Standing amidst a calm field you can't help but reach out to touch the tall blades of grass. The day was perfect in every way. The sky a brilliant blue littered with gentle clouds, the grass smooth against your palm. All was well and all that could be done was letting a soft sigh escape your lips as you took in the day. Your sandal clad feet pushed forward through the thick grass until you decided that it was safe to let your flesh touch the earth. Freeing your feet from their bindings you let your feet meet with the cool ground. A gentle breeze picked up pushing your hair from your shoulders while you licked your lips in anticipation. Anticipation? What more could be anticipated, but you wanted more. You wanted to take in more of this beauty.
Pressing forward your feet came down upon the cool dirt. It pushed passed your toes lighting up your senses. Refreshing. The blades of grass began to dance quicker in the wind and your pace began to hasten. Beating off your legs, the grass opened up creating a path in your wake. Then you heard it. As your foot met the earth there was a thump.
A thump. Soft. Were you hearing something? Were you so drunk with happiness and awe that your mind has now created yet another experience? You would lift your opposite foot up to perhaps induce another thump. As it met the earth there would indeed be another thump.
Was this real?
Your gaze fell to the ground and your toes squeezed the dirt underneath you. As your mind raced, your heartbeat quickened with that anticipation again. There was something that you heard. It was real, wasn't it? Kneeling down your hand felt the ground. You felt for a heartbeat, you felt for life. Nothing. Dropping to the ground your eyes danced around frantically looking for an answer and then you placed your ear to the ground. Nothing.
Wait.
Thump.
It was there. It was real. Thump. Louder now.
You heard another, then another. No, it wasn't a heartbeat. Your frame shot up, knees still smashed into the grassy soil as your eyes danced around the horizon. Thump. You swallowed. Thump. Your paradise seemed to be diminishing slowly as the thumps began to shorten their frequency. Then you saw it. It was an animal in the distance, red and dancing in the wind.
As it got closer, it became clear that it was not a bird, but a banner. You would swallow again and hear another thump as you got up on your feet. The ground gave a gentle shake as another thump followed. A bead of sweat gathered on your brow as you saw them. Yes, the drums of war. You were merely an obstacle now between the frightening beats of their tight leather clad drums. Their steel glistened in the sunlight and your paradise was now a nightmare.
You broke your frozen stance and turned to run down the beaten grass path that was your happy past. They only grew faster as their strides doubled yours. Your fear deepened as their cries of war echoed in your mind. Your tears swelled and traced down your cheeks as you ran faster. They can't catch you. You can't let them catch you.