|| ☀ Chasing Paradise ☀ || || paradise had always thought his name was stupid. really, what kind of parent would name their child paradise? though they had always been obsessed with salvation, so he supposed it was to be expected. he was only 17 when he left home, fueled by a desire to prove himself, to show everyone that they were wrong. he was riding high, going to college on an exclusive scholarship. that was where his problems began. he was a history major, so when he got the opportunity to accompany an expert archaeology team on a dig, of course he agreed. It seemed like his whole life was falling into place. of course, that all changed. The archaeological dig was in the desert. Paradise had never liked the desert, but this one in particular had something wrong with it, something that he felt in his bones. As he days passed, the longer he stayed, the more he felt it. on the 10th day, he decided to go speak to one of his companions about it. "Jude? are you sure this location is safe for people?" "Uh, yeah, Peri, I'm pretty sure it is. Why do you ask?" Jude looked nervous, rubbing his neck. "Oh, no reason." only later does Paradise realize just how suspicious Jude sounds. Only later does Paradise realize that they have not found a single artifact in the entire time there. In fact, they have done little but dig, a massive hole opening in the sand. Like a grave. Soon, he repeats to himself like a mantra. Soon he can leave. Only 15 days, 12 days, 10 days, 5 days. he hasn't prayed since he left his parents, has only associated religion with fear and judgement, but now he prays. His prayers are not answered. One day, at dawn, he woke early, his fur covered in a cool sweat. he opened his tent, intending to get some fresh air, and stepped into the quiet, empty camp, cast in the cool grey tones of morning. It is not unusual for camp to be empty this early, everyone still asleep, but a flash of movement catches his eyes. He turns, and sees people in the distance, stumbling away from the camp in a zombie-like trance. that is the last thing he sees before a blunt force connects with the back of his head, and he is sent reeling to the ground. He drifts in and out of consciousness after that, always in pain. He catches glimpses of things, sand, the tents, sand, and then he is falling, thrown into the pit. he can do nothing but watch as a figure above shovels sand onto him, burying him alive. He tries to struggle, but his eyesight wobbles and fades, like the shimmer of asphalt on a hot day. The next time he comes to, he is completely buried in sand. He tries to breathe, but sand fills his lungs instead of air. So he forces himself to hold what little breath he has, desperately scrabbling in the direction he hopes is up. Fortunately, he was only buried about a foot deep. He survives. But once he pulls himself from his grave, coughs the sand from his lungs, he sees an altogether different place than the one he started in. the sky is a deep orange, and he stands on a sandy beach, surrounded by frothy, sea green ocean waves. huge columns surround where he stands. For he has not survived at all. Because he is dead, and no one will ever find his bones. || ☀ hi my little sillies! how do you like my dark little story! I really wanted Paradise to be a silly little traumatized guy, and If I win him, I would probably make a part two for this explains the clock, as I want it to have a purpose but have no clue yet :/ ☀ ☀ bio time! ☀[ paradise || he/him || Labrador retriever/mutt || likes: books, tea, and the rain, pottery || dislikes: enclosed spaces, being cold, arguments, travel || wants to be a historian ]☀
