A Blur In The Distance

• Sophie O'reilly, Grade 10, Our Lady of Mercy College
• Short Story
• 2014

Excellence Award in the 'The Text Generation 2014' competition

The clouds of darkness swiftly drifted over the condensed obscure green forest, which progressively saw the face of night.
The hazy sound of creatures scurrying into the bare bush behind them intensified the harmony of swaying trees in the breeze. The wintery wind weaved through the trees creating ripples through the gluggy air; preventing my smooth drift-less movement. Fallen post autumn leaves arose from the naked cold earth floor. Natures expired leaves accumulated in an airflow drift, mirroring a school of fish proceeding through an ocean sea current.
The Displacement of nature’s position in an unknown canvas of land, echoed societies appetite to uplift the weak from comfort and deposit us in the uncertainty of life.
I crawl like insensitive lice, rummaging through natures tightly bound cluster of trees.
The crisp sound of leaves decimated under my thumping steps. My pounding strides rumbled the jungles heart, overpowering the faint crunching sound beneath my feet. My light pattering steps, which were ever so careful to awaken any unwanted company, were replaced with the fast beating imprints into the ground allowing me to run.
My uncontrollable jelly like legs stimulated a gear like machine, compelling my knees to jolt upwards and stride throughout the tangle of trees.
My chaotic tangled hair rummaged for uninhabited space, suffocating my every source of air.
Scratch…I glance down too see the rupture of skin lacerated from that isolated branch.
Thud… I rebound of what felt like an immobile stainless steel stump.
Screech… that scampering creature’s yelp of agony reverberated the pounding air ripples, as I stumbled upon its voluminous feather-like tail.
My body’s canvas converted to a malfunctioning battleground of war.
Not once did I stop… running.
Not once did I turn around… to witness the combat zone that progressively crept upon me, resembling a lion at his prey.
Not once did I flinch… at the countless pairs of animal eyes that pierced through my brain.
No longer… could I intoxicate my senses with the freshness of damp sodden leaves. The aroma of fear that drew from my every drop of blood, overflowed any chance I had of realistic thinking.
I could almost touch the chasing tree shadows that I believed to be my own.
My mind flooded with silent shrieks and screams. Each high-pitched cry that rebounded through the movement of the forest, echoed my every consciousness.
The hazy contemplation of these traumatic perceptions being nothing but hallucinations, invigorated even stronger at the piercing scream behind me.
One quick glance couldn't hurt… could it?
The moment of desperation that jolted through every muscle in my body... came to a holt.
In front of me…
a blur in the distance.
In front of me…
a hazy figure.
In front of me…
stood the body that had mimicked
my every mental consciousness.
In front of me…
was me.