I Pondered Over What He Said For Quite A While I'd Be Not The Only One That Dies... What Does He Mean

I woke up in the forest. The clearing was familiar, the sun was shining.

For a moment there I believed it was all just a bad dream. That I still was the little boy from back then who had just lost his parents. Who just escaped from that maniac.

But as I looked down on me, looked at my hands, I noticed; I wasn't. It hadn't been just a bad dream, I wasn't that young boy again who just had lost his parents. Hadn't just escaped from that maniac. I was still this... monster. Abomination. IT. I screamed.

I expected that even the people in town heard that screech, but I didn't care. My life as Bjorn was over, now I was this... thing. May they come and end my life, if you could call it that.

Picture Master Study: Forest Sunrise by Illustrum

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I didn't have much to pack. Didn't come here with much else than the clothes I was wearing... who weren't even mine. But thanks to Ingrid I had some stuff to take with me, and not only knowledge.

I was still wearing the same old clothes, far less holes in them now tho. She had given me a small bag filled with food too. And there that thought came up again. Me leaving, without being able to give anything back.

She lifted my head a bit with her finger

“Hey, no bad feelings now. You've got a long way to walk, and much to do. So you better hurry, before you grow roots here.” she said jokingly

“Well I... You are right, I gotta go. Gotta find ou... do... stuff.”

“Right, you got to. But give me a visit when you're around, tell me what you learned, what you experienced.”

“I... I... I will. Whenever I'm around. So be careful of those boars and the like while hunting” I laughed

She hugged me, saying nothing. Then she turned me around and pushed me out the front door. I looked at her, tilting my head. She was just standing there, waving goodbye. I saw it in her, she was bad at this, bad at saying goodbye. So she wanted it to be over. I complied.

Smiled,

waved,

turned around,

and got on my way.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Something ripped me out of my sleep.

As I opened my eyes I saw the ground below me, and it was coming towards me quickly.

After what felt like a moment or two I was wake enough to realize it wasn't the ground coming towards me, but me falling down towards it. Down from my safe branch.

Why had this to happen this night? Is it just a coincidence or is it somehow connected to me thinking about it earlier? And if yes, how could thinking about something affect if it's going to happen? I mean, naturally if you plan on going hunting and shoot a deer, that does affect it very much. If you hadn't had that thought you might have not gone to do that. But something like this, like thinking about that it'd hurt to stumble and fall on your face and it then happening only a while later. That can't be connected, right?

Suddenly I noticed this pain in my arm, and through that also how numb my whole body was. It was transforming, beginning at my elbow and slowly crawling towards my hand. Slowly it moved, I didn't have any control over it, towards the tree, reaching for it.

Then things began to get faster, I was falling faster, my arm was moving faster.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Growling Like a Wolf

Vista Point

Still walking while lost in thought I bumped into a tree. Ouch! Wait --- it's already this dark? I need to find a place where I can stay this night.

After looking around for a short time I found a suitable tree and climbed it. It's been a long day walking, my feet are hurting and my belly is grumbling. I hope there is a town on the other side of this forest.

After a while I fell asleep -- with my stomach still growling like a wolf.

Picture Blood Tree by FreShPAiNt [EDITED]

Music Vista Point by Kai Rosenkranz

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Floating

I woke up again.

So, my name… my real name is 片 Kata. It’ll take time to get used to, I think. And IT doesn’t want to tell me its name. Why?

With all these thoughts it took a while till I noticed that it’s dark around me.

Am I blind now? Don’t I have eyes anymore?

Carefully I got up. Something in my view was changing. I could see silhouettes like before, but it wasn’t because something was gleaming. I saw things in the dark.

I found my way out of the cave. It was already morning again. The sun had risen and the birds were chirping in the trees. Suddenly I noticed the difference. I could see everything normally again. My view was clear, normally coloured. No blur, no gleaming things.

