Solace: A Tale of Foxes

Chapter 1

The end is built into the beginning

The flurry summer haze lingered in the cold. The scent of burnt soot and ash drifted across the land. The weary wind hissed and hushed in the darkness. The city was asleep; lights were dying out as the distant stars blinked in accord. The night was no stranger to solitude. It brooded over the houses, covering them in a shroud of darkness, and loitered in the lonesome streets, caressing the poles and posts with its tenderly touch.

It whispered a tune of melancholy blues. How heavy was every note and lyric, as it traveled through the cracks of each building and around the corners of each sidewalk. A desiccate and tasteless song. It didn't last for long, carried away by the wind, wading its way out of this dreary town. Silence endured.

There, a few miles away, stood a line of black trees, of charcoal and charred wood. Piles of ash were peppered all over the dry earth, bathing in heaves of smoke, covering a scatter of crumbled-up branches and bones. A faint cry rang from afar, so feeble and fragile, the indescribable agony of a helpless dying being, immediately torn apart by the wind and easily subdued. A vain effort to seek rescue unable to reach anywhere, or anyone for that matter. The night was unflinching, cruel and callous.

In the heart of the city the cover of a drain burst open, and a raccoon poked its head into the night, glancing around swiftly with its bulging eyes. Its pointy ears twitched and turned. Slowly and heedfully, it stepped out and ventured into the barren lands, peeking around the vicinity. It was just as he thought. The streets were empty. The cars were still. Everything was dead, and the smell of ashes and smoke choked his every breath.

"Roll out, peasants," groaned the furry creature. There was a rumble from underground, shaking the buildings to their foundations, and drains across the dark town popped open one by one. Mammals of all sizes and species set paws on the lonely lanes and lawns. They scuffled and snarled at each other, scrambling through the maze of garbage and waste. There was a howl in the dark, and the shivering cold numbed their senses. They sprinted along dirty abandoned corridors between the buildings, throwing themselves towards any trashcan within their sights, yanking each other with their long skinny limbs and digging into opened packages and plastics. The commotion lasted for a while until someone let out a scream, and everyone started running in all directions. The dogs had arrived, barking furiously, their jaws drooling as they kicked and smacked their inferiors out of their paths ferociously. The small creatures whined and whimpered as they succumbed to their dominion, while slightly larger ones stood their grounds and persisted before leaving with bloody scars on their cheeks. The dog breeds had secured their bounty. They laughed manically and regaled themselves with generous refreshments they had embezzled.

Somewhere in the outskirts, two gaunt figures toiled in the gloomy expanse. Through the shabby gates and fences they went, while the madness continued from where they came. Their paws were bruised and scarred, their fur dull and lackluster. Their faces were aloof and languid, and as they walked through the dense haze their bodies mingled with their surroundings until they were barely discernible in the grey background.

Soon they reached flat land, a tundra that stretched all the way into the horizon. It was barren, lifeless and forlorn, albeit the presence of a few scattered ferns and moss. In front of them rested a heap of dirt. The otter proceeded to brush off its surface, revealing a rectangular shape object buried underneath. A stone was anchored in mellow soil, unmolested by the punishing gust and rain.

"My condolences. This is the best I could muster. Asked those fine folks to find the right rock and refined the edges, carved on it... took us a solid year, but yeah its finally over. Glad you'n I are still alive to see it to the very end.

"Here, my friend, is the ending you asked for."

The fox shut his eyes, nodding amicably. The otter waited for a while and returned the nod. He turned back and proceeded back the way they came. The fox remained at the spot, motionless in the blistering cold.