Chapter 2

     Now, to say that Kieran was a little turned around would be an understatement.  He blindly explored the wall in front of him, pounding on the stone and hoping that it might trigger some sort of opening.

    He cried out for his parents.  “Dad!  Ma!  Where are you?!”  Echoes were the only reply.  Kieran turned around and attempted to walk but continued to stumble.  The blast he just witnessed, both the flash and the sound of it, had left him severely disoriented.  It was impossible to tell if the environs were completely dark, or if he was simply blinded.  Likewise, the ringing in Kieran’s ears made it hard to identify any natural sounds.

    “Ma!  Can you hear me?”

    Kieran tripped once again and scraped the side of his leg.  Everything he touched felt cold, wet, and seemingly made of stone.  This has to be cave, he deduced.  I must have fallen farther down than I thought.  I guess that old stinky basement did lead to an abandoned mine.

    The blinding light from Prosko’s outburst had created a kaleidoscope illusion in the darkness.  Eventually, the bright patterns swirling in Kieran’s eyes started to fade.  He then noticed there were trace amounts of light leaking into the black.  Shapes came into view.  Abstract lines and curves turned into rubble and walls.  He tried to make his way towards an exit as his sight returned to him, keeping his hands up for balance.  It wasn’t long before he spotted the exit.

    “A light at the end of a tunnel?  Maybe I’m dead,” Kieran joked with himself aloud.  He began to climb slightly upwards toward the bright, white blob that would be his escape.  Anxiety took control of his motor functions, speeding up his pace.  It was unclear what was causing this apprehension, but he knew he’d feel better after leaving the cave.  He approached the opening in a full sprint while trying to navigate the rough terrain.  Kieran burst from the cave like a bat out of hell.  He miscalculated his final step out of the cavern (which was more like a leap than a step) and floundered once more upon landing.

    Blinded again.  Kieran knew he was outside; he felt a cool breeze on his skin and smelled what had to be dewy grass.  He stood up straight, opened his eyes as wide as they would go, and waited.  Any second now I should get sight of something, he thought.  And what a sight it was.

     A vast valley sprawled out before him.  A lush, green forest populated the slope he stood on, with patches of grassy meadows dotting the hillside.  Bright yellow flowers shot skyward, dancing in the wind.  It appeared that the hill he was on was part of a small chain, whose spine extended to both sides of Kieran.  Blue mountains crowned the horizon, at least a few of which appeared to break the cloud barrier.

     With a flash of inspiration, Kieran quickly snatched the cellphone from his pocket.  He flipped it open, hoping that the screen would indicate his location.  No such luck.  He had zero reception.  “Emergency Calls Only” read the display.  Well, this is as good an emergency as any, Kieran noted, before dialing 911.  Again, no luck.  Each time he tried to start an outgoing call, a disappointing chime would play indicating a dropped connection.  He cursed before closing the flip phone and returning it to his pocket.

     One thing was clear; this wasn’t Chicago.  Where the fuck…?  Kieran couldn’t piece together a coherent thought.  That mine shaft was downtown.  Even if I fell down somewhere it wouldn’t… well it was night time when I fell, and now… no, that’s not right.  Maybe I’m…?  No.  No!  Where the hell am I?!

     The confused man began to walk down towards the forest before him.  Perhaps due to misguided hope, he thought that his situation might become clear if he got a new perspective from farther down the hill.  Instead, he was struck by nausea.  Uh oh.  This feeling… I’m gonna hurl.  Yup.  Kieran vomited immediately.  When he stood up to catch his breath, his sight began to give.  His extremities became heavy.  The earth beneath his feet suddenly felt unstable.

     Not good.  Kieran’s knees gave out and he fell to the ground.

*     *     *

     Kieran’s body was wrapped in a sense of leisure.  He couldn’t have been more comfortable.  The grass was just so soft!  Not wanting to move, but curious where this comfy grass happened to be, Kieran opened his eyes.

     Oh right.  I’m here.  Still not Chicago.  His head rolled to the side, giving him a view of the nearby adjacent hills.  Tree tops had just begun to obstruct the sun’s brilliance.  How long have I been lying here?  It was just morning when I yacked.  Kieran roused himself, despite a fear of recurring biliousness.  To his (pleasant) surprise, he felt fine.  Better than fine, even.  He popped up with such vigor that he accidentally went airborne for a moment.  

