The Other Earth by Derek Schumacher (reading like a writer .TXT) 📕

No. He isn't different, he's wrong. He's not even capable of acting like a human, so we'll treat him like the nothing he wants to be. That'll teach him.

I don't think that's the right thing to do.

Well too bad, because you've got no say in it anyways.

I know, I never do, It's always you doing everything, and not allowing me to have a say in anything regarding my brother.

What was that?

Nothing, Mom.

Good, now let's go. Your father is waiting for us.

Of course.

Good Morning, Today is September 28, 2118.

After a day of healing and a day of preperation, the day had finally come. Yesterday, Neil had made sure to make a few checks here and there, making a new berry pouch, and making himself a little pack to carry all of his things with him. It wasn't much, but it was better than having to carry everything by his bare hands.

Also, he decided to try and clean off his axe, which worked decently well with the water in the river. He did it farther downstream, so none of the blackness got in his area in which he used for drinking. While he did this, he also looked at the bridge. It was still in good shape, which was perfect. He would be going on his journey towards the mountain on the other side of the river, to see two things in one, the southern region, and the possible mountain lake. Just the thought of that beautiful sight made him smile.

The man stretched a bit, and then grabbed his things. He put the pack on his back, and tied it to his chest, so that it was nice and tight. After that, he slid the axe in his belt, for safe keeping, and of course, the berry pouch on the other side. It was a bit weird not having the knife's sheath, but he would manage. It served it's purpose well, and Neil wouldn't forget it's service.

Once he had gotten everything he needed, he stepped out of his hut, and looked back at it. So many good memories over the last two weeks or so. It was nice to know that after his expedition up to the mountain, he would have a nice little place to head back to, and enjoy to his heart's content. Maybe when he got back, he would spice it up some more, somehow. Maybe he would rebuild the whole thing out of wood? Now that's a project that would totally get a high grade in school. Probably.

Neil was finished giving his goodbyes to his little campsite, and walked over to the ridge that went down towards the river. He slid downwards, and spotted the rock he had layed out to use to cross the gap. It was about the same size as the first one, if not a little bigger. Can't be too careful when it comes to these things. At least it wasn't gusting incredibly high winds this time.

Taking the rock into his arms, he took to the bridge, slowly making his way across. His axe glently clanged against his belt as he walked along the bridge. It took a few minutes, but at last, he was across safely. Neil plopped the rock down on the other side, and patted it gently on the top. He'd be back to hopefully take it across another time in the future.

But here is where the journey really starts. The adventure of a lifetime, Neil thought to himself. To travel across the great southern region, and make it to the huge mountain in the distance, that had teased him ever since he awoke in the field. It was always there, looming over the surrounding area. But soon, he would be at the foot of the glorious work of nature. He didn't care how long it took, he would make it.

Turning to his left, he began his walk. It would be an exciting journey to fufill, and one he had been waiting a long time to complete. And these first few steps signified that he was ready. Neil was ready to see what he had wanted to see all this time. And all it took was a walk, a walk through trees, and stones, hills and whatever else happens to be on the way.

Neil would stick close to the river's edge, to make sure that he was still on the right path. Didn't want to get turned around all the way up here, because he certainly wouldn't be able to tell. Unless his footprints stayed for a good long while, and were perfectly visible.

At the first leg of the journey, Neil decided to hum a tune, a similar tune that he had made a good while ago. He still couldn't put together where he had heard it, or why he had decided to hum the song, but it didn't really matter too much. It sounded nice to him, and that's all that really mattered to Neil. Something soothing to listen to on the great journey.

The sky was bright, the morning sunlight slowly creeping across the landscape, lightning up trees and bushes alike, everything slowly beginning to come into view. The sunrise was almost like a great revival of all things, where night is a culling of life, darkening the surface in a blanket of nothingness. Maybe Neil was thinking a little too hard on this one, and was also getting a bit too philosophical for his own good. Maybe.

