warmup 1
The house had been abandoned for months, dust and soot gathering on all of the surfaces inside the small wooden structure. No creature dared make a sound, frightened off by the horrors that had been committed here. A slight breeze drifted through the once-home, the rotted and broken door slowly being pushed open by the wind, a loud creaking sound emitting and echoing through the space. The small gust of wind stirred the dust, blowing over the various shattered objects scattered around. A small single tawny feather drifted around, before settling on the remnants of a table, two of its legs broken off.
A small dinging sound broke the haunting silence before a large circular golden portal opened up in the middle of the room. The breeze subsided, the front door slowly drifting shut, as if giving this familiar face the space and privacy they deserved. It seemed as if the whole house was watching, its breath held as it waited in anticipation for what was to come.
Slowly and hesitantly, a red and white shoe inched its way through the portal, a blue leg following it. A peach muzzle stuck its way through the golden light, sniffing and taking in the familiar scent of his old home. A home that nevertheless, was home to most of his trauma, echoing with memories that would stick with him for a lifetime.
And when Sonic finally entered the hut, the golden glow emanating from the portal disappeared, plunging him into the dark. The only light coming from the moon, shining through a broken window. The dust settled once more, the house once again quietly waiting for its original occupant to make the first move. The crickets hummed a soft lullaby in the background, the quiet whistle of the trees accompanying the haunting, yet lonely song.
The first thing Sonic thought when he finally looked around, surveying the broken remains of the hut with an expression that can only be described as grief, was that it felt like her soul was still there. That she had waited for him to return. Blinking away the tears in his eyes, he called out, his voice not as strong and stable as he wished it was.
“Hello, is anyone there?”
The question echoed for a moment, before disappearing into the night, swallowed by the song of the trees. No one answered, and the sounds of the night quietened, sending something was happening. The house remained unresponsive, instead letting a small breeze in to dance around the shattered remains of Sonic’s childhood, sending dust into the air.
And as Sonic sneezed and waved away the dust, one object in particular caught his eye. The one smudge of colour in this dull and lifeless home. Reaching a shaky hand towards it, he picked up the tawny feather, still in perfect condition. Bringing it closer to him, Sonic swore he could still smell her on the feather, her distinctive scent of pollen and sandlewood. A rich, earthy smell he desperately clung too as he let the tears roll this time, months of grief and suffering finally released as he lached on to the reminder of his beloved carer.
After what felt like hours of crying, but was realistically only 5 minutes, Sonic wiped his eyes, his mouth carving into a small smile as he slipped the feather into his pocket. The house smiled back at the blue hedgehog, glad that it original occupant had finally returned[a]. And with that, Sonic called out into the night, the wind and tree carrying the words all across the island, celebrating that finally, it wasn’t alone.
“Longclaw, I’m home.”