Displacements, Pt. 2 of 5.

          Jeremy was just reaching the place where Darian was supposed to meet him and saw no hint of his presence.  He casually walked amidst more bare ash trees and between thicker ones with more colorful persisting foliage -- a beautiful autumnal garden.  Its variety seemed almost pleasurably typical, until he heard a sonic boom sound in the distance.  The noise did not resemble a shotgun discharging from his position, and he looked up to try and find a probable source.

          The ascending tree trunks and their many dividing dark branches effectively shut out the brighter sky though, like sinister harbingers heralding the impending long night; he sought to get out into the open again -- faster.  "Darn it, Darry!  If you're shooting in my direction, so help me God, you're gonna hear about it," he mumbled.

          Getting into the open was another matter.  Although it was in sight in various amounts around him, he ran between and around trees ahead enough to boggle his mind.  Stopping to regain his breath, he looked on and quietly said, "This is sure some . . . weird crap.  You get in here and you don't get out?"

          A rush of wind gusted through the branches above briefly, and it felt refreshing, cool against the sweaty fringes of his face.  When it was gone, he ran again, more and more toward the setting sun.  The trunks of the trees seemed to rush by in a blur the faster he went, and big ones ahead likewise divided into two or three as he approached.  Soon, his puzzlement turned to frustration, even anger.

          Coming to a stop, he tossed his gun down, shook his head, and more loudly said, "Well, what the damned hell tarnation is this?  How many stinkin' trees are in this little patch of forest anyway?"

          An answer came to one of his spontaneous questions next, but in a way he would have never dreamed.  He moved around a thick boxalder tree and was surprised by a woman with long light-blond hair.  The nudity of her shapely form distracted him, and she swiftly swung a broken branch like a club.  His eyes shifted to see the blow coming, but he could not react in time to avoid it.  

          She connected hard against the left side of his head, and he was sent reeling to the ground effectively dazed.  "The continuum has been disrupted," she said.  "Now, both of us are in great danger."  

          He moaned and reached toward her instinctively in defense, but there was no further attack.  She looked to the side upon hearing Darian and quickly darted out of sight.  He, in turn, rolled and sluggishly got back on his knees, grunting in the process and holding his throbbing head.  "Oh Christ, woman.  What was that for?" he grumbled.  "Where -- "

          He heard his name being called again from a much closer distance and was leaning against the big tree when Darian's voice seemed nearest.  "I'm here," he replied and rotated his head carefully, to stretch his neck.  

          "Jeremy!  Jeremy!  Where are you?" Darian yelled again.

          "I'm here, man.  I'm coming out already," he said louder.

          He saw Darian's long broken shadow stop and vaguely indicate the way to his location.  This time, getting out of the trees was no problem.  Stumbling along and into the clearing, he was still a little dizzy upon finally meeting him.  "Man, there sure is some strange . . . thing at work here.  The people over in Fleeceburg were right about this place being bewitched.  You wouldn't believe what I just saw."  

          "Hell, you should have seen . . . what I found.  It's still . . . coming after me too.  Look there,"  Darian excitedly said.  

          He did but saw nothing unusual behind him.  "So, what?  That's just the wind moving the trees and bushes a bit."  

          "No way in Hell, man!  We gotta get out of here, pronto.  What I saw was big and ugly.  Bugger jumped right over me and swatted the gun right outta my hand at the same time.  C'mon!"

          "W-wait!  Hold it," he said and paused.  "I don't hear anything coming.  A 'bugger,' huh?"

          "Shit, yes or whatever," Darian replied and extended his arms.  "The darned thing was over this wide.  Had a thick neck, two legs and . . . four arms, I think.  Anyway, I'm outta here."  

          He started running again, away from the trees, and Jeremy had to chase him down a few meters, before both came to a mutual stop.  "What do you mean, you think?"  

          "Just what I said.  Could've been . . . four legs and two arms, or six legs . . . for all I know.  Christ, it never told me.  Let's go!"

          "Not . . . too fast, okay?  That wasn't anything close to what I came across, or what found me."  

          Darian stopped and looked at him with skepticism.  "Oh, really?  So, what gave you that bloody hickey above your ear there, a butterfly with hot lips?"  

          "You wouldn't believe me if I told you.  Awe crud!"  

          He threw his arms out.  "Uh-huh, right.  Looks like we're in the same boat now."  

          "Yeah," Jeremy finally conceded in a more subtle tone of voice, "but we're still seeing things from opposite sides differently -- somehow."  


Continued to Pt. 3.