He turned as he fell so he could see the mist envelope him and distort into swirls as he fell through it. Rolling back to face the quickly rising water that sparkled with the shades from the rising sun that was slowly starting to warm the earth and open up the beauty of the woods that surrounded the lake. Smiling he exhaled through his mouth just to feel it catch in his throat sending a thrill through his body. Finally he positioned himself so he could penetrate the painting of water below him. Breaking through the water felt like it was slow motion, the smooth liquid denting then reaching up to meet him, quickly running up his body and pulling him into tranquility. Bubbles then ran up him towards the surface, tickling him and seeming to say ‘Follow us; we will lead you to the safety of the surface. Come now, before the water makes you a permanent guest.’ But the silence below the water was such a sharp contrast to the roar of wind in his ears that he ignored them and hovered there as if gravity didn’t exist in wonder. Then instinct kicked in and he kicked his way to the surface, where he heard the echo of a comment.

“You are wrong! I am like my father in every way! I will avenge his death, even if it kills me too! You killed my father, but nobody believes it! Whether it’s true or not, you will have to kill me to keep from dying at my hand! I will hunt you down as my father did, but this time I will get the job done, and get it done right!” The echoes soon began to fade, as the boy- brave when not facing the storm of his prey- left to start his hunt. But it’s not easy to hunt a storm without getting hurt, and how to stop it. After several moments pondering and floating on his back, he breathed deep and spoke to the nature around him, to get his response to one gone off his chest.


“No, you’re wrong.” He whispered to the mist that was starting to fall and dew. “You are nothing like your father.” He said to the water whose current was softly lapping reassurance. “Your old father wouldn’t have told me this, he would have injured me the moment he saw me, he would have jumped off the cliff after me.” He said to the strong, noble trees that listened respectfully. “But then your new father wouldn’t have said or thought any of that, he would have left the moment he saw me, he wouldn’t have met with me in the first place.” He said to the fish below him that every once in a while were brave enough to nudge him in curiosity. “I didn’t kill your father, he died of sickness while of old age, like everyone but you accepts.” He said to the doe and her baby fawn drinking at the water’s edge. “I will not kill you for your ignorance or for you stubbornness.” He said to the birds who continued to sing despite the heartfelt testament. “There was a time when your father hunted me, but something left him satisfied him with leaving me alive and tortured, but then there was a day when that all changed.” He turned to the sky, the loving sun warming his cold wet body. “I didn’t kill your father, I forgave him … and I will do the same for you after the storm has passed.”