The Battle of Rabid Earth

4

"Yes, alright, thank you." My father sighs listening to the other end of the phone.

"Well?" My brother looks impatiently at our dad, waiting for any sort of answers.

He puts down his phone which was once at his ear and a short sigh escapes his mouth. "Well whatever it is, it hasn't reached us yet." Dylan and I each look at him, confusion etched into our faces.

He continues, "The hospital said no one has had any symptoms of anything new, and there's been no trees consuming people so.." He tries to joke, but it comes out strained. I give him a small, forced smile.

This isn't funny, this is stupid.

Someone has to be doing this. It has to be man made. Some sort of terrorist attack.

After we called Dad we thought he might have answers from his job. He said he had been at the market for a while after work so he made a call to check if anything had happened since then.

He works at the hospital as a Radiologist, but he trained to become a veterinarian for 4 years, prior to meeting Mom. He always said he'd want to be able to help her if she fell ill, more than any animal.

But I know he thinks about getting a dog. It's obvious the way he looks at our neighbors Great Dane.

He loves animals.

He loved Mom more.

She's gone now,

and tomorrow is our 19th birthday.

My hands reach for Moms journal shoving it into my bag and standing from the couch, "I need to take a walk." I whisper into the air, sinking into my thoughts as I make my way out of the living room. Before anyone can protest, I begin walking out the front door.

As I walk along the dirt road, my mind drifts, philosophy waving through my thoughts.

Nothing is going right. I keep trying to remind myself that everything happens for a reason, but what reason is there to take everything from me? A day before my birthday?

Her laugh.

Her smile.

The market.

The wolf.

The car.

My hand reaches to my cheek as a tear falls down my face. Before I know it millions of water droplets are streaming down, leaving me broken on my knees.

Why me?

My hands cup my face as I try to regain control over my emotions.

She wouldn't want you to cry.

I stand, gaining composure of myself. Watching the darkness of my own eyelids is peaceful, calm.

When I finally open my eyes, my posture stiffens slightly at what was crawling closer me.

My breath catches in my chest as I subconsciously take a step back, hitting a rock on the dirt road I completely forgot I was on.

Let her come to you.

I kneel down, cautiously, listening to the voice in my head, now face to face with the creature in front of me. It was oddly beautiful. Without thinking, my hand slowly unfolds down towards it, awaiting for the animal to move forward.