My Last Year

The Adventure

Leaving the car idle, I unbuckled and got out of the car.  Watching the animal, I stood, cautiously. I hardly allowed myself a breath as I waited for it to move first. From in the car, Peter’s groans and complaining reached my ears. “It’s my head and my neck,” He muttered. “You don’t have to shoo the thing away, just honk and it’ll be gone,”

I said nothing, my wonder was on the deer. Last time I had seen him was the night Jason was in his car accident and Jenny died. Something seemed to be connected through me and this animal, and somehow, for some reason, I was angry at the deer. Could this creature possibly be responsible for my friend’s death? Of course not, I had been with the deer when it happened, so why was I feeling upset with it?

“Mol, it’s cold out. What are you doing?” Peter asked from the car, apparently done with his complaining.

“It’s the deer,” I said quietly, letting out my breath.

There was a pause before he sighed. “Mol, are you okay?”

“Shut up, Peter. I keep seeing this deer all over the place!” I watched as the animal stood motionless, staring into our headlights. His body was rigid, and I could identify the white spots on his midsection. They were fading and he was growing into a stag. But that wouldn’t be for another few months.

“What are you talking about?”

My irritation got the better of me and I childishly slammed the door shut to block out my brother’s voice. The deer’s ears swiveled, but it did not flinch at the sound of the door. I took a step toward it. His body had been growing and was now too big to be considered a fawn. I hadn’t thought deer matured that fast.

I stepped in front of the headlight of the car, blocking half of the harsh beam from the deer’s gaze.  He snorted, a puff of breath coming from his nostrils. My entire body was trembling from head to toe. I was not sure what this animal was, or why he had been showing up in my life for the last five months, but I was certain he was important somehow.

I stepped forward. The deer moved and I froze. He took a step forward, and then two toward me. Behind me, I heard the door open and my brother step out. He didn’t say anything and I willed him to stay silent.

In the next couple of minutes, I closed the gap between the deer and myself, putting my hand gently on his forehead. His head warmed my palm. My heart seemed to relax then, offering comfort for my constant worry.

I turned my head and looked at Peter who was standing by the car still. His brows were furrowed in a confused expression. His mouth was parted in awe, as if he was trying to say something but couldn’t remember what.

Glancing back at the deer, I raised my second hand and stroked his thick neck. It was hot with sweat against the cold winter weather. But as my hand reached his shoulder, he moved and circled around me, making a herding motion to me and then began to walk down the road.

Without another glance at my twin, I followed the rump of the animal. Down the road a ways before he turned off, climbed down off the road and wove his way through several trees. This felt all too familiar, like the day of Jason and Jenny’s accident.

I stopped, realizing this. After several more paces, the deer halted and looked back at me. I shook my head as if he could understand what I was thinking. He snorted and again continued moving. I hesitated before also continuing on. Would he try to bring me to the same frozen pond as before?

However, unlike last time, the deer led me to a small clearing. When I looked up, I saw the dark night sky, lit by small, shining balls of burning gas in the galaxy. The clearing, surrounded by different sorts of tall trees, was not the stereotypical circular or elliptical clearing, this clearing was almost shaped like a five legged spider or a starfish. Only, three of the legs went off in one direction--East, while the other two went South and West.