I looked down at myself, but I got disappointed. Still this burned flesh, these claws. Without much more hope I went to the pond again.

No ears, no nose, no hair. Razorsharp teeth, but my eyes weren’t black anymore.

So, somehow I did make progress. Only question is; How?

Picture Forest Pond by Ruth-Tay

Music Floating by Andreas B.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Wild Woods

I went out, to the pond again.

It was broad day. The sun was high and birds were chirping.

I looked around a bit at the pond.

Hmm… still no one’s come to fight this beast. Didn’t expect it to take them this long to find someone brave enough to kill this monster.

A deer got near the other side of the pond.

A deer?!

I looked down at my stomach.

Well, I ain’t hungry. At least I don’t feel hungry. I’ll let it live. No need to kill it just for sport. Don’t wanna overeat either.

Walking back to the cave I thought about this ‘dream’

How can I beat this guy? He’s superior to me in every way. Stronger, faster, more experienced…

I got his first punch, it hurt like a bitch to block it, but I know he isn’t almighty.

Just have to look out for upper-cuts now. Biting of my own tongue is even worse than getting hit in the arm.

Picture Deer by Jason Behnke

Music Wild Woods by Brandon Fiechter

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

A Small Measure of Peace

Martin seemed to be a nice man. He didn't talk very much on the way but every now and then he looked at me and smiled.

I guess he was a little bit smaller than most people, as he was only two heads taller than myself. He was about the same age father... was, maybe a little older.

I can't tell why but I somehow knew from the beginning he was a sincere & honest man. He had no reason to wish bad things on anyone. Nor did he want any bad things to happen to himself or the people who are dear to him.

' 'ere we er wee 'un'

Picture house by 0BO

Music A Small Measure of Peace by Hans Zimmer

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Ssø bë ît

Fallen City

Covered in a layer of mud I continued to wander through the forest. Does this damn forest never end?

Î wøñdërr whö zät bløôd bèlóñgëd tø ha ha ha ha haaa

There was that voice again. What does it want from me and where does it come from? Can other people hear it too? 'WHOEVER OR WHATEVER YOU ARE, DONT TALK TO ME ANYMORE! LEAVE. ME. BE!'

--- at least until I can find out who or what you are

Ssø bë ît

Picture Disturbed by Dunjochka

Music Fallen City by G Empire Music

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

In the beginning, the traveling itself was very exhausting. I took breaks often, even tho I walked at a comfortable pace most of the time. I drank lots of water, really, lots. Until I was reminded that the content of my flask was only finite, and that there wasn't always water around to refill it.

Learning that was rough, but I think I'll never forget that again.

In the Night I mostly sat up a small fire and slept next to it. After these long days of walking I was mostly deep asleep within moments after lying down. Looking back on that I was pretty lucky actually. It was foolish to just set up camp out there, especially when you're going to be sleeping like a rock till sun up and beyond. I could have got attacked by animals, robbed by other people... IT could have taken over. But I was lucky, nothing happened.

Woke up every time just like I laid down. With the exception of being rested & kinda stiff from sleeping on the ground.

Must admit, even now the whole walking all day is still quite exhausting, less than in the beginning, and even less if I'm on horse-back part of the day, but I guess it will never quite stop taking most of your vigour.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Just a Nightmare?

Underground

‘Where am I?’

Yøü? Yõü ærrê ïn mÿ tèrrrítørrý. Wåñnâ knøw whæt'ss fùñ about zãt?

Its voice was omnipresent. It came from everywhere. And it was so deep that it was soothing and horrifying alike. I was unsure if I wanted to know, but I asked. 'What?’

Zæt whílè yøû årrê hërê, Ï hâvë còñtrrøl. Ha Ha Ha

I didn’t see anything. But still I felt how devilishly that thing on my back was grinning. What does it mean by that? It has control? Control over what? And where is its territory?

Picture Blackout found on 巫女miko's blog

Music Underground by ◄-NATURE-►

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016