Zootopia: The Visitor

Now and Then

***

My lungs were starting to burn like an unquenchable fire inside my chest, screaming for me to stop, but I couldn't. If I did, I was going to die. The trees wooshed by me as I ran possibly faster than I ever had before.

  You just had to take the long way home... I thought wearily in my head.

I had known fullwell this was bear country, and had even seen many bears before, including near my house, but never had I seen a bear like the one that was set on killing me in this particular instance. I checked behind me, and adding to my alarm, the hulking mass was still hurtling after me. I hadn't been completely sure before, but now I was certain. It was a grizzly bear.

I had seen it from a ways off at first, but apparently, it had seen me likewise, and it may have been a little upset that I was here because I was about to get killed by it now. My chest burned more than ever, but I couldn't stop, not if I wanted to live.

Then suddenly, there was a bright and quick burst of blue to the right of my peripheral vision. I didn't pay much attention to it, thinking it was probably just my life flashing before my eyes. Then another, this time to my left, closer too.

I must be passing out or something, I thought fearfully.

I knew that it was only a few more seconds before I would become bear-chow, but didn't know what else to do, so I kept running. Then, as if I was called to heaven early, a final blue burst of light enveloped me, turning my world upside down, literally. My body spun through mid-air like I was free-falling, but I couldn't feel any wind resistance through any of it. As fast as it had happened though, it was over and I came to a hard stop, receiving a face full of... snow, on the way down.

Lying face-down on the ground, I slowly got to my feet, squinting. My face was cold, suddenly covered with ice. I stood up and raised a hand to wipe the cold substance off my face. Snow? I thought incredulously. In June?

I looked around dazed, not able to see very well. There was loud music playing, and... people?

Where am I? I couldn't make things out. My chest still burned, and I was struggling to catch my breath.

People began approaching me. "Hey, you alright bro?" I heard someone say.

"Yeah, you don't look good at all," remarked another.

My vision came into focus and I started to see a little more clearly. "Yeah, I think I'm okay," I began. "Think I just need-" I stopped mid-sentence when I looked up to see not people, but animals standing around me. I looked around, seeing all sorts of mammals, standing on two legs, wearing clothes, and talking.

  I must have hit my head really hard...

"Holy heck..." a zebra said as they took a close look at me.

Suddenly my mouth was dry and I was struggling to speak.

Before I could though, there was a loud disturbance from behind and a lot of screams amidst panic. I glanced behind me in horror to see that the same bear was still hot in its pursuit, running toward me and cutting down others that stood in its way.

  Oh, frick. I started running and shoving my way through all the panicking, bipedal animals, who began to scatter and flee from the large carnivorous beast so set on having me for its evening appetizer.

I saw and began heading for the forest, hoping I could get out of the open and possibly find safe refuge from the bear. If I can just make it to those trees... I thought desperately.