Eternal Peace

Celina closed her eyes and sank into the soft grass letting her body relax. She felt the cool air on her skin opening her eyes for a brief moment she took in the sky. So many stars so much space out there it makes me wonder if we are the only ones humans is that it. Is that all there will be mankind is there nothing else out there? Her eyes drifted closed what if there is something more out there? What if they are hiding upon us another species of something interesting? Hiding in plain sight do they have wars? Do they experience poverty? Do they hate each other? She felt the wind caress her skin she felt the sweater balled up underneath her head she felt the wind in her toes.

It’s so peaceful out here serene my only means of escape from my nagging mother and my overbearing father and my very bratty brother but what would I do without them? Who knows but now I have peace…. Silence…. There’s a rustle of sound she doesn’t open her eyes until she hears it again she sits up and looks around her back yard that surrounds her. The patio is north of her position the swing set south her mother’s prize roses to the east and the fence and the concrete path that leads to the gate and out of the yard is west. She hears someone panting she sits up and heads toward the unlocked sliding door also due north the moon is a pathetic piece of a crescent not offering much light but she keeps backing up. Suddenly it is all quiet all the bugs that were singing had stopped it sounded as if the whole world had stopped. She held her breath still slowly backing up how far in the grass was I lying I haven’t reached the concrete yet? She sees something right in front of her a patch of color running at her she doesn’t even have time to react before she’s plowed to the ground. She froze up as she sees what is above her she can’t believe her eyes a cheetah. A real live cheetah in my backyard impossible but I see it above me. Celina is in shock and appalled she didn’t have time to be scared she’s excited she stares up at its amber colored eyes even with the crappy moon light she could see them they were fierce and angry it growls at her and to her surprise passed out beside.

It took her a moment before she could come to her senses she stood up and stared down at it. It was the most beautiful creature that she had ever laid eyes on it was long as it lay on its side tan with black spots all over and a thatch of white fur on its chest for a moment she just drank it all in thinking that if she blinked it would disappear. Celina reached out to touch it but at the last possible moment pulled away. She ran around the house to the side door gaining access to the garage and yank at the handle hoping it was open it wasn’t she dug in her pocket for the key it took her to tries just to get the key in the lock she got the door opened and cut on a light. She spotted what she was looking for almost immediately she picked up the packed tent and two sleeping bags and took it outside. I think I beat her best time pitching a tent she was so exhilarated that her hands were shaking but somehow she got it up and nailed in the grass in no time flat. She cautiously walked to the animal it was still there and still unconscious she placed a sleeping bag beside it and touched it. When it didn’t move she lifted its upper body and placed it on the sleeping bag it was not a light animal its lower body followed and she got it in the middle of the sleeping bag. She proceeded to drag it to the entrance of the tent she was debating to keep it in the tent or out of it. In was her final decision I am crazy but what else can I do leave it in the middle of the yard and go in the house? A voice in the back of her head screamed yes! Yes the hell you can leave it and run now! She ignored the voice and sat it in the corner of the tent and left the zipper open she couldn’t even sleep she didn’t even go back in the house. She just sat there on her sleeping bag and staring it daring herself to pet it like a stray with caution it seemed to hypnotize her she couldn’t look away.