The Garden of Rocks

Greetings to everyone, the following story was inspired by the digital art of @xpilar, I invite you to visit his blog. The picture that motivated this story is the following.

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Source

The Garden of Rocks

I don't think I've ever had such a hard time walking in the middle of this forest, my feet feel terribly heavy and my mind is partially clouded, every breath of air burns my chest and my muscles cramp more at every step.

For twenty years I have climbed this hill to visit the rocks, to sleep among them observing the stars, to see the aurora illuminate the sky with its purple veil that flutters as if carried by a non-existent breeze, to witness Castor and Pollux rise to the east like a pair of small artificial moons, that flash intensely, standing out among the other stars that shine in the night of Cephaeus.

Twenty years ago I discovered the rocks and their strange appearance, like dozens of pillars rising vertically, imposing in the middle of the hill slope, without any explanation, without an apparent purpose, without an end that justifies their presence here.

Cepheus still has a lot of uncharted territory, I don't know if this place will be known to anyone else, but to tell you the truth, I've never seen anyone else around here, not even the robots or drones of the parks department. Only animals and plants have been my company every time I have ventured here.

Although it is too presumptuous of me to believe that I am the first and only one to know this place, it would not be uncommon for it to be so.

I have reached the rock garden my final destination, where my last forces are exhausted, an intense pain invades my side, I feel the blood gorge in my lungs with each breath, my wound does not heal as fast as it should.

Had I known six hours ago when I left my cabin, that I would meet a male deer on my route and that I would be unhappy to see myself, I would not have left my disruptor at home, at the end of the day, I had never met one in these places. It is curious how these animals, which are usually so frightened and shy, can be so aggressive when surprised by a stranger.

Had I known he would envy me with his antlers and make a wound on my side, into which I can almost insert my fist, I would not have missed my appointment last week to renew my cell repair nanobots, which today are unable to cope with the wound.

Today this garden of rocks, in whose beauty I have rejoiced for twenty years, will be my last experience in this world, although I do not know if I will be the first to arrive at this place, if I am sure that I will be the first to die here, at the feet of these prominent columns and under the veil of dawn.

When my vision went black, and my breath went out, a distant buzz reached my ears and a faint breeze caressed my face, shortly before I lost consciousness.

An intense light punished my eyes, a strong smell of pine irritated my nose, what was this, where was it, on me a lamp illuminated my face and shadows moved from one side to the other in my peripheral vision. I tried to turn my head to see what was happening around me and something was holding it. I felt as if my body swayed from side to side as if carried by a boat.

-Listen, Mr. Levy, this is BENJAMIN, a rescue worker from the parks department -said the synthetic voice and the robot's unemotional voice -. We saw your confrontation with the deer and immediately came to rescue you. The attacks of these animals are very frequent in this region, you are lucky, recently a camper died here because of one. Don't worry, we are transporting you to the hospital of Cefeo IV, where you will be treated. You will be fine, we have given you a dose of nanobots that will begin cell restoration as we reach our destination.

Text of @amart29 Barcelona, Venezuela, September 2019

Other stories from the Time and Space series

• Fleeing from the Cephalopod
• The Depths of Balder
• Pandora's Walls
• Forced Migration
• The Curse of Chimera
• Amphitrite
• Ilmatar
• The Door of the Sea of Calm
• The Horde
• The Phidias Mechanism
• Heliopolis
• The Garden of Rocks

I can only thank @xpilar for allowing me to use his digital art in my publication and for motivating my creation. Thank you very much @xpilar

Thank you all for visiting my publication, I hope your comments and I appreciate your support, until next time

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