     “What a strange feeling,” commented Kieran to no one.  “Am I hammered?”  It was entirely possible; it wouldn’t have been the first time he had woken up with no recollection of drinking.  In this particular instance, however, Kieran was stone cold sober.  He waved his arms around and shook his legs, as if to get rid of imaginary cobwebs.  Every body part felt weightless.  Not that lifting one’s arm takes a titanic effort, mind you, but it was odd to him how effortless each movement was.

     Kieran didn’t spend too much time obsessing over the sensation; he chalked it up to getting some decent rest on the soft, green hillside.  He guessed it was probably the best sleep he had gotten since summer started.  Thinking about the city’s heat reminded him about his situation..  Shit.  I still don’t know where I am, he thought.  But where do I go?  I’m sure as hell not going back in that cave.  In the distance, he spotted two rivers.  It was impossible to tell from that distance, but Kieran thought they might converge at some point.  If I can get to the river, maybe I can follow it upstream and find a road or something.  And so he began his descent down the hill, into the woods.

*     *     *

     I’ve made a huge mistake, Kieran mumbled.  The sun had set and darkness was impeding on the landscape.  It was quickly becoming apparent that he had misjudged the distance to the river he had spotted.  Maybe I should have just stuck by the cave for the night.  Now I’m starving, and I STILL DON’T KNOW--  Kieran’s thoughts burst out of his mouth, as if his brain had overflowed: “--WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE!”  His voice echoed through the trees.

     The forest was growing denser.  Shrubs and bushes sought to block his path.  The leafy canopy overhead became thick.  The trees themselves reminded Kieran of the sequoias he saw as a child; they were impressively tall with thick trunks that were barren of branches until halfway up.  Branches that grew in size near the top, thicker than most regular trunks.  These trees appeared to be deciduous, though there were some smaller conifer trees intermingled in the thicket.  Kieran missed spending time in the great outdoors.  After moving to Chicago, the only jungle he was familiar with was of the concrete variety.

     Kieran continued a while longer before stopping himself.  There was no point in continuing on if he couldn’t verify what direction he was headed.  I guess I’ll wait till morning, when I can get my bearings again.  So, where’s the Ritz tonight?  Kieran found a relatively clear spot by the base of a large tree.  The ground was soft.  Well, soft enough.  He plopped himself down and mentally prepared himself for a long night.  The air was a bit cooler than it had been earlier in the day, but it was still very pleasant.  Who knew?  Sitting on a pile of dirt is better than lying in that steambox back home.  Good to know.

     Nodding off wouldn’t be too easy, though.  Due to his unexpected nap earlier, Kieran was wide awake.  His mind was sharp and attentive.  The thoughts of self-anguish that had plagued his mind the night before were replaced by countless questions surrounding the recent events he had witnessed.  Who was that guy?  What did he want with my parents?  SINCE WHEN CAN MA SHOOT ICE OUT OF HER HANDS?!  Is this the place we were all heading to?  Together?  Are they alright?  How come they never showed me how to shoot ice out of my hands?!  His mind raced and it prevented any potential drowsiness from taking over.

     Overheard nearby, the crack of a broken stick.

     Kieran’s mind instantly cleared.  What was that?  It didn’t sound like a twig falling off a tree.  It sounded like a branch snapping in two, like something had stepped on it.  Something heavy.  Whatever it was, it was getting closer to Kieran.  He could hear it pressing down on leaves and soil.

     Kieran’s mind began to race again, albeit in a panicked manner.  What do I do?  Is that a bear?  The nearby presence was getting closer and he had a decision to make.  Stay still, stay quiet, and pray that he went unnoticed?  Or make a break for it in the middle of the night, in the middle of a strange forest?

     Flee.  That was Kieran’s choice.  His subconscious made the judgement.  He was sprinting full speed before he realized what his body was doing.  Again, Kieran recognized a difference in his muscles.  I don't get what's going on, but holy crap... I'm fuckin' fast!  Unbelievable.  That day at the gym last month must have paid off.  He ran like the wind, bounding from dirt to mound, from root to rock.  For a moment, Kieran forgot what caused him to flee.  He couldn’t remember the last time he had fun running.  Kieran was nimble indeed... but so too were his pursuants.  

