The Beginning of the End

Short Story

A ladybug landed on a still half-frozen leaf, peacefully sitting, resting from a long flight. The forest was quiet, the lush green land bed was still layered with a sheet of ice and fog from the cold night before. A large shadow appears above the ladybug, and a heavy foot comes down with great force, crunching the stiff and dewy brush. Bundled up from head to toe, the traveler strides through a dark and moist forest. It was early in the day when he started, he hasn’t seen any sign of life in hours. Arms stuffed as far down his pockets as they could go. Snot slowly creeps from his nose onto a frozen mustache. His eyes focused ahead as if there were something lurking up the path. As his foot nearly ends the lady bug’s life, displeased the insect flies up to exchange a few words with the traveler. The ladybug dances around his face stopped in his tracks, he watches as the insect buzzes in frustration. The traveler shoos the bug out of his face, it disappears out of sight. The traveler’s focus has switched as he realizes that for the first time all morning, he has seen the light. A small opening in this dark frozen lowland, surrounded by towering trees swaying with the light wind, dancing together in one harmonious rhythm. He was drawn to the clearing. Short grass, little flowers introducing the first glimpse of color to his day, the moss seemed to shine and glow from the light hitting the few droplets of dew still left. The sun reached down with outstretched arms, almost begging him to grab on. He slowly and cautiously moved forward towards the enchanting opening. Each step continues the long song of crunching frozen leaves he’s been listening to all morning. He stops. His feet hit the line between light and dark. He turns to look back, peering into the dark forest. The ladybug still flies, following his footsteps forever laid in the small brush lying at the bottom of the forest. He turns back to the clearing, takes a deep, bottom of the lung touching breath, and takes his first step.

“Honey? You awake?”

Jeffrey’s eyes fluttered open, well not quite open but enough to see the dim fluorescent lights flickering above. His wife, Lisa, stands next to his bed. Her brown hair falls effortlessly to her shoulders, a black and red scarf circles her neck, it was a gift for her birthday, her favorite colors.

“We’re gonna leave soon, Jeff, I promise.” She reaches for his hand, his stomach drops. 

“Mrs. Miller, this way, please, he must rest.” Jeffrey tries to turn his head toward the unknown voice at the door but is unable to move.

“I’ll be close by,” Lisa whispers.

She pulls slightly on his arm as she leaves the room. He’s too weak to move it back onto the bed, so it dangles as if waiting for a puppy to come and lick his fingertips. He feels a sense of cold creeping from his hand, untucked from the rest of his body, the cold sensation begins to consume his body. Jeffrey stares at the ceiling. His eyelids grow tired, slowly but surely they creep towards one another. 

A harsh gust of ice in the wind cut across his jacket. He squints only to see a hazy ten feet ahead of him. Anything that has been directly tied down to his body is now furiously flapping as he shelters his body from the wind. Though there was no path or footprints to follow, he was certain to keep climbing. With at least a twenty-foot drop on either side of him now, the thick clouds wouldn’t permit sight of anything further beyond. A large chunk of snow at his feet fell from the ledge, Jeff watched as the snow fell past his visibility limit. He heard no noise of impact, just the constant blistering ice pitter-pattering off his jacket. A sudden silence took over, a shadow passed through the fog on his right, it cut through the wind like a hot knife slices through a cold cake. 

He stopped, the wind settled, and light broke through the clouds. He stepped into the light, the sun reflected off of his glasses. What a view, he thought. The frost draped over the cliff scattered mountains that lined the horizon like a group of fans packed into courtside bleachers. Out of his jacket pocket, he pulls a small folded map, his eyes squint to shield the wind, he draws his finger along the X’s marking his ascension to the top, a small drawing of the mountain’s peak with a yellow flag is scribbled on the upper right corner of the map. Jeffrey slips the map back into his pocket and zips up. He looked up at the path ahead. The summit came into view, the lonely peak stood patiently, gleaming now in the sunlight, he saw a small yellow cloth hanging on for dear life blowing in the wind. His climbing spikes dug deeper into the powder. He looked down at his feet, almost completely buried in the snow, a small shadow began to circle around him. It grew larger and larger. In a heartbeat, a screech echoed the canyon. Jefferey ducked to the ground. Snow flew up as a bird swooped over his head with massive talons hanging like laundry pins. He quickly rose to his feet. A massive falcon stood in his path, his head turned slightly, just enough for one eye to keep locked on him, a piercing look. It’s jet black feathers fluttered along with its steady wings. Tints of red intertwined gave the bird an almost brownish hazel color, though red nonetheless. No one moved. The bird slowly positions itself with a wingspan that nearly tripled its height, which was just slightly lower than Jeff’s. It’s wings were fully spread now, the falcon stood on one leg, the other stretched out, showing its large talons. The climber balanced his weight. In a swift jump, the bird levitated above the ground. The gust from the bird’s enormous wings blew snow in his face, he sheltered his head and strained his eyes.

