The Afterlife

The deer ran, legs stiff from exhaustion and transformation. His hooves clattered on the densely packed mud forest floor. His joints ached and mind raced. He didn’t know where he came from, all he knew was that he hadn’t always been this way and had never seen this forest.

Hidden in the winding paths of the lush and dangerous forest sat an overgrown house. A cobblestone drive sunken in pools of leaves and moss. All of its windows shattered or coated in shimmering dust, roof collapsed, and white paint entirely separate from the rotting boards. This shell of a home was a safe haven in comparison to the forest, where mysterious flora and fauna lurked.

He climbed the rotting stairs, tripping and slipping: uncoordinated. With a small nuzzle of his nose the door creaked open, almost on demand, eerie yet welcoming. He settled himself by a large fireplace. Dusty, ashy logs still in the hearth. The wool carpet itched his back. He closed his eyes and in the colorful glow of the afternoon, sun streaming through the prismatic windows, he fell into a light sleep. A fire sprung to life in the chilled hearth: deepening his sleep.

Clop, clop, patter, patter, gentle sounds ring through the house. He wakes up, unafraid, curious.

“Ronny?” a soft feminine voice from above him whispers.

His lashed eyes flutter open to see a doe peering down at him wide-eyed. That name sounds familiar, her voice does as well. An image floods into his head: a glowing, faded image of a smiling woman. Red hair, infectious smile, laughing up at him, holding his hand. Casie.

“Is it you?” his voice wavers, “Casie?” This doe looks like her, sounds like her. How? The deep black eyes match the intensity and warmth that he remembers of her chocolaty brown eyes.

“Where are we? I’ve been wandering around for days.”

She sounds nervous, scattered. For the first time he stops to consider, where am I?

“The last thing I remember is you, your voice,” she continues.

The sun catches on her golden fur, illuminating the red hues.

“How long has it been?”

“I don’t know, feels like ages.”

“I think I got here yesterday, I was running and then I found this place,” He tries to remember more, but he can’t. A wall of ice stands between the present and his memories, yet he feels their warmth.

“The forest is a nightmare.”

She seems relieved to see him; he is so relieved to see her.

She continues, “I think that the forest was pushing me here. It was weird, I was running, but I don't know why I was running!” She practically jumps with every word.

This overwhelming energy is so familiar he almost laughs. He knows that she has always been like this, and he definitely loves her for it. She finally sits down next to him, long legs bending gracefully.

“Why do you think we're here? In my memories we’re human and not in a forest,” her tone is suddenly more solemn.

“Your memories?” He is very curious.

“You don’t remember?”

“I remember you. I loved you, but I don't remember anything else.”

“We lived our lives together, we got married when we were too young, but it worked. We had dogs, a lot of dogs. Do you remember our house in the forest? And how we used to sit and watch the birds in the trees? We danced. We took swing dance lessons, but we were never very good.” She is so excited by these memories and when she is done she looks at him expectantly.

“I remember the happiness and the love.” He smiles as he tries to remember more.

He curls up on the carpet and lets the warmth of the hearth warm away his worries. Casie curls up next to him, resting her head next to his. For long minutes they don’t move a muscle, just bask in the sun and the warmth of this loving house. Slowly Casie falls asleep and as she sinks into a peaceful sleep she slowly rests her head on his neck. Immediately he feels a warm blanket of comfort draped over him, and the last of his worries fade out. Yet when he closes his eyes he doesn't see the blackness of rest, he sees a lush, vine-covered archway. He feels himself moving towards it and through; he feels the soft brush of leaves on his fur as he enters whatever lies beyond.

He enters a plush living room. Well-loved velvet couches and dark wood tables fill the small room. There is a girl on the green couch in the center of the room. She is reading and doesn’t seem to notice his entering. Her maple-leaf red hair is tied back in a long braid and she is dressed in dark jeans and a purple hoodie. Two large brown dogs lay at her feet, keeping her warm. This is Casie and he remembers this: the slow winter days spent reading. In an instant the room is gone and he is in a kitchen. There is a large farm-style sink filled with colanders of dirty carrots and slug-bitten lettuce. The room is illuminated by a large window above the sink with a view of a garden. With a loud creak he turns to see a grey-haired man opening a green wooden cabinet above the stove. He watches as he fills a glass with water and walks out of the kitchen. He is dressed in brown pants and a blue flannel shirt. He follows the man into the same living room. He watches in interest as the man gives the glass to an old woman resting on the same green couch. She smiles her thanks at the man and he slowly sits down next to her. He immediately recognizes her smile as Casie’s, so that must mean that this man is him. As each second passes he begins to feel at home, with this warm house and loving couple. When he reaches a calm the memories become flooding back into his mind. He remembers everything that Casie told him and much, much more. The memories seem to come in chronological order and it isn't until he opens his eyes and sees the sleeping doe next to him that his last memory is revealed to him.

He watches as Casie, now very old and laying on a plush bed, reaches out a shaking hand to take his. He hears his human self tell her that he loves her. He sees her close her eyes while holding his hand. He sees himself take a seat at the end of the bed and as worry spreads through him he watches his human self as he cries. He is brought slowly back to the present. He feels the sun on his fur and hears the soft breathing of Casie next to him. He watches her sleep peacefully for many minutes. When she opens her eyes he looks at her lovingly, smiling.

“I remember everything, I’m here with you now,” he says softly.