2. War In The Field
Stacey happily welcomed the lions approach, wishing it would get to her quicker. Before she could even blink the lion charged forward and was at her side. It stood next to her, its golden fur brushing against her coat. Its presence was as gentle and unthreatening as a lamb. Stacey felt so unworthy standing next to the lion. The lion turned its head to the side and looked at her. The corners of its mouth rose up to its whiskers. There was no question about it the lion was smiling at her!
There was so much warmth and kindness behind that smile that Stacey could literally feel hope radiating within her. A feeling she hadn't felt in years. What kind of dream is this? Stacey was starting to doubt it was a dream. It seemed all too real. A light so bright all Stacey could see was pure white flashed from where the lion stood, and yet, her retinas felt no pain.
When the light faded she was disappointed to see that the lion had left. Stacey looked around hoping to spot him. No such luck, but still, she sensed that he was somewhere near by. It was as if he never left.
The gazelle and bird were still in the clearing. Silvery white objects were in neat piles around them. They were blurry to her because they were beyond her 220/20 far sight vision range. But she could still see that they were the same color as the equally hazy flowers.
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The lion had led Eitan to the rosebush at the center of the field. The gazelle and bird stared at him with their beady black eyes. As Eitan looked at them, he saw more than his own reflection. In them he could faintly see the old city of Jerusalem.
A voice from above suddenly boomed like thunder, "This first must come to pass!" The voice was so powerful that the water itself seemed to hear it as it frothed. The trees were also shaking from their roots. Animal yelps, roars, chirps, and the gurgles of water creatures, tore at his ears. It sounded like frightened crowd jeers.
The animals on the eastern and western side of the ring were galloping, crawling, and hopping out of the way of other animals that were charging toward the clearing. A humongous dragon spread its wings and flew to the other side of the field. The first animal out of the masses was a ferocious bear, snarling like a rabid dog. It was accompanied from all sides by other equally frenzied looking animals.
The gazelle and bird were just standing there. "Run! Fly away!" Eitan shouted, waving his hands in the air. They didn't move a muscle. The bear, a snarling wolf, and other animals were rushing toward the defenseless herbivores.
Eitan shut his eyes as they neared. He bent into a ball and cowered on the ground. He didn't notice that it had become as dark as night.
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Daniel covered his eyes with his clammy hands. He did not want to witness the killing of the gazelle and bird. Thunder rumbled. The temperature had become a mixture of teeth-chattering cold and scorching Death Valley heat. Daniel didn't know whether to feel cold or hot. He heard something like rocks plopping hard on the waters surface, and what was that orange glow?
Daniels nose wrinkled when the smell of fireworks entered his nostrils. He opened the fingers covering his eyes an inch. Through the tiny slit Daniel saw a torrent of fire and ice fall from the darkened heavens. Green and black clouds swirled in the sky. Surges of purple lights exploded in the clouds, lighting them up like Christmas lights.
Daniels arms slumped uselessly at his sides. Bullets of hail were hammering the animals with such ferocity that they were being pinned down. He yelped when a clap of thunder echoed throughout the field and beyond the trees. The ground around the expanse of water rumbled. The trees shook from their core. The water below him trembled and waves turned its once delicate surface.
"What in the Green Earth!?" Daniel exclaimed. Every animal was stumbling around as if about to fall. Daniels legs wobbled and he almost pitched backward. The mountains beyond the trees were launched into the air by the tremendous earthquake. Their cliffs crumbled and massive rock avalanches flowed down the sides.
A wolf howled. Its pained howl was as excruciating to listen to as a lost child's cry for his mother. The bear was roaring in rage. It snapped and swiped its mighty paws at the falling hail and fire. Ice had collected in clumps around its head and hide. The fire singed and burnt out when it made contact with the bear’s fur. It shook like a wet dog, spraying ice everywhere. Cold pieces of ice splattered Daniels face. It was so cold his face was still numb with cold after he brushed off the sleet.
A leopard and deer were on lying on their sides on the water. Their chests heaved rapidly in and out. Then all the animals dropped down, except the bear which was fighting the supernatural storm with all its will. It tread toward the gazelle and bird, which were impervious to the downpour. When it was only a few inches from the two the storm pounded the predator with such might it was painful to watch. The bear went limp and slammed down on its stomach. The animals were immobile. Their bodies continued to be pelted by the brutal downpour of fire and ice.
