Once upon a time, Prince Charming and his steed leisurely galloped through Avando Forest, bathing in the warm sunlight of a midsummer afternoon. The birds cheerfully sang songs of joy and the wind danced quietly to the forest’s flittering melodies. Nearing the end of the beaten path, Charming hadn’t yet been satisfied by the wonder of nature, and so he rode merrily into the deeper, less travelled stretches of the forest.
It had just gotten dark, no more than thirty minutes ago. I was driving home from a friend’s house and enjoying the city’s dusky scenery on the way. Off in the distance, I could see a large fire. I joked to myself, “That better not be my house.”
I was walking into Wal-Mart on a hot, weekday afternoon. The old lady at the front door cheerfully greeted me as I rushed by towards the bathroom. In the small distance between the front door and the restrooms, glances around Wal-Mart told me it was quite busy today. A minute later, as I was washing my hands, I heard a loud boom and several screams. The boom repeated itself and I ran to the door of the bathroom and looked out. Over by Register 14 there was a man with a rifle. My heart jumped a few beats as I stood there, mesmerized.