Mountain Air

Mountain air flows through me. I breath it in through my nose, in cycles through my veins and I breath it gently from my mouth. The cold air clings to me like skin, wood smoke of the village is my natural scent. I cut my arm and autumn leaves flow out, leaving my body and floating gently through the sky. The leaves float across from the highest mountain tops, they shake loose from the trees like water shakes from a dogs fur.

            From the highest peak the leaves drift down, gently dancing as they go. They travel over the peaks and over the trees. They float down to the roads built by man and visit the lively villages where music rang. The leaves glide on the breeze, ever into the distance and ever downward. The autumn leaves find their way into the stream below. They pluck against the water and that is where they stay. Then the leaves start to move again as they are rushed away by the flowing stream.

            The mountain breaths a sigh of relief as the days grow shorter. Each breath sends a chilly wind down across the land. The people of the village feel the mountain's breath first but the cold breath warms as it travels down, so when the people of the city finally feel the breath of the mountain, it is no colder than a spring day. This is why it is always colder in the mountains.

            The cold air settles on the land, the sun drifts off to sleep and lights flicker in the village. Warm fires are lit in hearth and home. Fire, which was stolen from the gods and given to human kind, is used to help humans fight the dark and cold of night. The relaxing sound of flames burning at the wood mixes with the gentle noise of the wind blowing against the houses.

            The sun is down and the fires are lit. the mountain sleeps, the people sleep and I too, shall sleep.

Welcome to the Autumn Forest

Relax, take a breath and slow down, journey with me to a soothing destination of sights, sounds and smells.

            Joe woke up on a chilly fall morning. The air in his apartment was warm from the hissing radiators which mixed with the occasional draft that would blow in when the wind picked up. That day seemed cold to those who enjoyed summer, but for the fans of Fall, the weather was perfect.

            Joe went out into the world wearing his dark gray fall coat, a black scarf and jeans. He walked down the uneven sidewalk with a brisk pace and a set goal, which was to acquire coffee.

            The coffee shop was down the road from Joe’s apartment, it sold good coffee at a cheap price. Joe ended up buying coffee from the shop more often than he ever brewed it himself. He considered it good exercise and told himself the walking offset how lazy he was to never make it himself.

            The neighborhood was made up of old brick buildings, with uneven sidewalks, and narrow roads. Trees grew wild up from the sidewalk, the trees had grown full and tall long before the apartments and homes were ever built. The builders of the city did something very rare to humans; they built around the trees instead of knocking them over.

            Orange and red trees, brick and old North American architecture all mixed together to make a scenic fall day. Joe arrived in front of the coffee shop, which was named “Brew Spot". The Brew spot operated out of a historic building that served as a pharmacy at one point in the early eighteen hundreds. While it still looked like an old-fashioned store or pharmacy, everything else was updated and modern. The Brew spot had a calm vibe and was a popular location for the neighborhood to get coffee and snacks.

            Joe had been to the brew spot many times before but it was on that specific day that was different than all the other days. He felt especially relaxed and in a good mood, the autumn air felt more refreshing and he was in just the right state of mind for something special to happen.

            When Joe opened the door and walked in, he didn’t enter the Brew Spot, he entered the magical Autumn Forest. This forest was where the Autumn season came from. Every season had its own land and many entrances to those lands, but only those with the right mindset and mood could enter.

            Joe looked around and was amazed and surprised by his surroundings. Instead of a quiet café, Joe was standing in a clearing of trees all ablaze with bright, warm colors. Red, orange, yellow and every combination of those colors painted the leaves on every tree. The air was crisp, cool and refreshing. the smell of wood smoke drifted on the breeze and was then joined by the scent of honey, maple and fresh baked goods.

Joe heard a voice say “Coffee is on the left" The voice was small and monotone. It was the voice of someone who had said the same line many times before. Joe looked down and saw a rabbit standing on two legs with a bored expression. Joe started to open his mouth but was interrupted by the rabbit. "Yes, I talk. you are in the Autumn Forest and no we dont normally serve coffee but enough people have been asking about it, so now we do. Coffee is on the left” The rabbit said then hopped off.

            Joe was puzzled but turned to his left and saw a friendly looking skeleton, wearing a sports jacket, a tattered shirt and jeans. The skeleton had a large black mustache which was glued on. The skeleton was standing at a small wooden booth that looked like a lemonade stand made by children. On the stand was a coffee pot which seemed to be endlessly brewing coffee. The cord to the coffee pot went down along the wooden stand and plugged straight into the forest floor. The sign above the stand read “Coffee - 3 bux each" Joe saw this and muttered about how expensive coffee was getting, even in other worlds.

            “So the rabbit told me I was in the Autumn Forest. He didn’t seem very excited about it. should I be worried? I mean this place looks great, so is there something going on around here?” Joe asked. The mustached Skeleton began pouring a cardboard cup full of black coffee. “No. That rabbit is just a jerk. Most rabbits are jerks. Don’t you have them where you are from?” The skeleton asked.