     Three sleek figures flowed through the night, surrounding Kieran as they ran.  He turned to catch a glimpse of what was following him.  Dogs?  No... wolves?  A twitch of fear shot up the man's spine as the reality of the situation set in.  He tried to get a better look at the canines.  What kind of freak animal is that?  That sure has hell ain't no wolf!  

     Kieran came to a brief opening between the giant trees.  It afforded a clearer view of what was on his tail: a trio of beastly canines.  Good god!  They’re friggin’ huge!  It was hard to judge quite how large they were, as they still trailed fairly far behind Kieran.  His fear grew heavy.  Not good.  Not good!  No way I can outlast these things, Kieran figured.  He imagined racing Debo in the dog park.  Kieran’s scruffy buddy could outrun him no problem, and he was only two feet tall.  I'm not sure why I haven't collapsed from exhaustion already… maybe I can outlast them?  No.  No way!  I'm not about to race these monstrosities!  He had to come up with a plan quickly.

     Empty expanses between the trees offered up any number of alternate routes, but the wolves were too close to shake off.  They snarled and hissed as hot air shot from their nostrils.  Kieran studied the trees as the forest passed by his periphery.  Branches were absent from the lower half of the average tree and sparse near the top.  They were thick, though, and they looked plenty sturdy.  Sturdy enough to support a person.

     Okay.  It's worth a shot.  I haven't climbed a tree in 10 years, and I don't think I've ever gone up one without branches... but it's worth a shot, damn it!  Kieran's mind was made up.  He lowered his head and accelerated straight towards the next tree in his path.  With a grunt, he leapt upwards toward the trunk.  Elongating his arms as much as possible, he gripped the tree.  To Kieran’s surprise, he successfully clung to the side of the timber.  This is incredible!  I’m Spider-Man!

     His wonder was short lived; the wolves were already upon him.  One had lunged forward, but aimed too low and crashed into the trunk.  Kieran shimmied up as fast as he could, his fingernails digging into the bark.  The pain went unnoticed due to the urgency of the situation.  Soon, he was close enough to reach for a branch.  Now you just need to hold on with one hand.  No problem, he joked to himself.  He kicked out from the trunk, trying to launch himself to the side.  It wasn't so much a launch as it was a hop, but he was able to barely hook his arm around the top of a branch.  He pulled himself and caught his breath.

     Kieran chuckled with diffident pride.  He had trouble doing a pull up with both arms, let alone one.  That must be the power of adrenaline, he thought.  Fifteen feet above him, a wide bough appeared to offer a wider seat.  He hopped and climbed to the spot, satisfied with the result.  He let out a boisterous "Woo!" to the world, letting all the creatures of the night know his triumph.  His voice echoed through the forest and the leaves stirred, giving their applause.  The wolves below were not impressed.  They circled at the base, stepping over roots and nonchalantly staring up at Kieran.  They studied their prey with a sharp gaze.  Eventually, the largest of the three tried his best to scale the tree as well.  It vaulted sharply upward, running up the trunk as far as it could before gravity took hold.  It managed to get as high as the lowest branch, but couldn't gain balance and fell to the ground.  Hitting the ground, the wolf yelped.  It was a loud and deep yelp that managed to intimidate Kieran even further.  “I guess I’ll stay here for the night!”

     The hours passed and the wolves remained.  They appeared to be taking shifts, too, with one of the trio sleeping a short distance away.  Kieran was finally drowsy, but couldn’t afford to catch some shut-eye.  Once more, he knew he had to come up with a plan.  Time and exhaustion conspired against him.  

     Kieran reached to a nearby branch and snapped off a stick.  This woke up the sleeping dog and brought all three to attention.  

     “Don’t mind me!” Kieran shouted down to them.  “Just working on a shiv!”  He took the jagged end of the shoot and began to whittle it down against the rougher bark of the tree trunk.  "Humans don't have a natural defense, so they must use their minds to gain an advantage," he lectured to the canines.  As the night rolled on, the human perfected his oaky dagger.  Not half bad for a wannabe woodsman, he thought to himself.

     How many hours had passed?  The knife had taken more time than expected, yet the sun still hid beyond the horizon.  Kieran didn’t want to immediately use his little art project.  It was a noisy endeavor and it’d be better if the wolves weren’t so focused on him.  After another long night, a creeping light chased away the darkness.  A new day dawned.  

