This story was inspired by The Miserables Harsh Realities by perper, the opening song Stray from Wolf's Rain, and the movie Brother Bear, property of Disney.
CHANGE OF HEART (PART 1)
No one would believe him. No would would trust him. After all that time, lying, hunting, killing, he stood still on the horizon. He didn't speak. He never moved. He couldn't understand why. What had he done wrong? He walked along the side of the river. The water splashed up the sides. He shivered as the cold water hit him in the bare skin of his leg. How could he feel like this? He was a poacher! A poacher wasn't supposed to feel angst! A poacher wasn't supposed to remorse! A poacher was supposed to be callous, strong, hard.
But then...why did he feel like this?
The poacher sat down next to the river. He looked at his reflection. He could feel a tear come to his eye. He wiped it away. He couldn't show his weakness. He had to keep it hidden, well hidden from the others. Well away from his wife. What would they think of him if they found out he was weak?
"This isn't fair..."
He couldn't figure out why he felt like this. He had been normal yesterday. Everything was just fine, just perfect. At least for him it was. He looked up into the sky. The blue of it made him think of his sorrow. He watched as the clouds swirled by. The rocks splashed onto the ground pushed by the water. A deep sigh escaped his throat. He couldn't hide his tears for long. He can't understand why he felt like this. He never experienced regret before. Nor did he realize just how painful it would be.
Sorrow.
Regret.
Sadness.
Anger.
That's all the filled his mind. He grabbed his head, and screamed. "Why can't I be strong?!" The man shouted. The man, Sloan Blackburn, hadn't been himself lately. It had all happened one day when he wandered away from his wife, Bree Blackburn. He needed some personal time off. Nothing out of the ordinary. Just a walk down the river, maybe kill an animal or two. Everything normal. He had seen a movement. It wasn't animal. He knew it was human. The lock of blonde hair, he recognized it. Desperation filled him, and he followed.
The thing on his mind was revenge. He needed to get even with Eliza. He wanted to make her suffer like he had suffered. Make her hurt, make her cry, make her pay. He followed Debbie into the forest. She thought no one was there. She sat down to rest. She had been looking for her sister, who had ran off earlier.
"Where could she have gotten to?" She asked herself as she took off her shoe. She brushed out a few particles of sand and rock that had gotten in. A few dry blade of grass got caught on her pants. Disgusted, she brushed them off abrubtly. "She's in big trouble once I find her."
She got off. She couldn't see the angry eyes watching her. Watching her every movement that she made. She was too busy looking ahead. The tangled vegetation, the dark shadows, the light beams. She would've cared less about going that way. But her sister's footprints led down that way. What choice did she have? Taking a breath, she took off.
From the bushes emerged Sloan Blackburn. He took out his knife, ready to attack. He took off after her. His footfalls made sound as loud as Debbie's. But they were offbeat, not in rhythm pattern. Debbie heard them. Her heart raced. She stopped. She turned around. Sloan ceased movement. The darkness of the forest hid him well. Debbie could not see him. She shrugged her shoulders and continued to move on. She pushed herself through the foliage, through the vines and trees. "Eliza! Where are you?" She shouted, cupping her hands together.
She looked around herself. The young redhead hadn't emerged yet. Maybe something was wrong. No way! Eliza was a tough girl. Nothing bad could ever happen to her... Then something crossed her mind. She remembered how she almost lost her sister....to the river. It was Sloan, a poacher. He had tried to kill Eliza. He had tried to kill her. Tried to kill....tried to kill...
Debbie closed her eyes, trying to block out the dark thoughts. The dark thoughts seemed to be taking over her mind. She had to be strong. She couldn't show her fear. Sloan seemed surprised. Then he shook that away. This was his chance. While Debbie was distracted, he could spring up to attack. He lay low to the ground, his knife readied. The leaves made slight noise as he brushed up against them. Then he stepped on a branch.
The sudden sound brought Debbie back to reality. "Huh? Who's there?" She called out. No sound, no answer. She had the feeling she was alone, and yet someone, or something, was still there. But who? But what? She looked around. She tried in vain to see something out of the ordinary. She spotted it. She could barely make the outline of Sloan's knife. The glimmer caught her eye as well. Her eyes widen in fear. She sweated, she backed away.
"No..."
Then she took off running.
Sloan was surprised, then frustrated. "Oh no you don't!"
Then a chase began. Teenager VS Poacher. Young VS Old. It was a classic match up. Youth put up against experienced. Debbie was younger. She was faster. But she couldn't keep up the speed for long. Sloan was stronger. He could subdue her in a matter of minutes. Even if she got him to let go, he'd grab onto her quickly. What could a small teenager like her do against something who was larger and stronger than she was?
She ran through the jungle. The heat, it didn't bother either of them. Didn't slow them down. They just kept on running. Debbie could hear Sloan's voice behind her, shouting, "I'm gonna make Eliza SUFFER!!!" The last word echoed in her ear. She wished this was a bad dream, that she would wake up and everything would be all right. It wasn't...
