straw?” I examine trying to focus on something to calm myself. “Wait hold up, does that one have wings?...... It DOES, and does that one have a horn comin’ out of its head?” I once again question out loud. “It DOES!” I almost scream. “Not only am I in colorful pony land, I’m in colorful flying unicorn pony land, now that sounds like a fucked amusement park ride if I’ve ever heard one.” I exclaim still observing the town and its residents. “I’m well…. I ain't definitely not in Kansas anymore.”
<><><> An hour or so later of pony watching later <><><>
After watching the town for a while and seeing the sun setting I pack myself up and start to crawl back to the forest. Once I get back into the woods I start to jog back to the road not caring about green eyed dogs or being heard, only caring about getting home and getting a drink in me. Weaving through the densing foliage for a while I finally break through the trees ending up right in front of the gate to the apple orchard I passed earlier, a elderly looking green pony checking it’s mailbox before turning and looking at me the smile on it’s face falling as it saw me. I look down at it and start to raise my rifle to it before backing away and breaking into a sprint, the lessened gravity making me run faster than ever before.
Slowing my pace as I get closer to the Y in the road and further from that thing I look behind me to check if I was followed. Not seeing or hearing anything I turn around to head back to my cabin. About to start down the trail I hear a snap of a swig to my left and immediately drop into stable firing position. Looking up from the sights as I do.
A Yellow winged one, A pegasus. I thought was stopped mid step maybe twenty feet away from me and was staring right at me. The pony dropping it’s hoof and adopting a less fearful look, not doing a very good at it starts to step closer to me.
“There’s no need to be scared, um…. Mr thing?” It starts in a quiet voice taking a step closer and raising a hoof up in what I guess what was a ‘non threatening manner’.
“All I want to do is help you Mr whatever your name is.” It continues taking another step forward.
“Stop moving or I’ll blow ya fuckin’ head off.” I demand the pony’s eyes immediately shooting open showing it’s fear.
“I-I please don’t hurt me.---”
“Shut the fuck up.” I cut it off the pony lowering itself closer to the ground ears splayed back. “Start to back up slowly.” I demand, the pony not moving.
“Back the fuck up dumb ass!” I yell shaking my gun, the pony whimpering and pushing itself into the dirt. My face going from angry to neutral as I realize the pony isn’t a threat. Now I just feel like a jackass. I think looking at the scared pony who's now trembling, lowering the rifle a tad.
About to completely drop my rifle and leave the pony’s ears suddenly shoot up and swivel to the forest to our right, it’s head following soon after. Looking where the pony was looking I see the same pair of green eyes from before, hearing the pony whimper again to my left I raise my rifle and fire a shot, the eyes disappearing and the report of the rifle no doubt being heard for miles. Cycling the bolt on the rifle I look over to the scared pony to my left now covering it’s ears but still looking at the forest trembling. Looking back over to the forest I see two other pairs of eyes, firing another shot I hear the rush of footsteps to my right and see a wolf made of sticks approaching with murderous intent in it’s green eyes. Without thinking I switch the rifle around in my grip and use the buttstock as a club, planting it firmly between the monstrosities eyes, the wolf exploding into thousands of pieces.
With the wolf on my right dispatched I turn back towards the forest where I first saw the sets of eyes and pull the bolt back. Mid way through the action another wolf shoots out from right in front of me, holding up the rifle to block it’s path, the wolf bites down onto the gun and thrashes it’s head side to side.
Not being affected by the wolf’s movements I kick the wolf away and stand all the way up, the wolf hesitates for a second as it sees I’m twice as tall as it is before growling and starting to circle me. Chambering a round and aiming at the foolish wolf I fire, the bullet traveling through it’s head making it snap back before it explodes like it’s comrade. While taking out the first two I forget the other one that soon makes itself present by jumping onto my back and biting my shoulder.
With a grunt I drop the rifle and throw an elbow back to the wolf making it release my shoulder as it yelps in pain and backs away. Stopping a few feet away and circling me like it’s friend it growls a deep throaty growl before pawing the ground with it’s front leg like a bull about to charge. Remembering How I drove off wild dogs back home I let loose a roar at the top of my lungs, while this didn’t scare it off it did distract it letting me charge forward to it.
Planting a kick to it’s chest making it fly through the air and hit a tree I run forward again kicking it’s left front leg making the appendage disintegrate into twigs, the wolf letting loose a pain filled howl before I snap the rear leg off as well making it immobile, the wolf only whimpering as I did so.
