The Other Earth - Derek Schumacher (good novels to read .TXT) 📗

them. Sometimes plants can really get philisophical. Or, maybe that's just Neil.

 Stepping outside of the woods, he was once again back out in the open area of the lake. The next area he wanted to see, was the otherside of the lake. He noticed the elevation was much different, the trees all in different spots, compared to the more level other side of the lake, this entire side was almost all hills.

Neil stuck his hands in his pockets, and walked over towards this new area of the lake. Gazing inside of the trees, he looked at the ground. Indeed, it was sloped and jagged, with stones littering the place. This enviorment might be just as hard to survive in, but it's not competition this time, it's nature based. One would have to find some way to be able to survive on an incredibly dangerous enviorment, sloped and jagged, one that has no safe, flat spots. This was a plant's nightmare, because if weather were to go badly, let's say with rain, the water would rush down these hills, and because of the momentum, destroy practically anything in it's path, if not sturdy enough to withstand.

Where as the other side was plants fighting eachother, trying to reach the top. This one was plants alone, seperated from eachother, trying to just stay alive long enough to grow strong and resist the dangers of this area. Neil looked over the ground on the hills, and noticed multiple felled trees, small bushes torn out from the ground, and flowers trampled by weather. This was a graveyard in itself, the bodies becoming nutrients for the thing killing it's inhabitans. But, not all of them had to suffer such a fate.

A giant tree, seperate from the other, had huge roots, strewn around the populus. This allowed it to anchor itself to the ground, to make sure that it wouldn't be toppled. And, if something were to be surrounding by it's roots, it was slightly protected by the elements. This was a cooperation, to try and last past the terrifying destruction that could happen at any moment. United we stand, divided we fall.

 After examining the second side of the lake, Neil stepped out, and began to walk back towards the lake itself. The water was incredibly clear, and the reflection of the mountain was beautiful, almost identical to the real thing, no ripples or discoloration, just a pure reflected image of nature.

But now, it was time for the main course. The real part of the area that stuck out, towering above everything in the region, the whole forest. The massive mountain, higher than the trees, the rocks, the lake, the river. Taller the Neil himself, and he to the rock, only a tiny insect, insignificant and powerless. At least, if the mountain had a brain, it would probably think that way. But, as far as Neil's knowledge of basic geology, they don't.

The man slowly made his way towards the mountain. Suprisingly, it was still relatively far away, with a good deal of thick woods infront of it, the lake actually not connecting to the mountain itself, but was very close to. Neil would have to push through a bit of trees and bushes in order to reach this magnificent destination. But he assured himself, it was all plenty worth it.

Maybe he should try to climb up some of it? Thing was, could he make it back down to the ground safely? Neil didn't feel like busting up any of his limbs, at least not yet. He'd rather do that a little closer to home, where he could rest and try to recover. So, maybe not today, or tomorrow, but some day. Some day he'd scale the mountainside, and see just how high he can reach on the monument of nature.

His time in the English forests, all those years ago, was very lacking in mountains. At least, the region that he lived in was. He always loved the pictures of mountain lakes, and their stones behind them. He just never had a chance to see one up close and in reality. It was a special moment for the man, no matter what others would have said to the goal. It was important to him, and him alone. And it wasn't a bad thing, no, not at all.

After pushing through the trees for a good ten minutes or so, Neil finally arrived at the foot of the mountain. Looking up, he could see the peak had become slightly enshrouded in clouds. Was this how it always was, or was it sign that weather was coming? He couldn't tell, but it still looked amazing either way.

Walking up to it, Neil rested his hand on the cold, rough stone of the giant mountain. He made it, finally. First person to ever do this, to touch the base of the mountain. And, one day, he'd be the first person to make it to the summit, he believed. Sure, it would take a very long time to prepare for, and equip himself correctly, but one day. It wasn't impossible, because nothing is impossible, just some things don't happen for reasons we don't understand. But, if we understood that, than we would all have flawless lives, and then eventually, we would all lose our minds, in pursuit of understanding more than that. Knowledge is power, but it's also one of the most dangerous things in existance.

Some would go as far to kill one another, just for a chance to understand. Understand their very existance, why they were created, and what they should push towards as their goal in life. This shouldn't ever be the case, as people should make their own goals, and their own life. No one should tell them otherwise. At least, that's how Neil wished it was. But sadly, that wish would probably never be true, because all people are only human, and no human will truly understand anything, so the best thing they can do, is attempt to at least understand themselves.

