Sunlight.
Bright, blinding sunlight, seeping through the canopy of large, dew-drenched leaves hanging above my throbbing head.
As my eyes fluttered open and I gradually began to regain consciences, I was immediately assaulted by the blast of warm sunlight that was radiating down from the crisp, blue sky.
Grunting, I was overtaken by a sudden wave of panic, and I instinctively tried to leap to my feet, a move I instantly regretted.
Shrieking in agony, I found that I was unable to move my legs, as if I had been shot in the kneecaps and my entire lower body had been frozen in place.
Jesus Christ, I'm paralyzed -
No, not paralyzed – crippled, perhaps, but not paralyzed.
I could fight off the pain but, oh God, the panic – the helplessness.
I'm trapped here (where am I?), and I can't even defend myself.
Biting my lip to keep my screams of agony muted, I began to examine my body for other injuries: my left wrist was sprained, probably, but at least I could move my arms, both of which were covered with scars, some of them bleeding profusely and staining my short-sleeved shirt, which was torn beyond recognition. My hands, too, were terribly scratched and cracked, like leather left out in the sun on a hot summer day.
Well, I'm alive…and as far as I can tell, nothing's broken.
Thank God for small miracles.
Taking a deep breath, I froze suddenly - the air that I was breathing into my lungs was sticky and humid, almost sweet-tasting, like nectar, and I found myself taking deeper breaths, craving the sugary breeze.
Now that my eyes had finally adjusted to the sunlight, I could see that the world around me was exotically beautiful, like something out of a fantasy –
Everything was a lush, vibrant green, excluding the brightly-colored flowers of alien origin that formed a circle around my semi-limp body. Canopy leaves twirled down from the trees above, slicing through the thick layers of mist that seemingly rose from the soggy earth.
Breathtaking…
I would have sat there, mesmerized, for the rest of my life, if it had not been for that lightheaded feeling that had struck me like a cannonball.
The realization that what I was breathing in was more than just oxygen came upon me far too late, and I found myself falling into darkness…
Note:
*** I decided that I will be accepting original character suggestions ~ if you have an idea for a character, and I approve of it, I will try my best to incorporate the character into future chapters :) ***