First Impressions
I wake up and the first thing I am aware of is the sensation of my head pressing against the slightly damp grass. I lay quietly in my bed for a time enjoying the slightly cool air. I begin thinking of what happened before I went to sleep this morning and can't help but draw a blank. Oh well, at least I'm still here. Home in bed, alive for another day. Wait...
My home doesn't have grass in it.
I draw in a sharp breath through my nose and sneeze instantly at the violent bombardment of aromas. I can smell the grass, the dew on the grass, the pines and the cones of pines, a burrow of rabbits some distance away, even the dead deer close by and to my left.
I take that as a reassurance of the thing I already know- something is wrong. My house doesn't have grass in it, and my nose isn't this sensitive. What in the name of the Maker is going on? I open my eyes to see and this naturally is when I really begin to panic. I don't even notice the trees and the sun shining down through the canopy. I don't notice that I'm in a forest, that the familiar streets of Monaco are I don't know where. I don't even notice the birds eyeing me nervously from tree branches in the distance. The only thing I see is that I have a full field of vision, and that is absolutely, unconditionally wrong. My left eye hasn't worked since... no, I don't want to think about that, I can't. Not now, there's already too much going on, too many questions to beat myself up with the memories of my life. Right at the top of the list of questions is why in the name of God is my left eye working?
The answer becomes somewhat clear as I start to pay real attention and notice my nose. It's overlong, pointed and... covered in fur?! I bolt upright and try to touch it to make sure, but the movement of my arm isn't right either, and I slam it back down into the dirt before I can see it come into view. My arm doesn't move like that- it can't. I can't- this body isn't my own.
The next thing I know is that I'm running flat out with no real idea where or why. It doesn't even matter, I have to get away. Away from... whatever this nightmare is. Nightmare? I try to wake up but this is no dream, at least not a dream that can be woken out of. It escapes my notice that I'm running on all fours, all that matters is escape. I can't, I'm not ready for whatever this is. Why is it happening? I duck under a low branch and feel the tips of my ears brush against it. A surge of energy goes through me and I fall completely deaf dumb and blind. I can't think, I shouldn't. I have to get away... that's all that matters...