Zitch’s Story

The weather is calm with a bright sun beating down overhead. A slight breeze brushes against your face carrying a soft fragrance in the air as you explore through a garden full of blossoming roses. The crimson color of the gorgeous flowers stands out boldly against the cold, gray stone of the path you walk on. As you search the interesting garden, you walk through bush after bush of pure, red roses. You wonder in your mind why there’s but a single kind of flower in this large garden. Whose garden is this?

Continuing down the path, turning past this bush and that bush, you finally reach the center of the garden. Stepping out onto an open, circular stone path, you discover a large fountain in the center of the road. The fountain is made of the same bricks as underneath your feet, and reaches just up to your waist. A soft trickle of water spews out of the spout growing out of the top of the rounded feature, emitting a soft, soothing sound. You close your eyes and begin to dream until you suddenly get the urge to explore some more.

Quickly, flashing your eyes open, you decide to continue your exploration. Walking past the fountain you’re suddenly caught by surprise when a small creature glides across your feet. The creature passed quickly, and you were unable to see what it was clearly. There was a rustling sound as it dove into the rose bushes lining the side of the path.

Curious of what the creature was, you follow it through the many bushes of red. Quickly, yet with a light step not to damage the fragile plants, you follow the rustling and rummaging of the foliage until you reach a small clearing.

There is no path here in this clearing surrounded by a circle of fragrant red roses. Soft grass paths the floor instead of the cold, hard texture of stone. A small gray pillar reaching just barely up to your knees protrudes from the ground below. The pedestal is flat on top as if to hold something, however it stands bare within the cover of the roses.

You then notice the small creature that had led you to this secret clearing. A dark-red snake-like creature floats lightly around the stone pedestal. Its luring blue eyes stare deeply into yours. Two long antennae grow from its small head along with a soft patch of fur that grows from the forehead down its neck. There is a matching patch of fur growing from the tip of its long tail. It is a small red serpent!

The serpent continues to dance and float lightly around the column, staring deep into your eyes. You are mesmerized by the strange movement of the small animal and suddenly find yourself within a trance. The garden begins to fade from view, as you seem to fade from the Earth itself. All you hear is the sound of trickling water. All you see are the large eyes of the serpent. All you can smell is the rich scent of roses…

You awaken lying on your back. When did you fall asleep? You try to remember what happened earlier, however you cannot. Pushing yourself up, you stand to your feet and dust off your clothes off a bit. It is nightfall now, and the bright, full moon casts off its light upon the world below. The air is dry and cold around you. Wrapping yourself within your arms, you wonder why the temperature has dropped so low.

Taking in your surroundings you notice the many rose bushes that line the old, gray stone path that you stand on. You walk up to one of the flower bushes and stare deeply at the details. All of the roses on the bush are dried and gray. Wilting and drooping, they have been slowly loosing their pedals. Dried pedals that were not as strong as their brothers have fallen to the ground and are crunching beneath your feet.

Suddenly your memory comes back with a wave of deja vu. You remember the beautiful garden full of roses that you had come from before. Could this be that same garden? You shake your head as you disagree with your idea. This garden is old and dead, while the other was alive and thriving. This couldn’t possibly be the same garden!

Walking through this new, strange place you suddenly discover another chilling scene. A large stone fountain rests in between a circular path. It looks exactly like the fountain from the earlier garden, however this fountain seems like it hasn’t pumped water for quite some time. The stone holding it up lies dry and dusty along with the bowl that collects the fallen water. There is no soothing sound of trickling water here.

The thought that this could actually be the same garden as before sends you dashing through the rose bushes to find the hidden clearing. Where is the small serpent? Did it send you here?

Bursting out of the rotten rose bushes, you are suddenly surprised to see that the roses surrounding the secluded clearing are still alive and thriving. How is this possible? Glancing at the small stone pedestal that rests within the heart of the roses, you notice that a long, ugly vine has twisted its way around the stem of the man-made object. The column looks to be as old as the fountain as it is dusty and cracked. What is happening?

You walk up to the pedestal and spot the red serpent. Sprawled across the flat surface of the stone. Its lifeless body lies limply across the top and its tail hangs down low. The thought of death clings to your mind. What happened to the animal? If this creature is dead, then how are you to return home?

