Monday: The Silence After the Storm
The world around them had gone completely silent. The ground that had been shaking with rumbling tremors was now eerily still. Jas, Ivy Mae, and Roman lay on the cold, damp earth, unconscious from whatever had swept over them. It was like a thick, invisible fog had descended with the shadow that passed overhead, and the faintest trace of gas lingered in the air.
When Jas woke up, their head was pounding. They could feel the dampness in their clothes, the wetness of the ground beneath them. But there was something else in the air—something different. Slowly, they sat up, squinting against the light as it broke through the clouds above.
Their first instinct was to check on Ivy Mae and Roman. They were both lying nearby, still out cold, but their chests rose and fell steadily. Jas rubbed their face, trying to shake off the confusion and dizziness. What had just happened?
Then, they heard a faint sound—a soft rustling, almost like a squeak. They looked around, eyes scanning the forest floor, and that's when they saw it.
A small, trembling chipmunk lay in front of them, its fur matted and body stiff. It looked like it was dead, a tiny little thing lying so still that for a moment, they thought it might be. But as they got closer, they noticed its tiny chest moving—barely, but enough to tell them it was still alive.
Jas’s heart clenched. They had no idea what had happened, but they couldn’t just leave this poor creature behind. Gently, they cupped the chipmunk in their hands, feeling its fragile body warm to the touch.
“Hey there,” Jas whispered softly, almost as if to reassure it. “You’re going to be okay. I’ve got you.”
They cradled the little chipmunk in their palms, instinctively wrapping it in a piece of cloth from their bag, and made their way over to Ivy Mae and Roman. They were still unconscious, but Jas knew they’d wake up soon. They’d have to get moving. The air still felt wrong, and the animals around them... everything had changed.
But first, they had a new friend to care for.