A Rising Chorus by

Eneas

This was, without question, the weirdest place he had ever been in. He wasn’t really sure what happened, but he was shoved through a portal into this strange dimension. This place was different. The grass was a bright green, and the trees were lush and tall. There was a snow capped mountain in the distance, and colorful flowers all around his feet. The grass was a bit moist, and the air had the smell of a passing light rain. The air was filled with the tweeting and chirping of birds, coming from all around.

It would have seemed straight out of some kid’s dreams if it hadn’t been for the feeling radiating from everything around him. It was hard to place, even hard to identify it was there, but every blade of grass, every tree, every flower, and especially from the bird songs. He should not be there. He has stepped foot into a place he will never forget. Turning back around, the portal he came through had closed. Seeing no other option, he put his foot forward. At once, it felt like a flaming spear had been shot up his leg. He immediately drew his foot back again, but it did not seem to do any lasting damage. Inspecting the ground in front of him, he noticed a peculiar red flower among the yellows and blues. The world was not simply safe, it seemed. There was a path to his left, but he was hesitant to take it. He looked around. The meadow he stood in was not just green, but dotted with many of these fiery reds, standing alone for an unknowing passerby to step in the wrong spot. It seemed the meadow was telling him to take the path, and he did so hesitantly.

He followed the path into a forest, and he noticed the light chirps and twitters from birds again, just above the sound of his footsteps, but eerily noticeable in the quiet forest. Soon enough, he came across a split in the path. Both choices looked identical, looking like mirror images of each other, reflected across the split itself. Still, the chorus of birds droned in the background. He decided on the one to his right. If it did not turn out well, he would just remember the way back. He continued on the way.

He came across many more splits as he traveled, and in each he just took the right path. Walking the path, he noticed small critters moving deep in the forest. None called, or squeaked, or croaked, or made any voluntary warning of their presence. They simply moved, disturbing fallen sticks as they continued. The chorus of birds was slightly louder. He continued walking until he encountered another split in the road. He moved to take the right once again until he noticed the simple wooden sign. It was simple, just a plank stuck in the ground. He did not see a sign, or marking, or any type of disturbance on the sign itself. It simply was there, being a warning, a recognition, a declaration, or simply a wooden plank in the ground to distract him fromHe suddenly turned around, realizing he had not looked back in a very long time. He stared in shock. The path he had been walking on was simply not there. It was not a dirt path, not a grass path, but a dense forest behind him. He walked slowly backwards, and the forest inched forwards. He turned back around and broke into a run, running down the right path as fast as he could. The chorus of birds was growing louder and louder, filling his head with chirping and bird songs. He suddenly stopped, at the edge of a cliff. He turned around. The forest was right behind him, chasing him as fast as he ran.

He looked back at the cliff. He still had no idea what brought him here, or what this place even was. The view was breathtaking, but he was too out of breath to consider it. The chorus of birds began to dissipate, but not in intensity, simply in number. The many voices began to combine, becoming louder and louder as one voice. A large orb-like bird rose in front of him, almost chanting with the voices of a thousand separate birds, all together.