She came out of the forest. A plain wasn't waiting for her. It was a rocky, deserted place. They had gone out of the jungle region of Africa, and straight onto a barren landscape. She thought of turning back, but with the crazed poacher behind her, she had to keep running. Running, that was her only option. She looked ahead. A tall mountain was there. It was a longshot, but if she climbed it, she could escape Sloan.
She went for it.
Sloan stopped suddenly when he exited the forest. He stared across the barren landscape. He had thought the teenager would turn around. Only a crazy fool would enter onto this land. Yet he could see the blonde heading straight for the mountain. He growled under his breath. "You just have to make things more difficult.." He hesitated. He didn't know if he should follow the teenager.
He couldn't think for long. He went after her. The chase resumed. Debbie climbed up the mountain, handing on to all the rocks jetting out. She didn't look back. She didn't dare. The poacher, she knew, was behind her. He was having an easier time to climb up. He had more experience, yet wasn't as fast. He caught up to Debbie soon...on the top.
The girl bolted. She then stopped. She was near the edge. The rocks slid down. They were way up high. She turned around. Sloan had gotten to the top. He approached her menacingly. An evil smile was on his face. How he was gonna enjoy this. The terrified look on Debbie's face, he loved it. He loved fear. Loved fear from others. Made him seem strong. He could not feel fear. He lifted up his knife. "Revenge." Was the only thing he said. Then he lunged at her.
The teenager screamed, and dodged to one side. She tried to run, but he grabbed her arm. He pulled her onto the ground, pinning her. He raised the knife. Debbie screamed, and pushed him off of her. She sprang up, ran off. But she couldn't climb back down. Take too long. He would have her before she was 2 ft down. Sloan tried to tackle her. Debbie grabbed him and pushed him off. It was like a baby attack to him. Debbie was weaker. He was stronger.
Therefore, he shall be victorious. Be the winner.
"Come back here, Thornberry brat!"
He went for her again. Again she dodged. She didn't wish to get caught. She knew what the man was going to do to her. She wouldn't allow that! She kept on running, kept on dodging.
But she couldn't keep it up for long.
Suddenly she tripped. She fall onto her back. The force nearly made it snap. "AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!" She tried to get up, but a force held her down. Sloan saw the teenager's agony, a dark smile on his face. He knew this is the end of the line. It was now his chance, his chance to get even with that Thornberry brat. The girl who ruined his plans, all his plans.
Debbie looked up, and her eyes widened in fear. Sloan came closer. Closer and closer...then he knelt down at her side. She whimpered, and tried to move away. But her back pain nearly frozen her in terror. She couldn't move, not move quickly enough. Sloan held the knife aloft, above her. Then he struck down. The blade stuck into her arm.
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!"
She clutched her arm close to her. She looked up at the man in fear. She whimpered. He didn't care. He strike the knife into her side, another scream. He felt like he should've brought ear muffs. He was only grateful that they were both far away from civilization. He smiled evilly, no one would think of checking up here. He struck the teenager again and again, repeatedly in the chest, stomach, and side. He struck her in the arms and legs.
He finally stopped. She looked like she had enough. She didn't look good. She was all cut up, bleeding from so many places. She weakened, no longer able to scream. Sloan seemed almost sad at what he was doing. But he was a poacher! Have to be strong! Yet he didn't like the suffering. He picked up the knife, and struck her in the heart. "Time to end your pain."
The teenager stiffened. Then she feel limp, her eyes closed. Sloan dropped the bloodied knife next to her. He hadn't realized that he had left it there. He didn't bother turning back. He climbed back down the mountain. And he went back into the forest, towards the river to clean off the blood that had dripped onto him.
And that's what had happened. He couldn't understand it. Why feel remorse for something he meant to do? For something he knew had to be done? He dipped his hands into the cold water. The blood washed off into the river. He turned away, and walked off.
Strange thoughts filled his mind. Why was he feeling like this? Was it guilt? No! No, it couldn't be! "Poachers don't feel." He kept telling himself over and over again. Then a sudden flash filled the area he was in. It was a bright white light. He thought it was heaven. But wait..he wasn't dead.
Brightness....
Blinding......
Glaring.......
He shielded his eyes. He couldn't stand it. Couldn't stand it! Then suddenly, total blackness. He was confused. He didn't know what that was all about. What was it? He opened his eyes, and looked in front of him. He was shocked to see the dead teenager's body, still bloodied. The knife was still near her. What was he doing here? Hadn't he moved? Was he magically moved there. Nonsense.
"Magic doesn't exist."
Then he felt another presense. It was like someone was watching him.
Who was it? What was it? He looked around. He couldn't see. Then a light,
a bright blue light, splashed down. It was like water. It filled the top
of the mountain. It dripped over the sides. It sloshed onto the ground.
Then the light became brighter, more concentrated at one side. "What is
this?" He whispered. He picked up a stick. He had to know. The floating
light just...floated there. It never moved.
Come with me, I'll take you now
To a place that you fear
For no reason why
Your heart has turned away from me
And I will make you understand
He moved in closer.
He moved the stick closer.
Then the stick and the light touched.