“Yeah, but they don’t talk at all" Joe replied flatly. “Oh geeze that must be nice. Rabbits rarely have anything positive to say. What about dogs, do you have dogs?" Asked the skeleton. "yes, we have dogs" Joe replied. "Aren't they the worst?! Always stealing your leg and burying it” The skeleton said as he put a lid on the coffee and handed it to Joe.

            Joe took a swig of the coffee and didn’t reply. He wasn't sure how to answer. The coffee was really good and almost worth three dollars. “Do you have any cream or sugar?" Asked Joe. "No” The Skeleton said immediately, his response was so fast that it almost cut Joe off. “That will be three bucks” The skeleton said. Joe reached into his pocket and pulled out some singles and handed it to the Skeleton. "Ah yes, thank you for the payment. I am sure all of this will cover it” Said the skeleton as he awkwardly stuffed the bills into his sports coat.

It was at this moment that Joe realized that the skeleton had no concept of money from the other world and was using the word “Bucks" because he heard it once and thought that’s what money on Earth was called.

            "Thanks for the coffee, friend” Joe said as he sipped his coffee and gave a nod. The skeleton was startled by the word “ Friend” and if he had a face, he would look very shocked. “He called me friend" The skeleton muttered. then turned back to Joe quickly and replied “NO problem. Friend” then the skeleton mimicked Joe’s nod.

            The Skeleton with the mustache looked at his wrist, which did not have a watch on it, and declared “Well its getting late. I should head home” the sun was still out but Joe didn’t know how time worked in the Autumn forest so he assumed the skeleton was right. The skeleton was not right. It was midday and time moved at a similar pace as it did on earth. Joe watched quietly as the skeleton unplugged the coffee maker from the ground and began to push the wooden coffee stand off deeper into the forest.

As the Skeleton walked off, Joe realized he didn’t know how to leave the Autumn Forest “How do I get out of here?!” Joe called after the Skeleton. “Use the door!” Replied the skeleton. “Also watch out for dogs” Added the skeleton.

            Joe turned around and saw a large wooden door, engraved with large trees and falling leaves. The door stood in the middle of the clearing and wasn’t attached to anything. Joe ignored the comment about the dogs, he liked dogs and also wasn’t a skeleton.

            Joe felt energized by the coffee and the beauty of the Autumn Forest. He was in a good mood and began to hum as he walked toward the door. “Don’t hurry back” Said the rabbit as he watched Joe leave. Joe wouldn’t miss the rabbit.

            Joe pushed on the wooden door and stepped through. On the other side was the Brew Spot coffee shop. Joe had returned to his neighborhood and the magical door to the Autumn Forest was gone. He decided not to tell anyone about the magical door but encouraged anyone who loved Fall to visit the Brew Spot for coffee, but never explained to anyone why.

            Joe went through life normal enough. He never did figure out how to replicate the conditions to enter the Autumn Forest but he did frequent the Brew Spot even more after that day.

            Then on the last day of Joe’s life, when decades passed and Joe had a lifetime lived, Joe passed away from the world.

 It was on that day, when the wooden doors opened again and Joe stepped through as young looking as ever. “Coffee is on the left” Said a grumpy old rabbit. It was this time that Joe didn’t mind the rabbit. When Joe went to see the Skeleton’s coffee stand he was greeted by a mustached skeleton wearing a very fine suit, and behind the skeleton was a full fledged coffee house of his very own. “Joe where have you been? Seems like weeks since I saw you” Said a very happy skeleton.

Starting out with a bang

Rain beat the ground like a thousand little drums. Patches the spirit of autumn appeared coming out of a dark alley. Patches wore a long brim hat that covered his large pumpkin head. His eyes, mouth and nose glowed brightly from the flickering flame inside his head. The glowing eyes shone brightly in the dark and rain. A faint glow remained in the alleyway as Patches was leaving.

            The horrible reality of dark city was, that at any moment a murder could take place and that murder would never be solved, for as many criminals were put into prison, just as many escaped the long arm of the law.

            Patches was usually non violent but decided that it was time to settle a score. Glow in the dark alley was the beaten and bloodied remains of King Sun, the ruler of Summer and all that was warm. With summer in critical condition, the rulers of spring, fall and winter would get a longer season.

            King Sun had grown too powerful and covered much of the year in constant heat, and while everyone thought about doing something, it was Patches who finally did something about it.

            After the attack on the autumn forest by Ignitious and Glacious, Patches decided that a peaceful life in harmony together was not an option. The spirit of Autumn and Halloween now walked the line between defender and the aggressive monster that he fought.

Halloween and the Autumn season was both fleeting and special, so its protector needed new measures.