Shadows mean nothing when everything around you is darkness. As a ray of light means nothing when everything is bright.
Eyes followed my every move. I, however, wasn't aware of their presence among the trees. Bushes rustling, because of the wind, of course, no other reason.
Footsteps followed.. metal clanking, weird roaring I had never heard before. Before I could react that's when I heard it, a gunshot.
..
ONE.
"What's wrong?"
"Huh." I blinked a couple times, still kind of dazed.
"You've been staring at your computer all morning." Melissa states, getting up from her seat across from me to pour herself some coffee.
I chuckled. "I mean we do work office jobs. I feel like I'd be more of a problem if I wasn't staring at my computer."
She stopped mid pour. "You know what I meant."
"Yeah, uh, its really nothing. I was just reading about deers and hunting and it really urked me. I don't know how people harm such beautiful creatures."
"I guess." She sat back down, blowing the hot steam away from her paper cup. "I don't know, it's not like I really care."
"Damn, straight up, huh?"
"I mean why should I, it's not like it really affects me."
...
"I'll see you tomorrow!"
"See ya." I stood in the building's doorway, briefcase in hand.
Well, I guess it's just me now. I headed back up the stairs to the same desk I had been sitting at all day.
If I work hard I can get this done by 2 AM, and I'll have at least 5 hours to sleep.
I gave it my all, sitting at that stupid little desk, I poured myself into my work. But soon my eyes started to droop, my head pounding.
I took a quick glance at the big red clock on the wall, just above the coffee station. 3:89. It read.
Wait, that's not right. I shook my head a bit before glancing back up. 3:39. That makes more sense.
"Fuck, I lost track of time." I sighed, "I'll just finish tomorrow morning, I won't even do it right if I try to finish tonight."
In the parking lot my car glimmered, almost taunting me. "Don't drive while sleep deprived." I had heard almost my whole life.
The last bus was hours ago and a taxi would be hard to find at this hour, not even mentioning that it'd cost more than what it's worth.
Whatever. What's the worst that can happen.
"Okay. Just take it slow." I took a sip of a coffee I had snagged on my way out. That seemed to do the trick, at least for the time being.
My eyes were so tired, I felt like they were gonna fall out, slowly I felt my eyes close on their own, I fought the urge to fall asleep though. I'm not stupid and I'd like to think my willpower is stronger than that.
A couple more blocks, I felt my eyes close again.
BAM. I was shocked wide awake. What coffee couldn't fix, that definitely did.
My thoughts rushed all at once, scary ones too.
Had I just killed someone? Had I crashed? No. That was no car crash. That was either a person or a really lumpy speed bump.
I opened the door slowly, stepping out into the cool spring air. I crossed my fingers behind my back, hoping no one would see me partake in such a childish practice.
Really lumpy speed bump. Really lumpy speed bump.
Blood adorned the windshield, along with the front of my snow white car. It was a sick twisted type of beauty, unreal even.
Laying unconcious and bloody was a deer, with a pretty nasty looking ankle.
What am I going to do. People go to jail for this right? No, that's stupid. It's just a deer, it's not like I actually killed anybody. No one cares about deer. Fuck, what do I do.
This morning flashed through my head and I felt a pang of guilt strike my side.
I'm a hypocrite.
I examined the animal which was still laying on the side of the road. It really was a beautiful creature.
Okay.. I can't just leave it there. She'll die. I have to find help.
Car tires threatened in the distance.
Change of plans. I dragged the 120ish pound body into the trunk of my car.
The driver slowed down near my car, once I had (thankfully) been able to lift the deer into my trunk. I just waved slightly and smiled, hoping they would just go along with their morning.
Sure enough, they kept driving.
I glanced at my wrist. 4.56. Great. I now only had 2 hours to go home and sleep.
...
I patted an alcohol pad on the right side of the animal's head before adding some antibiotic, and wrapping it's head up. The blood had stopped a while ago, and it was still breathing so that was a good sign.
I'm not a vet but I took a nursing class in high school so, close enough.
I stared at her, I don't know who is listening out there, God, the Universe, or whatever but, please, let her get better.
...
Footsteps echoed through the halls, I had to physically pry my eyes open when I realized what I was hearing.
Either, someone broke in, which would be bad enough without considering there is an unconscious deer in my living room, or the unconcious deer was concious again, which would also be kind of bad news considering how many valuables I keep in this house.
I grabbed a bat from my closet just in case it had been the first option.
I opened my door expecting to either be knocked over by a rampaging deer or a armed robber but to my suprise it was concerningly quiet after I opened the door.
Now that I thought about it the footsteps had sounded human. Not hoof-like.
By the time I had made my way to the kitchen, stopping every few steps to swing my bat around like a psychopath, I saw the pantry was opened and pretty much empty.
"What the.."
A pantry thief? That seems quiet stupid.
I tried closing the door a couple times but for some reason I couldn't, something was in the way.
A leg was poking out. Terrified, I crouched down and was met eye to eye with a girl.
I wouldn't be surprised if my neighbors had heard how loud I had screamed. The girl looked at me in shock for a couple seconds, frozen, before screaming back at me and making a run for it.
I was able to catch her wrist. She turned around, looked into my eyes with a soft almost blurred gaze before proceeding to head butt me.
I let go of her wrist, to touch my head, which had a quickly growing warm lump from the impact.
She clearly had underestimated how much it would hurt her to do that, since she fell to the ground holding her head, as well.
"What the- Who are you?! And what are you doing in my house."