Back again. Something in the corner hummed, probably a fan. He tried to lift his head enough to see what else was in the room. Nothing. Just his feet at the end of the bed. The door cracks open, a woman in a white lab coat continues her conversation before walking in. Jeff quickly lies down to pretend to sleep.

“He’s almost there, something’s holding him back.”

“It’s the woman. He’s still connected to her, it seems he will not go willingly.” Another voice stated. 

“He must reach the end, he must let go, then will we have our next subject.”

“He will. I assure you, I’ll give him a little something extra to improve his chances, his body will be vacant soon. Go now, keep the boss updated, he will like to hear the progress of his next host body.”

A woman entered the room, she circled around the bed. Her shoes clicked when she stepped. She seemed to be checking something around his feet. He could sense her cold hands near though she didn’t seem to touch him. She threw up his covers, he didn’t feel that part, for some reason he didn’t feel anything. She then proceeded to remake his bed, gently tucking the scratchy gray blanket on either side of him. She lifted a clipboard from the end of his bed, scribbled for a couple seconds, and then left the room. He raised his head at the sound of the door clicking, there was something wrong with his feet, his ankles were still cold. Jeffrey fidgeted as much as he could manage, the movement gave way to an outline under the blanket that bore a resemblance to metal cuffs that circled under the end of the bed. The fan still stirred in the corner. A sound came from the hallway. Jeff quickly readjusted his legs and pretended to sleep once more. The woman entered with a large needle, which she then proceeded to fill his IV with a strange liquid. Her heels clicking was the last thing he heard.

Waves slammed into the cool dark sand, the noise frightened Jeff. The sun was setting, two pairs of small footsteps scattered the beach ahead of him. Pink cotton candy clouds painted half of a deep orange sky, a storm was forming over the water out on the distant horizon. Jeffrey slowly walked the shoreline, a warm breeze blew at his back, thunderstruck out on the ocean. A cave came into view inland within the waving palm trees, he felt drawn to it, calling his name, he drifted toward the sound. A small red crab began to dig itself out of the sand in front of him, it’s black beady eyes stopped Jeff where he stood. His toes dug into the sand, covering his feet. The crab was snapping his claws in the air, snap, snap… snap, snap, Jeffrey looked at it with confusion. At that moment, a small wooden canoe gently slid into the sand ahead of him. Jeff was hesitant, he stopped to examine his choice; he looked to his right, the cave glowed with a warm fire, to the left the storm raged on, the boat rocked back and forth in the crashing waves. The crab boarded the boat and turned back to look at Jeff, snap, snap, he returned the stare and took a deep breath. 

He felt uneasy in the constant back and forth motion, the crab seemed to be handling it well. The wind was much stronger out on the open ocean. Jeff paddled harder and harder, the waves grew larger and larger. The dark gray clouds threatened him with thunderous claps of lightning just off the boat’s bow. The waves spread wide, forcing the ship back to the shoreline, though Jeff seemed determined to paddle out even in the threat of death. The mist of the crashing waves blocked his visibility, he tucked his head into his shoulder and continued to paddle out. The crab was at his feet now on the bottom of the boat, Jeff looked down at it. 

“This way, right?!” Jeff yelled above the thunder and roaring waves.

Snap, Snap… Snap, Snap.  The crab was frantic, holding its claws over its head.

Jeff looked up to see an enormous wave had grown right in front of him. Now towering over him, the white cap of the wave slowly formed, falling over itself, the wave looked down upon Jeff and his small canoe. Jeff leaned back into the end of the boat, his impending doom was imminent. The wave surged at him with full force, encaving on itself, forming a fist of water aimed directly at the two travelers. Jeff closed his eyes, he felt a sharp pinch around his ankle.

Snap, Snap.

“Jeff, Jeff,” Lisa whispered close to his ear. His eyes opened, he was sitting up being pushed out of his room. A red and black scarf bounced up and down to the right of his head, he twisted back to see Lisa pushing his wheelchair. 

“Shhh, I’m getting you out of here. There’s something not right about this.” She said, “They kept wanting to put you to sleep, the doctors were very interested in you, something must have gone wrong though, they seemed to be confused at their results.” Lisa looked down, the two locked eyes. “I’m not leaving you here.”

Jeff’s weak body slid around the chair as the two rushed around the corner, the exit in view. Jeff’s eyes were heavy, the sounds of the wheels squeaking with each rotation muffled as his head tilted back on the chair.

“You were there… it, it was you,” Jeff mumbled as his eyes began to close, he felt the cold wind blow his hospital gown along his skinny frame. The sight of the morning sun was warming, his breath was steady. He stood for the first time. Lisa took him over her shoulder, his knees knocked together, his frail body could barely stand.