Neil sighed a bit, and began to walk away from the mountain. His goals had become clear in his mind, and he knows that it will take a long time to fully complete those goals. But, it would be plenty worth it in the end of things. He just hoped that other people, somewhere, would follow in this path, and not the other.

The man hummed the same tune from before, and made his way back towards the lake. The sky had slowly begun to darken, and Neil figured that night wasn't far off, and he would have to set up camp near the lake itself. Which, he had no problem with, as it would give him one beautiful view when he closed his eyes, and opened them once again when he awoke the next day. 

He began to set things up, first by digging himself a fire hole, similar to the one at home, and began to gather twigs and tinder from the trees within the surrounding forests. Then, he would stuff the pit with said twigs, lining the hole with stones, to make sure the fire wouldn't escape. But, then again, he was on a stone floor, and there wasn't exactly anything that the flames could spread to. Besides him, of course.

After that, he hauled a stone slab from the outskirts of the lake, and set it down, lining it with grass and other things. This would be his lovely makeshift bed, and a bit of a spice up from the log he usually slept on. Sometimes variety sure can be the spice of life, in certain scenarios, he supposed.

The sky had begun to darken much quicker than Neil had hoped, so he began to get things ready a bit sooner, pulling the axe from his belt, and pulling his convienant jagged rock from his bag on his back. Striking the two together, sparks flew, and before long, the fire hole was lit, and began to grow in size, heating up the man.

As he sat down on the stone slab, he began to think, especially dealing with the sky. Was it really that late last time he checked? He didn't think so, he figured he had an hour or two before it really was supposed to get dark, at least by the statistics of the other days. Which could mean, that this darkening sky wasn't the nightfall, but something else.

Then something hit Neil, something that he wasn't exactly sure what to think of. A strong gust of wind was blown into his face, and the fire infront of him flickered and wavered. It could just be a bit of a gusty night, Neil figured, and hoped. Suddently, he heard the trees in the distance begin to groan and move, as more wind began to fly through the clearing with the lake. Something wasn't right, something was going on, and Neil was smack in the middle of it.

He began to frantically look around, to make sure nothing was around him. But, the sky darkening had taken a toll on the visibility, and Neil could barely see anything. He set more fuel into the fire, in hopes that it would light things up. But, the wind blew harder, and the fire began to falter. The man stared at the flames, and began to shiver. The air had started to become unnaturally cold. All these things had begun to add up in his mind, and anxiety skyrocketed in his body.

Neil began to sweat, darting left and right, his eyes trembling as they scanned the area around him, what little they could pick out. The man slid the axe from his belt, and held it close to his body. He peered over his shoulder, and noticed the lake. There were only three directions he could go, as going backwards would throw him into the lake. This limited his escape capabilities, if his assumptions were true.

The weather, the storm that was brewing, could only mean one thing. They had somehow found him, followed him all the way up here. They wanted to strike when he least expected it, when he was finally happy, when he finally had achieved something. Neil had travelled all this way, to see the mountain, and it's beautiful lake. It was all too good to be true, and now, he was going to be put into a situation he had no answer for. No shelter to protect him, he was out in the open, only armed with his axe, and his bare wits.

Suddently, he saw something coming from the darkness to his left. There was no mistaking the sounds, it was a shade. Why did it have to come now, and here, of all places? Even thought it was a storm made darkness, it wouldn't be long before the true night came, and glazed the surface in blackness. And then what?

Neil stayed as close to the fire as possible, he couldn't let anything happen to it. He swung the axe at the air infront of the shade approaching him, as a sign to stay back. His entire body was shaking, trembling in fear. Then, he saw it put up it's arm, to begin the visions. But he knew all too well how to combat this. He cut into his arm with the axe, blood beginning to drip, the pain surging through him. The visions that were supposed to inflict him did not, thanks to the pain shield he could give his mind.

But, then Neil heard something he hadn't ever heard. Something was to his right, something was moving closer to him. He glanced over, sweat pouring from his face. Another shade had appeared, and was closing in on him, as well as the other doing the same on the other side of him. He was surrounded on both sides, but he didn't care. He threw more fuel into the fire, and slammed his axe into the stone slab beside him, creating a loud banging noise, trying to drive the shades back.

His