As he walked, he observed the change of his enviorment. Sure, he knew how it worked, since he had walked this way once before, but he hadn't been on the same side. Now, he could look over to his right, and watch the landscape change, from wooded, to rocky. The terrain actually began to slope in multiple ways, showing that the southern region was very uneven, and riddled with hillscapes, and the like. It was sure a big change compared to the other regions in the area.

But, sometimes change isn't such a bad thing. It sure gave a bigger variety to the forest, as besides the trees and other vegitation, tons of other things exist. The marshlands, the river, the hills, the mountain, and hopefully the lake. Nature sure is beautiful, but Neil already knew that.

The man listened to each step he took, watching the wilderness around him slowly scroll by, like a panorama slowly sliding across the screen. Of course, Neil had no idea what a panorama was, or is at all, but sometimes people compare things to other things, without truly understanding.

Neil put his hands in his pockets, and felt the gentle wind blow across his face. It was nothing like the wind from the storm before, this one was nice and soothing, a reminder of the weather, and it's existance. As time goes by, he ponders to himself things that he should do once he arrives at his destination.

Of course, the one main thing was to bask in the glory of the mountain lake, but there must be more. An indepth inspection must be made, all around the lake. What could be on the edges? Woods, Rocks, Hills, Swamps, Marshes? He guessed all these things, but in reality, he had absolutely no idea what could be waiting for him all that distance away. The excitement of the unknown truly gripped this man, and it wasn't anything bad either. This was what many call the feeling of being alive, to be able to feel great joy within things.

He had remembered just how long his first journey was. It was around three or so hours, in this same direction. Which was nothing compared to what he was going to need. He wasn't nearly close enough to the mountain to see anything yet, and now that he was on the seperate side of the river, maybe he'd spot something he hadn't seen before. Something unique to the southern region. Actually, it would be more of a western area, a south western area? Close enough, Neil supposed. The mountain was out west, but being on the other side of the river meant being slightly south. So, south western region it is.

All this thinking of directions, regions, areas, and other things sure confused Neil to a certain degree. But at the same time, truly interested him, the understand and documenting of things. Like maps, journals, books, and other things of that same calibur. He had never been one to write much down, but maybe one day he should. Think of it, he could title it something really fancy, like "Neil's Outdoor Survival Extravaganza".

Okay, maybe not that, but at the same time, why not? It's Neil's choice after all, it's his book. Thing was, he hadn't written anything in ages, so he wondered just how bad his penmanship had fallen since then. Pulling his axe from his belt, he looked over the signiture on it. It was okay, he supposed. At least he could read it, if no one else.

Putting the axe back in it's place, Neil pondered just how long it had been since he actually talked to someone. Had to be an incredibly long time, over years he guessed. He was thirty-five, so still a perfectly fine young man, so if he wanted to get into chatting with people, at least he had his good looks to go along with. But maybe some shaving and a shower wouldn't hurt too. His beard and hair had begun to grow wildly and tangled. Soon, he'll look like a true caveman.

Hours began to go by one by one, all including a different thought discussed by Neil to himself. When time drags on and on, sometimes people get bored, and Neil was very bored. Sure, the excitement was still there, but it was a good long ways away yet, and he needed to find some way to keep himself occupied. So, he thought of a genius idea. He would count the trees.

Just kidding, no he's not. Well, at least he didn't think he was going to. He gave himself a real chuckle, thinking back to that first expedition, and his math calculations about steps and what not. The man sure did get bored easily, but had such strange ways of dealing with said boredness. Was that even a word? He figured it probably was.

Another thought that came to mind, was the latest sequence of past reference. The first one seemed to be him speaking to his brother about something, and the other was something to do with his mother, or something like that. Neil couldn't remember exactly, but he thought it went something like that.

Stopping for a second, the man kneeled down and took a few sips from the river. The water up here was much more clean, as it must be coming from a pure source. Which could be that lake that Neil keeps thinking about. That's another thing to add to the list of things to do once he's up there! He'll drink straight from the lake's water. It's like the fountain of youth, without any of the supernatural powers, and it's just water.

Which, Neil guessed, would make the fountain of youth a really bad comparison to the mountain lake. But he'll just stick with it anyways, because he wasn't sure