Heads Above the Clouds

I walked through the path barefoot, my feet brushing against the cool earth, feeling the rough texture of stones and the soft caress of moss. Every leaf my hand touched felt alive in the moment, their veins pulsing gently beneath my fingertips, as if they were reaching back to me. I moved with quiet intent, each step slow and deliberate. There it was again, the crystal butterfly — its translucent wings shimmering like shards of glass in the fading light. It danced on the wind, leading me through the thick brush with a grace that seemed almost impossible.

I followed it with bated breath, feeling my pulse quicken as the butterfly fluttered ahead. It landed, delicately, on the back of a figure standing still before me. A man, tall—at least seven feet, shirtless, with jet-black hair that cascaded down his broad shoulders. His skin was pale, almost ethereal, as if he belonged to another world entirely.

I took another cautious step forward, my feet sinking softly into the earth beneath me. My movements were light as a feather, slow as a snail—unnaturally so, as if the very air around me had slowed down in response to my presence. I reached out instinctively, my fingers outstretched, drawn to him like a moth to a flame.

Just as my fingertips were about to touch the man's skin, the ground trembled beneath me. The earth cracked open, splitting like a yawning chasm, and before I could scream, I was swallowed whole. My vision blurred, the world around me becoming a swirl of colors and shadows. The last thing I saw was the man's eyes—deep, endless pools of darkness—before the void claimed me.

The darkness was suffocating, yet it was strangely peaceful. I could feel my body slam into something solid. There was no pain, but the impact left an odd sensation of weightlessness in my limbs. Slowly, I opened my eyes, blinking against the overwhelming darkness that surrounded me.

When my vision cleared, I was no longer in the forest. I was lying in the middle of a vast, sprawling field of green grass. The wind whispered softly around me, carrying with it the scent of earth and wildflowers. The leaves above me drifted lazily down, falling like raindrops, but softer, gentler.

I sat up, taking in the sight before me—the endless expanse of grass, swaying with the breeze, as if it were alive. A single crystal butterfly fluttered down, landing gently on my leg. I reached out to touch it, marveling at the intricate patterns on its wings. It climbed up my finger, its delicate wings fluttering like whispers of forgotten dreams.

A voice called out my name, sharp and clear, pulling me from my reverie. I turned, my heart racing, but the field was empty. No one was there. Confusion flooded me as I turned back toward the butterfly. It was gone, vanishing into the wind.

And then I saw it—a place from my past, a place where I had once played and learned, a place filled with memories. My chest tightened, and tears began to fall without warning, their warmth a stark contrast to the chill of the wind. A strange feeling settled deep in my heart, something I couldn't describe. It was as if my very soul recognized this place, and I knew I had to go there, even if I didn't understand why.

Before I could think, my feet were already moving, carrying me faster than I should have been able to run. The world blurred around me as I ran, faster, faster, toward that place. My heart thudded in my chest, aching with each beat.

I reached the first stair. The sensation in my chest grew, a dull, painful throb that seemed to echo in my bones. A voice called my name again, but this time, it was different—urgent, pleading. I spun around, searching for the source, but once again, no one was there. I felt the ground beneath my feet shift, turning from solid wood to soft, rich soil. I looked around, confused, and found myself standing at the foot of a great, towering tree—a tree I had seen once before, in the mutated forest.

A gust of wind stirred behind me. I turned, and there it was—a humanoid figure, cloaked in shadows, its green eyes staring directly into mine.

"Who are you?" I asked, my voice trembling with a mix of fear and curiosity.

It didn't answer. It simply walked closer, its steps soundless. The air around us seemed to thicken, pressing in on me. It reached out, its cold, almost gentle hand hovering just in front of my face. Before I could react, its fingers brushed against my eyes, covering them completely.

I gasped, my breath catching in my throat. I tried to push its hand away, but it was too strong. In an instant, I found myself no longer standing in the forest, but lying in my bed, as if I had woken from a dream.

I blinked, my eyes adjusting to the dim light. I turned slowly, expecting to see Joeress lying beside me, but the bed was empty. Panic bubbled in my chest. Where was he? I got up, my feet cold against the wooden floor, and went downstairs to search the house. But he wasn't anywhere. Not in the living room, not in the kitchen, not even in the bathroom.

