The Tree

R S Gardner

Bang! A sharp pain stabbed through my chest. I fell to the ground, which was already sticky with blood. “Is anybody here a doctor!?” Someone yelled. Another bang sounded, followed by the thump of a body hitting the ground. I coughed out blood, and my sight became hazy. I rolled over, trying to find my phone. It all went dark.

I woke up in a field of rye. I stood up. My suit had no blood on it anymore, as if someone had changed my clothes. I noticed a tree in the distance. I made my way towards it, but the closer I walked, the farther it seemed to get. I looked behind me, another tree lay in the distance. I began to walk towards it but it only got farther.

As I was walking, I looked behind me. The tree behind me was getting closer. I continued to walk away from it, until it was right behind me, and I could sit against it. I noticed a human-shaped figure in the distance, sitting against a tree. “Hey!” I shouted, “You!” I began running towards them, but they only got farther away. I turned around and ran backward so I’d make my way toward them, I ran for hours. I ripped my coat off and threw it against a tree. I continued to run for hours. Finally, I gave up and slid down the trunk of a tree.

Something was underneath me, I pulled it out, and there it was, a dark gray pea coat, my dark gray pea coat. This made no sense. I left it at a tree that had to be miles away. I stood up quickly, and to my surprise, the figure did too. I waved my hand, and so did they. I took one step towards them. They took one step away. Oh no, I thought. I did a random series of hand gestures, and at the same time, they did the same thing. I looked behind me. Another figure stood next to a tree. I continued doing the hand gestures, and so did they, on both sides of me. Oh No! It hit me like a train. That figure was me.