“Here, this way.” Lisa directed him to the small silver hatchback parked in the corner of the lot. Lisa, still holding Jeffrey over her shoulder, maneuvers around the side of the car, swinging open the passenger door. “Get in quick, we gotta get outta here.”

Jeff dropped into the seat, shaking from the cold, the stiff leather seats weren’t much help. Lisa seeing her husband shiver, she grabs a picnic blanket from the trunk. Lisa enters the car and closes the door.

“How’d you get me out of there so easily?” Jeff asked.

“Honest to god, I have no clue.” Lisa begins to turn the keys, revving the ignition. “I didn’t know what else to do. I rarely saw any other patient in there, and the ones I did see were in some weird trance. Really, Honey, we’ve got to go, that place gives me the jitters.”

The car started, and the headlights flashed brightly, the couple looked up to see three large men in white coats standing a good distance from the hood of their car, two held a large taser with both hands as the other dangled a pair of handcuffs.

“We just want him. You may go free if you give him back.” The middle man’s words echoed off the walls of the garage. “Please don’t struggle, it’ll just make it worse.”

Lisa gripped the wheel.

“Go!” Jeff shouted.

Lisa slammed on the gas, and the small two-door jumped forward, tires screeching, engine at full strength. Two small dice hanging from the rearview mirror swung violently as the car rocked back and forth. Jeff gripped the seat underneath him with both hands but still couldn’t find a grip. Lisa drove straight at the guards, jumping out of the way one of the guards radioed in.

“Breach! Breach! He’s on the loose.” A siren began to ring throughout the entire hospital, floodlights lit up the fences that cut off the surrounding forest and the main road out. Red lights flashed all around as the car twisted down the exit of the garage. Sliding around the last corner, the front gate of the compound began to close. Lisa pushed on the gas even harder, the car sprinted for the exit, more guards ran to their posts. Shots fired dented into the back of the vehicle.

“Almost there!” Lisa reassured Jeff, who could barely stay in his seat.

“Where are we? What’s happening?” Jeff’s face showed a puzzled concern, he looked at his legs, his hands rubbing his thighs.

“What?” Lisa twisting and turning, avoiding makeshift roadblocks and any attempt to stop their car. Hospital security vans started up and began to exit the parking garage. 

The front gate was getting too low for the couple’s car to slide underneath.

“Hold on!” Lisa yelled, gripping Jeff’s arm.

The car smashed through the gate, spraying sparks from the metal objects colliding at such high speeds. The front glass cracked down the middle, Lisa’s hatchback was small but sturdy, the engine was persistent and refused to die. The little car, now with significant scratches and bullet holes in the back, flew down the narrow road and into the dark surrounding forest. The air grew quiet, time seemed to stand still here.

“Honey, are you alright?”

“What’s going on? Where are we?” Jeff repeated.

“We’re free, we lost them. Everything’s gonna be okay now.” Lisa reassured him, resting her hand on his thigh.

“Is this a dream? Are you really here?”

“Yes Honey, I’m here; it’s really me. We just got out of that awful place. Do you remember?”

“No.” Jeff looked out the window, searching for something, anything.

“They were testing on you, doing something to your mind. Do you feel alright?”

“I don’t know.”

“Babe, you’re scaring me, what’s the last thing you remember?”

“I… I was walking on a beach… and a mountain… and a forest… a forest just like this one.” He looked out the window.

“What are you talking about, you were in a car crash. I didn’t know what to do, I don’t know this area, someone said to take you here, they said it was a good place.” Lisa looked confused.

“Who? Who told you?”

“I, I don’t know. But we’re out now, we’re free.”

The car cruised down the road, its headlights dim. Lisa looked to Jeff. A bright light illuminated both their faces. They both turned in time to see an unmarked van crash into them, rolling the small car off the road, tumbling down the side of the hill and into the forest.

----------

Jeff’s eyes fluttered open in panic, he was lying under a large tree, thrown from the wreckage of the car.

“Lisa!” He looked around, spotting the beat-up car, now flipped upside down.

Jeff staggered to the car, bleeding from his left leg, blood seemed to cover all the green of the forest. A small fire blazed from the vehicle, he could make out her figure, distorted upside down in the driver’s seat.  

“Hey, over here! They’re down there.” Jeff looked back up to the road seeing a group of men with flashlights beginning to make their way down the side of the hill.

“Lisa, Lisa,” Jeff whispered, trying to wake his wife.

They were getting closer and closer. Jeff took a step back, then another, then another.

“Hurry! We must find him!” He heard the men shout.

Jeff gave his injured wife one last look, then turned and began to run into the dark, moist forest, crunching the soft brush beneath his feet. Retreating farther and farther from the crash, he turned to see multiple flashlights scanning in his direction. Jeff disappeared into the trees without a trace. A small ladybug appeared from the darkness and began to follow him. The shouting from the crash grew softer and softer until again, it was dead quiet within the forest. All that was left was a traveler, bundled to shield himself from the cold, stumbling through the endless green brush.