Chapter 1

Autumn; the perfect season to start new. Clouds of colorful leaves gather for the perfectly dry storm to finally let go of the dead branches before laying themselves upon the ground to fade. A particularly young man walks along a trail with his plain white headphones glistening in the setting sun. Each step he took was one that seemed to lead to nowhere; one that was taken just for the hell of it while music endlessly filled his head and temporarily dissociated him from reality. With hair that matched the season, there was no sticking out in the forest. Nobody could make fun of him for the sun spots on his face that now helped blend him into the background. He could be as loud as he pleased without having to spare a second thought about those around him who might force him to shush. One step at a time, he lost himself.

The surviving flora welcomed him to their home, some deer stuck around to inspect the 2 legged creature before scrambling away, yet the hellos went unheard. The noise going on between 2 throbbing ear canals was more deafening than the sound even the loudest speakers could produce; unlike his killer who moved in silence while slowly stripping him of his smile piece by piece. Every negative thought tore any self-respect that was left and ate it alive. But God had his plans for this one, and despite the hopeless feelings that roared in his soul, his steps had already been calculated. There was a silent killer who plagued his body, but it wouldn't stop his world completely. Damage it maybe, but never fully take away his spin.

Nature's rope is what pulled him back into reality. A tree root that playfully grabbed his foot, making him stumble, causing the headphones to fly out of his ears as he regains his balance with a gasp. Crisp wind caresses his neck, bringing goosebumps to the skin that yearned for a warmth from something more than a shower head or blanket. Slowly, the headphones are ejected from the phone, wrapped up and slipped away into his pocket as his head drifts from left to right, surveying the area.

Aster finally felt completely lost. A heart torn to shreds, an untamed mind left with a broken down body. All three things with no sense, no purpose. Gently, he sits down in the crevice of a tree slightly off trail, letting his chest pull in as much fresh oxygen as it could manage. Leaves danced around him as the sun began to set while he dozed off unintentionally.

"Oh shoot, please don't be dead. That would be the second dead body I've found," it took a moment for Aster to look up at the massive grizzly that swayed its way towards him.

"He can't be dead. He's moving dummy," From behind, the bear appears a fawn who also approaches him cautiously. It was an unnerving yet confusing sight that he was soon shaken from as something slightly digs into his neck. His singular twitch led to 2 loud screams and one large thump as well as shrill screeches from what might as well have been banshees. The 2 girls that found the red head held their hearts as one struggled to get up from the leafy ground.

"O-okay, not dead, good," one of them whispers while Aster tries to collect his bearings with the things going on around him. There was no bear, nor fawn but definitely something that smelled like an animal… a farm one specifically.

"Aurora, we scared him!" Aster stared at the strawberry blond girl that was massaging the forehead of a horse while pointing to the distance. Someone slightly bigger rises up from the leaves, picking stems out from her tight brown coils before looking into the distance.

"He won't go too far without his buddy, you know this. He's a weenie without Penny," suddenly her coils swing over on shoulder while the gentle toned girl finished brushing the leaves off of herself and taking a step closer to the male who was still trying to decipher where the bizarre set of animals could have gone. The horse closest to them on the trail whinnies loudly and gets a faint reply from the distance.

"Are you okay, Ezra?" Asks the blonde holding onto the horse.

"His name is Aster numb nuts!" This earned her a laugh while he slowly rises to his feat before stretching his body out and staring at the 2.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare anyone," Aurora laughs and shrugs before coming closer and picking something off of the ground before presenting it to him.

"What's life without a little thrill, right?" A gentle smile appears on his face before seeing the headphones that managed to creep out of his pocket. They're gratefully accepted before Aurora looks at her watch and back at the second girl.

"Are you okay?" The blonde asks him nervously as the second horse weaves his way back through the trees and to his friend. Something that makes Aster's heart ache with a slight jealousy.

"Uh, yeah. I'm alright, just enjoying nature a little too much, I guess," Aurora stares at him with two gentle brown eyes that seem to bore into his soul. No matter how much Aster looked away, it felt impossible to avoid her judgment.

"Come back with us. Allison can drive you home," the blond's head snapped over as she scowled at the first girl.

"So we're just volunteering me now, huh?"

"Hey, I can walk home, and you still owe me a ride, so use it on him. I really rather you use it on him. He lives in the next neighborhood from me, and getting here is at least a 4 mile walk,"

"Oh woah, there's no need to drive me home, I'll get there just fine. I just needed some time outside," Aurora shakes her head and beacons him to follow her as she grabs the skittish horses's leather reigns before starting down the trail. Allison follows before looking back at him.

"That means follow. Don't bother arguing. You wouldn't win even if you had a point," A smile breaks out onto Aster's face before he begins to follow them through the darkening atmosphere. Something he actually was glad he did as the world became a much scarier version of the gorgeous swirl it colors it once was. Yet before they knew it, concrete stretched in just about all directions, leading to lit houses and a barn further down. Allison takes something out of her pocket before walking up to Aurora and dropping it in her hand.

"I can't driv-,"

"Hush, take him home. I'll get these 2 back there, just don't do anything stupid and you won't get caught," Aurora nods her head before handing the reigns to Alisson and looking back at Aster with the same soft stare she had before and leading him over to one of the houses. The area grew more familiar, and he spotted his cousin's house.

"Actually, I can just stay at someone else's place. That's my cousin over there," Aster says casually while pointing at the 2 story giant. Aurora looks over and nods.

"Okay then, it was nice… Meeting you officially?" Her face scrunches in obvious confusion as she tries to figure out how to phrase her sentence. Aster cackles at her comment, and she lets out a small laugh too before extending her hand for him to shake. "I'm Aurora, well actually," She retracts the offer of friendship to grab a card out of her pocket to give to him, "I see you around all the time so if you ever want to hang out or something just text me. I know it's random but I have always wanted to get to know you better, you always seemed nice," he grabs the card confused and sees her phone number on it and a link to some sort of shop.

"It was nice seeing you too, I guess you already know my name, but I'll definitely take you up on this. Thank you," She nods her head, and he waves goodbye before walking off to his cousin's house on complete autopilot. The card remains in his pocket, forgotten about.