As you are standing there, thinking of the serpent before you, a blue kangaroo walks up to the pedestal and picks up the serpent gingerly in its arms. It turns to stare directly into your eyes, and then walks off into the bushes beyond the column as if you weren’t even there. Are you there?

Following the kangaroo through the garden of mystery you wonder where he is walking to, and why is he taking the serpent with him? He slowly lures you out of the garden to a small grassy hill. The hill stands beside the garden with a single tree growing at the top of its small height. Flowers sprinkle the top of the hill adding a sparkle of color to the sad garden below.

The kangaroo, still holding the dead serpent, trudges up the small geographical feature and stands still and tall beside the tree. He stares up at the full moon looming overhead and stretches his arm out as if to offer the serpent to the stars before him.

From nowhere, a freshly picked rose falls softly from the sky, dancing and frolicking about within the air. It floats down landing next to the small creature within the kangaroo’s furry, blue hands. The serpent begins to emit a bright, blue glow along with the kangaroo who glows a deep red. The glowing increases as the rose beside the serpent begins to wilt and die. The serpent lifts its head and begins to float above the kangaroo’s palms as the rose curls, losing its crimson color to a sorrowful gray. Fully revived, the creature then swirls around the kangaroo’s head happily.

The glow surrounding the kangaroo then dissipates to reveal a metamorphosis. The kangaroo has turned darigan-colored! His brilliant blue coat has turned to the color of roses and large, red dragon-like wings now protrude from behind his shoulder blades, the webbing a deeper crimson than his fur. He turns to look at his new wings and gives them a flap with a slight smile on his face. A tear streams down his face as he discovers the serpent alive and well. The small creature flies under the kangaroo’s spiked tail as the kangaroo reaches out to grab it, letting the dead rose fall to the grass below.

The newly colored kangaroo gives you a final glance before walking with the serpent down the opposite side of the grassy hill. You are left alone beside the tree on the lonely hill beneath the moonlight. You look down at your feet and notice that the wilted rose still lies there. Stooping to pick it up, you look at its once beautiful features. As you stroke them, the garden begins to fade once more…

You are left standing in front of the small pillar surrounded by live, red roses. You glance around, discovering that you are once again in the garden full of life. Did all of that really just happen? You try to think of an explanation for everything that has just happened, and come to the conclusion that it was all a mere dream. Happy with your idea, you decide to return home. You have had enough mystery for one day.

As you turn to leave, something different about the pedestal quickly averts your attention to notice the new statue of a serpent resting on it. The serpent is in the same poise as when the red serpent began to dance and spin before, and it is made of the same cold stone as the fountain, column, and path. Beside the monument rests a small, wilted, gray rose. Could this be?

Later, the same day the following year, you remember the strange event that you witnessed at the garden of roses. You decide to return and try to answer some of the questions that seemed to linger within your mind.

With the trickle of the fountain in the background, and the aroma of fresh roses wafting in the air, you return to the secret clearing. The column still stands with the statue continuing to rest on top of it. You think back to your strange encounter with the animal. Did it all really happen?

The darigan kangaroo then emerges from the rose bushes surrounding the clearing and walks past you to kneel at the pedestal beholding the statue. He folds his hands together and begins to silently whisper. You try to listen in, however you find that it is in a foreign language. After the kangaroo finishes, he stands to his two clawed paws and turns to stare into your face. You ask yourself if he is really looking at you, or if he is looking through you.

“Is it you?” he asks, startling you a bit. Surprised that he knows your name, you stand and continue to stare at the creature without answering his question. With a deep, mysterious voice, he continues, “You have witnessed The Event. Correct?”

You finally manage to answer in a staggering voice, “What event?”

The kangaroo then answers, “I am known as Zitch. My serpent, Blunsa, and I are called The Two That Can Not Be Separated. What is it that you would like to ask me?” Looking around, you then see the red serpent glide out from behind the statue. You notice that it is the same serpent that was brought back to life that very day. Could that be the event that this kangaroo is referring to? You then ask him, “What is this event you speak of?”