I put my foot at the base of the things neck and grab its head pulling up. With the snap of ligaments and woody vertebrae I begin to pull its head up and off ,the wolf gurgling as I do. With a final Snap the head comes loose from the body in a shower of green blood that covers the front of my clothes as I hold the head up and yell into the woods. “WHO’S YOUR DADDY YOU PRICKLY CUNTS? THAT’S RIGHT, I AM!”.
Dropping the head and huffing I look back to the still intact body deciding to make an ‘Don’t fuck with me, this is my area now.’ shrine out of it. Picking up the body without any trouble I walk over to a thick pointed branch above my head and spear the wooden wolf’s body making sure that it hangs upside to spill the blood.It needs somethin' else. I think looking at it sliding knife from its place and holding the still in tact front leg slowly dragging my knife across it cutting through it, the leg coming off. Finding the trachea I stick the leg into it's throat paw facing out. After that I take my knife and cut a long gash along the stomach of the wolf more green blood leaking out. Reaching into the stomach cavity I feel it's intestines before pulling them out and stringing them through the other branches of the tree like fucked up birthday streamers.“That should show those things whose boss.” I think stepping back and admiring my handy work wiping my hands on my pants.
Picking up my rifle I’m about to walk away before I remember the yellow pony, looking back I see it laying on it’s side. Did it pass out? I think walking over and placing a hand on it’s side feeling it’s lungs inflate and deflate as it breathes. Well I can’t just leave It out here for those tree wolf things, can I?. I look down at the little thing and smile. “Damn that’s cute. It’s almost like a baby kitten.” I say looking down at the sleeping pony before kneeling down and picking it up “I guess I’ll just bring you to your cottage over there, at least I think it’s yours.” I talk to the unresponsive pony gently cradling it in my arms.
“Wow you’re light and a small one too, from what I saw you’re about hip height with me like those wolfs.” I talk to the still asleep pony looking back at the wolf’s body stuck on the tree, green blood still dripping from its neck and gathering in a pool beneath it. “At least you ain’t hostile, and I do kinda feel bad for yellin’ at you so...Sorry.”. I add getting closer to the door not noticing a mole hill, my foot sinking in making me stumble forward before regaining my footing.
“That was close.” I mumble looking down at the pony in my arms stopping my walk as I see it peering up at me with wide eyes.
Um….Hi?” I greet looking down to the pony, It letting loose a “Eeep.”. Before I feel a warm liquid soaking my sleeve and running down my arm that was beneath its hind quarters. Looking to my now warm arm I look back to the now trembling pony,
“Did ya just take a piss on my arm?” I ask looking at the pony in my arms, it flinching at the question.
“Um…s- sorry” She, judging by the light voice, says in an almost whisper propping her head up and looking at my soaked shirt sleeve before trying to wrap up in a ball again holding her front legs over her face.
“S’all right, I've been covered in worse before.” I sigh getting to the door just realizing it’s neck high with me, “Hey, I uhhh just want to apologize for yelling’ at ya.” I say opening the door and crouching down inside the cottage. Nice place. I think before continuing. “Ya just startled me is all, things that startle me usually don’t get very far.” I finish crouching down next to a small couch and laying her on it, before she looks up at me with a less fearful expression and a more curious one.
“Are ya hurt?” I ask backing away a bit to give her space.
“N-no I-I think I’m fine, why do you ask?” She answers getting quieter and pushing back into the couch.
“Just wanted to make sure ya didn’t get nipped by one of those bastards, a bite from a wild animal can cause infection real fuckin’ quick.” I explain, the pony flinching at the swear words.
“Well if you’re alright then I’ll just be leavin’, believe I overstayed my welcome.” I say leaning over as I walk towards the door backing outside before popping my head back inside.
“Oh and don’t tell no one about this, I don’t want visitors. Okay?” I ask, the pony nodding in response.
“Good.” I smile and close the door.
Taking a deep breath and releasing it I take the rifle from it’s place on my shoulder and cycle it taking the three bullets left out before replacing it with a full clip. Rubbing my injured shoulder and walking back towards the path I pick up the severed head before hearing the door to the cottage open behind me. Turning around and looking I see the pony sticking her head out the door.
“What’s your um... name Mr?” She asks rubbing the ground with her hoof.
“That’s not important.” I reply putting the head in my pack and throwing it on before entering the path. looking back one more time still seeing her watching me from the doorway I wave before starting my run down the path hoping to spend the least amount of time in the woods as possible. .
