Thomas Returns

A scream echoed through the woods, shattering the silence over the top of the trees. Screams gutted the air like a knife and made your heart ache. It was clear she was afraid, possibly fighting for her life. The screams escaped through hard sobs, begging anyone for help. Ears flicked back and forth as they listened to the screams. Noses twitching, eyes darting through the forest searching for the source of the pain. They scoured until one deep and loud meow alerted the rest of cats that they had found the creature under attack. They scrambled through the forest, darting between rocks and brush. They listened to the trees that grew at Thomas's feet telling them where they could find him. Their yowls echoed, screaming to the trees that someone was in trouble. Soon they could hear him.

His hooves buried into the soil, pushing him forward. As he ran, his power rattled for through the forest floor, sending a message to all around that this was urgent. The roots pulled themselves from the earth, wrapping their long twisting roots around the surrounding flowers and brush. They moved swiftly, leaving nothing but a flat, clear path for Thomas to run, leading him to the screams. The cats followed behind, curious for Thomas' reaction. This was the first time the creature in need, the creature being wronged, was human.

Her head pounded as she woke. Rays of sun shone through the trees, creating a red glow behind her eyelids. Her vision was blurred when her eyes fluttered open. She placed her palm to her forehead, wondering what had just happened. As she focused she could feel the soft grass underneath her, and smelled fresh pine and flowers. It was calming. She closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath.

As the fresh air hit her lungs, so did the memories. Nova knew something was wrong.

She was being chased by a man who had found her on the hiking trail. Nova ran for her life, dropping her pack and poles, doing anything to allow herself just a little more speed. She could have done it, she was far ahead, but that was when an unsuspecting root gripped her ankle. She felt the twist and the instant burn that followed. The loud crack of her ankle echoed through the woods as she screamed in agony.

She watched as her ankle dangled, held on by nothing but the loose skin around her bone. It swung back and forth like a pendulum clicking down the seconds before the man could catch her. She watched him pull the knife from his pocket. The blade glinted in the sunlight.

She felt every plunge of that knife. It dug in and out of her as she screamed. Nova couldn’t believe it. She was a victim on the trail she took every day. There was no escape; she couldn’t say goodbye to her mom, her friends, not even her dog. Thick hot tears fell from her eyes. Who's going to feed her, she wondered.

She felt her screams grow weak and as her vision faded. She felt the man lift from above her. As she began to fall unconscious, she heard a loud bellow and watched as what looked like a large buck shook its antlers. Nova believed she was hallucinating. She wished she could have seen her life flash before her eyes, seen images of her family, or even just a light. She was bewildered. Why a deer?

Jolting up, Nova groaned through her teeth as she tugged her limp ankle into the air to see if it was still broken. Panic settled in her stomach and she frantically patted herself, sliding over her shirt to see if she really was stabbed. Nova felt the slits in her shirt, the dried blood, but no actual wounds. Her eyes darted around her, had this been a dream? Had she fallen and hit her head imagining the whole thing?

She stared at her ankle, fat and swollen turned every shade of blue and black. Then from the corner of her eye, she saw a bright green creature. No bigger than a chihuahua, it hopped toward her with glossy, bead-like black eyes and blue lips. Its leathery loose skin wobbled as it hopped. She stared at it. This was something she had never seen before. It leapt closer and let out a grumbled hiccupy burp-like sound. Nova cringed at the sound and watched as it hopped just a little closer.

Then a loud bellow came from behind her. Before Nova had time to turn around, the green globby creature released its long wet tongue from its mouth, gliding it along the skin of Nova's ankle. Chills ran through her spine and pricked her skin. It was cold. Then she watched as her ankle snapped back into place. It was more painful than when she had first snapped it along the roots. She screamed as her bones cracked into place. She could feel every tendon realign. The feeling of pins and needles nipped under her skin and throbbed. Tears fell from her eyes, watching her ankle repair itself. When the pain vanquished, she looked back at the little green creature. It wagged its behind as though it had a tail, bouncing and hopping back and forth like an excited dog. Its tongue was wet and slobbery, spitting every time it let out another burping croak sound.

A smile crept onto Nova's face. She didn’t know what it was, but she was grateful. As she stared at the small creature she heard heavy steps behind her. Then a heavy huff sent hot air down her neck. Slowly, she turned. Her eyes widened as she stared into black hollow eyes that glowed from within. A bloody serrated smile. Chunks of flesh dangled from its teeth, and she glanced behind it. On the ground lay the body of the man who had attacked her. His face had been eaten off along with chunks of his arms and stomach. Her hands began to shake and her eyes began to fill with tears. It was real.

Before even thinking her arms jutted out in front of her, wrapping around the creature. She sobbed for a moment then finally let out a whimpered “thank you.”

She didn’t care what Thomas had looked like; she sensed nothing menacing about him. Though he was scary, he was kind. She stepped back, wiping tears from her face.

“Are you Thomas? The protector of these woods?” She asked.

Thomas bowed his head and then stomped his left hove into the forest floor, dragging it through the grass. As he drug, flowers bloomed from his print. He had grown strong over the years. He lifted his head back up, meeting Nova's gaze, and bellowed. Nova smiled, watching as black cats, birds, tiny green critters and other unknown creatures emerged from the forest.

The legend had it that Thomas, along with his mother, was killed by humans. He was betrayed and wronged; he would forever walk the forest helping those who had been wronged just like him.

Thomas turned, urging Nova to follow him. They walked in silence through the forest, his horns lighting the path when the night sky blanketed the sun. He walked her back to the trail she had come from and back to the trailhead.

Nova smiled, reaching out her hand to stroke his antler. As she felt the cold smooth surface, Thomas faded away into small lights that blew into the forest behind her. She watched the orbs fall into small yellow eyes that watched her from behind. As she turned to walk back to her car, she heard the rustling and small meows of the little black cats that accompanied Thomas.

She laughed, tears in her eyes and she yelled back to them.

“Thank you!”