     Kieran was nervous.  Contemplating the plan was one thing, carrying it out was another.  The lengthy anticipation was agonizing.  Another pep talk seemed appropriate.  It's a simple plan, he told himself.  Just aim, hold on to the knife, and move on.  Stay ahead of the mutts.  He paused for a moment.  I can't believe I have to kill some dogs!  I won’t be able to look at myself in the mirror.  He tried to shake off feelings of nausea and guilt.  Kieran was a "dog guy."  It wouldn’t be easy attacking man’s best friend.  Or man’s best friend’s cousin, at least.  

     Unintentionally, he pictured the act.  Killing a wolf.  It flashed over his subconscious and he couldn’t ignore it.  I think I’m gonna be sick again!  I can’t do this!  I won’t!  Kieran’s heart started racing again.  I’ll leave those pups alone... and they’ll eat me.  Better they live than me, right?  Oh man...  Panic took over as he began to hyperventilate.  Shit!  I have to calm myself down before I wake those things.  Kieran took a couple deep breaths to slow his heart rate.  He then rattled his head vigorously, as if to reset his mind.  No, he decided.  Not today.  I won’t die today.  I’ll do what’s necessary.

     He steeled his resolve.  No more waiting.  Kieran stood up as quietly as he could, balancing on the thick branch.  He looked down at his predators. The biggest of the them was close by at the base of the tree, and none of them happened to be gazing upward.  Even better, the soft morning sun was shining on the sleeping dog's face.  A small dose of luck!  Kieran ran over the plan in his head.  Get the big scary guy out of the way first, take the second guy out while he’s surprised, and hope that the sleeping wolf is blinded by the sun when he wakes up.  If everything went smoothly, the strategy might actually work.  Maybe.  

     After a short breath, he jumped.  The fall was faster than expected.  Kieran plunged the wooden dagger into the large wolf's neck, just behind the skull.  At the moment of impact, Kieran lost a bit of himself.  It was less than a second of pause, but it was enough time to comprehend the sorrow that washed over his soul.  

     I’m killing a dog.

     Though he had almost hit his target perfectly, he did not account for the the splinters shooting into his hands or the acute pain that accompanied them.  Screaming out in shock, he alerted the two other wolves. 

     Damn it!  So much for the surprise!  Kieran was unable to hold on to the knife and fell awkwardly to the ground with his first mark.  It was a clean and instant kill, just as planned.  But now he was weaponless.  No opportunity for a new plan, only instinct.  Kieran lunged at the next cur, punching it in the chest below the front leg.  The two of them each yelped out in pain; the wolf was launched back into another tree, and Kieran's strike damaged his right hand even further.  I fuckin' broke my hand!  I broke it!  He fell to the ground, the agony too immediate to ignore.  The sight of his bloody, mangled hands scared him.  

     The third wolf advanced.  Kieran sat, paralyzed by panic.  Nothing could be done.  He couldn't even stand.  No.  No, no, no.  I’m finished!  How did this happen?  The beast jumped.  The jaws were upon him, then--

     A flash!  A loud crack.  A bolt of lightning?  Something had struck the side of the wolf, sending it off course and beyond Kieran.  He sat, stupefied.  The canine lay with a steaming wound in its side.  It wasn't breathing.  Was it dead?  A long, limp tongue sprawled from the wolf's mouth.  It must be dead.  Am I dead too?  Where did that lightning come from?  There's not a cloud in the sky.

     The adrenaline was causing Kieran's head to shake uncontrollably.  He carefully turned to search for the source of his salvation.  A robed figure was trudging up the hill.  The cloaked man approached the oversized animal and rested his hand on its ribs, seemingly confirming the death.  Behind Kieran, the wolf he had punched roused itself.  The two shared a long stare before the dog hung its head.  It turned and slinked away, defeated.  Perhaps the crack of thunder was too frightening, perhaps the death of his brothers was too demoralizing.  At any cost, Kieran felt relief wash over his battered body.

     The mysterious person rose and approached Kieran, who still had trouble moving.  A pair of hands pulled back the hood and revealed a wrinkled face.  It was an old man.  He was smiling.