<><><> 20 minutes later <><><>
Stopping my run as I re-enter the clearing, the sun going down very fast in the last five minutes, I catch my breath and start to walk to the cabin turning around and looking for anything else that may try to ambush me from the woods again. Backing all the way back to about twenty feet from the front door I turn and walk to the front door casting my gaze to the overly large moon with a female pony on its surface printed in craters, “Fuck, what’s a female horse called again?” I mumble, temporarily forgetting about getting inside. “Ah c’mon, that crazy bitch in my class was always jabbering on about horses. Stallions and …..” my thought is interrupted by a howl from the woods.
“SHUT THE FUCK UP BEFORE I COME OVER THERE!” I yell back not hearing a response, “Anyways” getting back on my train of thought I think back trying to remember what the annoying cunt was always spewing out of her noise hole. “Stallions and….. mares? Mares! That’s right, Stallions and mares that’s what ya call male and female horses, huh.”
“So that makes that” I look up to the moon, “The mare in the moon.” I say nodding, “It works.”
Happy with what I remembered I look around the clearing surprised with how beautiful it looks at night. “Wow.” I add. “I’ve always prefered nights over days, but if it looks like this year round I might just have to become nocturnal.” Still looking at the landscape before hearing an owl “hoo” in the trees, “Yeah ya have it figured out don’t cha bud.”.I reply to the owl stepping inside the cabin and locking the door before flipping on the lights while leaning the rifle on the kitchen counter.
Setting the wolf head on the table I take off my kit and helmet, throwing them both up in the loft with a thud.
Taking off the pack next followed by the long sleeve military fatigues I’ve worn for three days and then the white undershirt as I walk to the bathroom where the mirror is to exam the bite wound on my shoulder. Looking in the mirror I stare at my face for a second not believing it’s me I’m looking at, Jesus I look so...old. I think looking at the wrinkles under my eyes while tracing the scar that runs across my face from below my right eye to the left side my chin, crossing my lips on it’s way. Stepping a bit further away from the small mirror I frown as I look at my left arm and left side seeing the crisscross of overlapping scars from various things, but mostly from a large homemade bomb that was filled with razor blades,small bits of tin, and nails.
Switching to my right side the scars lesson but still remain prevalent. Can still remember the day the infected with ghetto nails pinned me and started to dig into my side. I momentarily go back in time grimacing and staring at the long and short rows of built up scar tissue before noticing the long scar on my chest. My fists clench as I remember back to what caused it, This is why I don’t trust people, tell a guy you’ll give em food and when you turn around with it he’ll try to slice you like a dammed cantaloupe….. Damnit now I want cantaloupe. I end my thought feeling more hungry than angry.
Done with my trip down memory lane I bend down and open the cabinet door beneath the sink pulling out some peroxide, a thick gauze pad, and some athletic tape. After a splash from the peroxide on my hands to clean them I pour it over the four holes waiting for the blood to wash away and the fizz to go down before sticking my finger in each hole to make no wood splintered off and lodged itself in the puncture wound. Not feeling any foreign objects in the holes I pour some more peroxide over it dabbing it dry with some toilet paper before applying some antibacterial cream on the wounds and taping the bandage over them.
Satisfied with the patch job I pat the wound and look at the bandages on my right bicep and left forearm deciding to check on them as well. Carefully unwrapping the bandage on my forearm first I inspect the top side of my arm and the bottom side seeing it healing nicely and not showing any signs of infection, but still deciding to clean it just incase.
Pouring the peroxide on the wound sparingly and grabbing a fresh roll of bandages I wrap the wound and tape it shut before moving to the one on my right bicep taking the bandage off very carefully not to disturb the large cut.
Wincing as the bandage comes free I look at the wound and touch around it a bit, “Fuck that’s gonna leave a nasty one, just look how wide it is.” I exclaim looking at the wide scab. Probably shoulda stitched ya up, but then again I didn’t have any sutures then. Thinking as I pour some peroxide in the wound to clean it before tightly bandaging it and stepping out of the bathroom, further frowning as I see the criss cross of small and large cuts wrapping around my back from the left side, “Fuckin’ shrapnel.” I grumble going into the kitchen and grabbing a bottle of vodka from the fridge gulping down a few mouthfuls with a refreshed sigh, “Yep, that’s the good shit for a reason.” I say putting on my blood stained white t-shirt flipping the light off before grabbing onto the edge of the loft and pulling myself up.
Laying down on the two old side by side camping mattresses using a few bundled up shirts as a pillow staring at the ceiling thinking about the crazy day I’ve had before slowly nodding off.