"What in the...?"

[Garnoopy 0]

Lieutenant Commander Garnoopy

Chief of Engineering, USS Manticore

Stardate 50805.17

 

“What in the…?”

 

The sunlight was so bright Garnoopy could hardly see around the field. He brought his hand to his head in an attempt to shield some of the light but it didn’t prove to be all that effective. Blinking rapidly, his pupil quickly shrunk, attempting to decrease the amount of light being reflected to his cones and rods.

 

A push came from behind and he stumbled forward, nearly falling face first into the tall grass. After quickly righting himself he turned around, only to see a cow looking at him.

“Moooooooo” went the cow and Garn’s mouth fell open, unbelieving of what he was seeing.

 

“What,” Garn stuttered, “What is going on?”

 

The cow simply took a bite of grass, then turned and wandered away from Garn.

 

Garn let out a sigh, then, as his eyes were adjusting, looked around the wide open green field. A lone tree stood only a few hundred feet away in the distance. Muttering to himself about how strange this situation seemed to be, Garn began to walk towards it.

 

Something began to happen though. With each step towards the tree things began to change. The grass began to turn brown. The leaves on the tree began to change shades. The cow began to shrink, as if it was losing weight. Shades of dark gray began to color the sky instead of the crystal blue that had been before.

 

His hair ruffled as the wind picked up. A bolt of lightning crashed to the ground and Garn jumped, startled by the blinding light and the earth rattling explosion of sound waves all around him.

 

Garn turned, looking around with wide eyes at the changing scene. The cow stood off in the distance, shriveled and nasty looking, with bright red eyes that cut through the rapidly darkening light.

 

With their own will Garn’s feet began to pick up pace, moving into a jog, then a run towards the tree, towards safety as the rolling in clouds began to splatter droplets across his face.

 

Arriving at the tree Garn put his back to it and looked out the menacing world that surrounded him. The wind tore at the branches, tore at his clothes, and attempted to push him away from what little safety he could find.

 

What change had occurred that this idyllic scene had become a place from hell? There was no warning and Garn hung on for dear life as the sky attempted to tear him from the tree and into the open field where mother nature was baring her wrath.

 

A crack sounded above his head and Garn looked up, only to see the tree split into two. It began to fall, towards him, and he stepped forward, attempting to get out of its way. The weight pressed against his upper body, forcing him to stumbled back onto the ground. It came down on him. He sucked in some air, realizing the inevitable, and suddenly…

 

Garn sat up, soaked in sweat, breathing hard, “Computer, lights!”

 

The room became illuminated and he realized he was in his quarters onboard the Manticore. But something was wrong.

 

Something had changed.

 

Something was coming.

 

But what?