Author's Note: I am very sorry for the delay; I have been extremely busy this mid-summer.
The wind croaked and blew the endless fog this way and that. Joy had a hard time seeing the white fox, who was camouflaged in the fog, wind, and rain. It seemed to be a mixture of all different weather but for sunny weather.
"Here we go, we've almost reached the birches! You know, it's a pity you landed in the Fogfields. But then again, I probably wouldn't have been able to find you! Such a coincidence I was there, eh?" the fox barked. The whole trip he had been bragging and talking and telling stories about the Fogfields. Of course, to be 'nice', Joy tried to nod and pay attention as much as she could, but it was utterly impossible! Her legs ached and her eyes were about to fall. It must have been at least twelve hours since they left the pod and began the trudge. It was quite humiliating, especially for Jeremy.
"Why did I let him on this trip again?" Jeremy muttered miserably to Joy.
"To have him lead us somewhere other than in this fog . . ." Joy whispered back, "I feel as dreadful as you do! But, without him, where would we be right now?"
"I guess you're right . . ." Jeremy sighed.
"Who's right? Me? Yes, I suppose I am! You could only really be talking about me . . . right?" the fox squealed.
"Yes, fox . . ." Joy had to giggle.
"Good! And, please do call me Selvester," the fox said, "Yes, Selvester. Say it, say it?"
"Alright, Selvester," she nodded.
"Great job!" the fox exclaimed. Both Joy and Jeremy looked at each other, and Joy rolled her eyes. It was as if Selvester was trying to teach them how to talk! It should be them teaching him, not him teaching them.
The mist soon faded a little, and birch trees appeared. It was a whole forest of them. Joy was awed by the beauty of it all, with the trees seeming to brush the white atmosphere above.
"Now, this is the Birchen Wood. We have finally passed the Fogfields." Selvester held his head high.
"Yeah . . . thanks for leading us here. Can we rest now that we have reached our 'goal'?" Jeremy asked, empathizing the word 'goal' as if he didn't mean it. Apparently, the fox didn't even notice, for he answered with confidence and excitement. "Not just yet! Very, very soon. Do not worry."
Jeremy groaned and Joy sighed. Her feet were so numb, hardly able to take the weight of her body as she stumbled along.
Something wet fell on her shoulder. Joy froze, and looked upward. Tiny little droplets fell into her eyes, the pressure getting harder and colder. Before she knew it, she was drenched through. Her hair was plastered to her neck, face, and back. The fox had already swept into a tiny den and he was only a bit damp.
'How in the world are we supposed to fit in there?!' Joy thought with anguish. Were they going to be stuck outside all night or day or whatever it was in this dreadful place?
Jeremy was muttering something to himself, then he looked up. Thunder roared and lightning shrieked. He squinted his eyes, staring at the gray sky (or what ever it was). He reached down to the bottom of his shirt and began slowly pulling it up. Then he just removed it and simply discarded it. He yelled. There was no true language for it; he wasn't even speaking. He was just crying out for no particular reason. Who knew what he was up to? But anyone who could feel emotion could feel the agony, the heartbreak, the confusion . . . in that single 'battle cry'. And in some way, Joy felt the exact same way.
Suddenly, a flash lit and a blinding white light obscured the sky. The loudest noise you could have ever imagined filled the air, drowning out any other sound. Joy felt as if she was swimming inside of it. Her heart nearly stopped, and her body went numb. It was as if the judgment at home was happening all over again . . .
