In the Mist of Things

as the fog lifts

In the Mist of Things (650 words)

 

     My name is Sebastian Calabrand. I’m nothing special, an ordinary Joe, just a regular guy trying to live a normal life. I work at a toy factory as a tool and die maker. I have a girlfriend, whom I’m madly in love with, a nice apartment and ride around in a beat up old Volkswagen. I’ve been told, (mainly by my girlfriend, Ileana) that I’m a good looking guy. I stand at 6 feet 2 inches; have blond hair, blue eyes, and a muscular physique. I’m in my early thirties with no particular religious affiliations, somewhat of a science and history buff, with a mad passion for chess. As I said, I’m just an ordinary guy, well not a nondescript, run of the mill, ordinary, but an interesting and well rounded ordinary. I’m by no means mad, crazy, or a loony wacka-doddle nut-job, but a guy trying to come to grips with the impossible, or what I thought was impossible, until now.

 

     Let me start from the beginning... we felt the car buckle as my engine light came on. Smoke and flicks of fire started to pour out of the engine in the back. We both leapt out of the car and ran away as fast as we could. A minute later my old friend (Harry the Volkswagen) burst into flames. It was a sight to behold, and a frightening one at that. The smell of burnt rubber, oil, and gasoline filled our nostrils. We hugged each other tight as we watched the old Bug burn.   

 

     As the sun set the mist started rolling in. It was thick and swirly. The chill in the air touched and scratched at our bones. On both sides of the highway, oak trees loomed above us. The tree’s branches bereft of leaves swayed back and forth in a dance macabre. We found ourselves stuck in the middle of a damn forest smack in the heart of the desert state of Nevada. We tried to call for help but the bars on our phones were at zero. We started to panic as the mist crept closer. Ileana let out a cry as a hand with sharp bloody claws came out of the mist and pulled her in. I ran in after her and tackled the thing that had Ileana in its filthy grip. The beast was hideous; it looked like an Ogre, a monster found in fairytales and storybooks. I pounded it on its head with my phone while Ileana, freed from its grip, started punching and biting it in his lower regions. It howled in pain and then started to cry. It was one hairy monster, definitely male.

 

“I was only trying to get your female out of harm’s way,” said the monster.  “A piece of astral debris from the wreckage was headed towards her head. I think you and your female gave me a concussion and a case of rabies. You earthen humans are quite vicious and rude. I should send you to the pits of hell, you ungrateful children of a lesser god.”

 

I stared into his ancient eyes and said, “Forgive us for hurting you. We thought you wanted to eat us.  Where are we? What is this place? Who are you? Have we gone mad?”

 

He stared at us, sighed and said,” You’re in the land of lost dreams and legends. To the right of you are the gates of Heaven and to the left of you, Hell. I am a Reaper, but I do not reap your kind. I inadvertently opened the wrong mist gate. You got in an accident and entered the Reaper road. Your Reaper is not here to claim you so I guess you get a second chance at life. Get the hell out of here before I change my mind.”

 

     We woke up in our apartment, full of wonder and belief...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The End