I stepped outside to catch my breath, the fresh air filling my lungs. There, in the garden, I found my mom and Joeress, both bent over the ground, planting something. I exhaled in relief, walking closer to them.

"What are you planting?" I asked, my voice quiet.

Mom looked up, smiling gently. "Some roses for decoration," she replied.

I hummed, nodding as I turned to go back inside. The day felt strange—too still, too quiet, like the calm before a storm. I ate breakfast in silence, preparing for the day ahead.

As I moved around the house, I heard the sound of the door opening. I turned, expecting to see Joeress, and sure enough, there he was, standing in the doorway.

"Aren't you going to change?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He looked at me, confusion flickering in his eyes. "For what?"

His phone buzzed in his pocket, interrupting the moment. He glanced at the screen. "It's from the Colonel," he said. "He's asking if we're willing to go out again to gather samples."

I nodded. "What time?"

"Later. 8 o'clock," he said, slipping his phone back into his pocket.

We both finished getting ready, said our goodbyes to Mom, and left the house. As we reached the gate, we saw our old teammates waiting for us. We exchanged a few words, but soon we heard the Colonel's booming voice from the front.

"Good day to everyone!" he called, his tone as commanding as ever. "Thank you for coming today. Your dedication to the base is appreciated. I'm sure you've all received the email we sent. We need more samples from the outside world, and you will help us gather them. I'm sure you remember your teammates. Gather in front of your armored vehicle and wait for your task."

We were assigned a task to eliminate a class 1 humanoid and a class 2 humanoid. I turned to the man in the suit, who had been waiting patiently.

"How do we kill a class 2 humanoid?" I asked, my voice tinged with uncertainty.

"The scientists have developed a new weapon," he replied, handing me a uniquely shaped pistol. "This will do the trick."

I hid the gun carefully under my jacket and we all climbed into the armored vehicle. The next three days were a blur of routine, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Every time I closed my eyes, the same humanoid appeared in my dreams, its haunting green eyes staring into mine. Always the same: I would ask who it was, and it would cover my eyes, blocking my vision, just as the dream would end.

When we arrived at our destination, I felt the weight of the strange calm that enveloped the land. It was vast, peaceful—too peaceful. We disembarked from the vehicle, staying close together, a fear lingering in the air. We knew the risks. The fear of being picked off one by one gnawed at the back of my mind.

As we moved forward, a shadow loomed in the distance. A humanoid, massive and terrifying, charged toward us with an ear-splitting screech. It was a class 3, larger than anything we had seen before. We opened fire, but the bullets seemed to have no effect.

"Retreat to the armored vehicle!" Joeress shouted, his voice strained.

We turned to flee, but as I looked back, I saw another massive humanoid charging to meet the first, their battle shaking the earth beneath us. A huge humanoid bird swooped down from above, its talons grabbing one of our teammates before lifting off into the air. His screams faded into the distance.

Suddenly, cold hands wrapped around my feet. I looked down in horror to see a humanoid with tiny beady eyes and a smile so wide it consumed half its face. It yanked me backward, my head hitting the ground hard, as it pulls me across the soft grass. My heart raced as I raised my weapon, aiming for its head. I fired, the shots echoing through the air. It screeched in pain before collapsing, lifeless.

I scrambled to my feet, turning to see what had happened to Joeress and the others. I saw Joeress running toward me, but my other teammates pulled him back into the vehicle. They were leaving me behind.

The vehicle sped off, leaving me alone in the chaos. I stumbled, dizziness overtaking me as my head throbbed. I turned back to see the two massive humanoids locked in a deadly battle, the humanoid pierced the other and turned towards me. Then, as if the sky itself was alive, a pair of huge black wings came from the sky, the winged humanoid from my dreams appeared, diving down from above, its wings unfurling like a storm. It struck the creature, sending a shockwave through the ground.

But before I could react, everything went black. My eyes closed, the weight of exhaustion and pain consuming me.

In the last moment, I caught a glimpse of those green eyes once more, watching me from the chaos. Then, everything went dark.