Everything will become clear to you
When you see things through another's eyes
Everything will become clear to you
Whatever's meant for you, you will find
Suddenly, the light exploded. Screaming, Sloan fell back. The blue light was now an orange-yellow. The skies, they were filled with so many lights, so many shapes. What looked like ghost animals pounded the ground, the skies. Elephants, orangutans, gorillas, eagles, crocodiles, lions, cheetahs, wolves, so many animals! He watched in awe as they strode past him, as though they didn't see him.
Then a figure caught his attention. He looked up. The figure of a large
eagle came towards him. He backed away, fearful. The eagle landed next
to him. Glowing brighter, it shifted shape. Sloan stared in shock as a
black dinosaur took the place. "Who-Who are you?"
Come with me, I'll take you there
To a place where you'll see
Everything you need to be the one you need to be
But the animal made no noise, no spoken words. It just glared at him.
The piercing blue eyes nearly froze Sloan's heart and soul. The dinosaur
seemed to say, "My name is Ebony." But it felt like he heard it in his
mind, as though the creature was telepathic. She then looked towards the
teenager. A look of sorrow was on her face. At least she wasn't cold-hearted.
Then she turned bak to Sloan, same cold face on her. Then a look
of sympathy. It was like she felt his pain.
And all of those things that you feared
Will disappear from you in time
"Come with me." She spoken. She then transformed back into the eagle.
She flew up and behind Sloan. She grabbed him with her talons. Sloan jerked
in surprise. The ground grew smaller. They flew up higher. The animal shapes
then circled around just them, as though lending their powers. Sloan was
engulfed in bright light, which took the shape of a dinosaur, the same
as Ebony was.
Everything will become clear to you
When you see things through another's eyes
Everything will become clear to you
Whatever's meant for you, you will find
Then Sloan felt a strange force run throughout himself. He screamed, then suddenly burst out of his clothes. A red and orange body emerged. His scream turned into a roar of despair. His eyes closed tightly, his new sharp teeth bared. Sky blue stripes emerged on his back. The only thing holding him up were the lights. They lowered him down. On the ground, he collapsed. The transformation was shocking. But he wasn't aware of it. He didn't even notice his torn clothes laying to one side.
He struggled to his feet. He opened up one eye. His eyes were now green. He reared on his hind legs. He tried to walk, but he was so disoriented that he lost his balance. He fell backward. He screamed as he crashed along the side of the mountain. Then his head crashed into a rock. He felt his world shatter in front of him. The poacher finally landed to a side, then rested at the bottom of the mountain. He groaned, then lost his mind in unconsciousness.
"Debbie? Debbie?"
A young girl arrived at the side of the mountain. She didn't notice the strange animal. She was too busy looking for her sister. Eliza had wandered off, and knew Debbie was trying to find her. But when she no longer heard her teenager's cries, she began to feel worried. Why had she stopped?
She climbed up. She didn't know if she would be up there or not. Perhaps she was. Maybe she was playing a joke on her. Yeah, that's it.
"I still can't believe Debbie won't answer me."
It shouldn't have been a surprise though. She sometimes does that. But never for this long. It had been several minutes since she last heard her, no an hour ago. She struggled to climb up the mountain. She nearly slipped a few times. She finally reached the top. "Debbie?" She shouted again, then she saw a body at the edge of her eye. Her eyes widened. She quickly turned.
It was Debbie.
"Debbie?" She asked again. She rushed to her sister's side. She could feel tears brimming at her eyes. What happened to her? Debbie was cut up, no longer bleeding but a lot of blood stains on her. She lifted her sister, holding her close. "Debbie?" She asked again. No answer. A pained look was on her face. It wasn't fair. She felt Debbie's neck. No pulse. No fair... She didn't deserve this. Didn't deserve it....so young....
"DEBBIE! NO!"
Her scream howled through the skies. She cradled her sister against her, buried her face into her hair. Why did this happen? How did this happen? Who did it? So many questions flooded her mind. So many answers yet untold.
She could still hear her sister's voice in her mind. She remembered everything. She must remember. The memories were all that is left now. Memories...memories..echoing, fading away.... "Whoever did this will pay."
She then felt something poke her. She turned around. She picked it up. It was covered in so much dust, she didn't recognize it. She gently placed her sister back on the ground. Then she used her hands to wipe off the dirt. She nearly choked on a few particles of tiny rock. She cut herself. She yelped, and held her hand to her chest. Then she looked at the object that fell. Her eyes widened, and yet anger, not fear, filled her heart.
It was a knife.
Sloan's knife...
"He will pay." Eliza said as she stared at her dead sister, then looked
up at the skies. This has only begun....only begun.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
End of chapter 1. Not sure when I'll write the next chapter... ::shrug::
It's so much like Brother Bear....I'm shocked. ^^;; I guess I loved that movie...ever since I first heard about it. I have been plotting this story since I saw the first trailer for Brother Bear way back in April. It just seemed like a good idea! Of course many changes took place. For instance, Sloan originally was going to remember everything, and try to kill Eliza. But I thought, and believed that was a bit...too much. So I changed that portion of it.
Chapter 2 will be delayed. I've too many things to do, and I haven't been in the writing mood lately.