“Come…”

It all started when I received my wonderful serpent, Blunsa. She was blue when she first became mine, and since then she has changed to a deep red color, much like me. I have always wondered where she had come from for I truly do not know. She was the one who found me…

As I sat along this very fountain, I was thinking to myself of how lonely the large, empty world could be when you had no one beside you to share it with. No one was with me to experience what I was experiencing. I had wandered upon this mysterious rose garden with beautiful fragrances and the peaceful serenity of the fountain.

I was admiring the scenery in deep thought when a clumsy serpent flew right into me. I was astonished as the small blue creature fell onto the stone by my feet. As I stooped down to pick it up however, I noticed that a light glow was emitting from its body, and my hands began to glow as I reached for it. Bewildered I glanced at my hands, only to find that the glowing ceased when they withdrew from the small creature.

As the small creature regained its senses from the collision, it shook its head quickly with a soft purr-like sound and glided back into the air in front of my face. From here, I was able to observe the creature thoroughly. It had a long snake like body and shined like the silvery-blue of the first snow. Two long antennae grew from behind its large, wondrous, sapphire eyes and a mane grew from the back of its neck. A small tuft of fur grew from the end of the creature’s tail that matched the darker blue of the creature’s mane.

It tilted its head to one side and hummed an interesting sound as it swirled and spiraled around my head. It seemed happy as it glided around me and it brought a smile to my face. I began to search for the creature’s owner, but there was nobody around. This was my secret garden and I never found anybody here. As I said my farewell to the animal, it floated in disappointment, its eyes full of sorrow. I glanced over my shoulder to look at it for the final time before my departure and saw the sadness in the creature’s eyes. It only wanted a friend, just as I did.

I called her Blunsa.

From that day forward, we have been close friends. The serpent has been with me wherever I have gone, and we are never found apart. I still wonder of the magical power that seemed to radiate off of the animal, but it has kept our friendship lasting, for my serpent has saved my life.

A long while back, a serious sickness came over me. The virus that was trapped within my body ate at me, and came with a dangerous side effect. Whenever the sun fell below the horizon, I would undergo a transformation. The blue of my fur would change to a crimson red and large, leather wings would sprout from behind my shoulder blades. Fangs emerged from my mouth and my eyes would turn a deep red. Sharp claws would sprout from my paws along with the blades from the end of my tail. Evilness would control me and rage would burn within my soul. The thirst of blood would linger on my tongue, as murder would no longer seem a crime.

My dear pet witnessed these changes and could sense that something was not right. Once however, I attacked my poor pet, killing it with the claws that extended from my paws. I stared at the body of my pet, half in shame, and half in satisfaction. Why couldn’t I control this? Why had I done this? Why couldn’t I…stop myself?

A tear fell from the red of my eye, and splashed onto the remains of the serpent. Angry with frustration, I snatched Blunsa up in my hands and ran to the hill by the garden. I held her up to the moon with deep sadness in my heart and cried out to the dark sky above. She began to radiate a soft, blue light as her body began to glow and warmth spread over my hands. I looked to the shining creature held in my hands and gasped at what I saw.

Blunsa radiated enough light to make me turn my head from the brightness. The mysterious power that was held within her emerged with great strength as her body began to rise into the air. I stared with my mouth hanging open and the fangs touching my soft chest. Was this truly happening?

I watched carefully as the light began to fade, hoping with all the hope in me that my pet would still live. Give her a chance, I prayed. I watched intently as Blunsa’s dark blue eyes began to open slowly. Her soft fur had turned to the dark crimson of my own, and her mane was a darker shade along with the tuft at the end of her tail. The light diminished as serpent gave another purr-like sound and her eyes lit up. She no longer gave off a radiating glow. She had used her immense power to revive herself. I stood in awe as she cuddled up against me, causing me to instantly embrace her in a hug of tears.

I felt something had changed inside of me, yet I still bore fangs and claws. I noticed though that the anger that had controlled me earlier was no longer there. Although I now had control over my body, and the sickness was no longer killing me, I still stayed in this form. I am not sure why, but  I have grown used to it. It is kind of nice to be able to fly, yet my claws and fangs get in the way of things sometimes.

I love my pet with all of the love in my heart and I am joyful for what she has done for me. She had taken my burden away. I am free! We truly are The Two That Can Not Be Separated…