Chris's World

It was a dark and dreary day as Dirk skittered along down the side-walk. He glanced around nervously as the clouds boiled and rolled overhead. This day threatened to become infamous.

His heart pounded with a fear that was without grounds, except deep within the primitive heart of his reptilian brain. There was no one around, yet he could feel the death stalker on his neck. Why the fear!! This didn't make any sense...

His pace increased as he neared the building to which he was headed, the fear driving his heart and his feet all the faster. The brilliance of the building's light gave him a growing hope of succour, and in his heart he hoped that this hope was not of a fleeting nature.

His pace quickened to a run, and then he heard the steps of another behind him... He choaked off a scream as he ran, hoping to reach the doors of the sanctuary before he could be run down. His lungs and legs screamed for air as the adrenline surged new energy to his flagging muscles, driving him despirately forward.

Behind him he could hear the pounding of feet, and a muffled yell of ...what? He couldn't tell, but whether it was because of the roaring of the coming storm or from the choking fear, he could not - would not know. His only thoughts were of escaping to the sanctuary.

His hands struck the door, driving it inwards as he dashed through. Dirk stopped and turned towards the door, intending on shutting out the elements, and that THING which had scared him so. Lightening crashed into a nearby tree, shattering it and lighting up the clearing in front of the sanctuary, revealing.................the stark figure of a man dashing towards the building, screaming at the top of his lungs. Dirk's eyes grew big as he stared at the strange figure with his flapping arms, hair askew and wild looking eyes.

Chasing behind him was a silly looking little dog. Dirk finally made out what the man was saying. "Help, this dog is trying to lick me, help!!" Dirk laughed now, as he realized that it was his friend Bob, and their neighbour's dog Sparky. The pair of them dashed in the door, just as a torent of rain began to ravage the world outside. Dirk bolted the door shut, and separated the excessively happy dog from Bob's leg and sent it down the hallway to their neighbour's place.

As he sat there and laughed with his friend Bob, Dirk couldn't help but wonder if Bob and the dog had really been his source of fear, or if he really had been stalked by the Shadow of Death said to haunt this newly colonized world. A shiver rocked his spine, and he couldn't shake this unknowing cold.

This chapter is ~fin~

Written and © by Chris on June 5, 2000