#bunsonburner

I had to figure the lab coat out myself and then I made a bunch of little props to fill the pockets like tiny highlighters and lab reports.

I used @s-fellows-art eye tutorial for the digital image and It really did help, though I still have a lot to practice and learn. I recommend the tutorial to anyone who struggles with eyes as much as I do.

I finally got around to making a character reference for my fursona.

(Quick note: The other day I was telling a friend of mine about a weird dream I had. They told me I should write it up as a short story so I gave it a shot. Like the dream it has an anticlimax so it has a bit of a disappointing ending. Also I don't usually write short stories so grammar and spelling may be a bit off.)

I normally can’t remember my dreams, but this one in particular stayed with me. I was standing at the front of an old wooden row boat. Behind me sat my brother, rowing and smiling but not saying a word. The sky was grey with clouds and though it was warm there was a distinctive dampness that made me think it had recently rained or was about to.

The river was small, though easily large enough to accommodate the rowboat. Its banks were grey and steep, and they were topped by a seemingly impenetrable wall of tall dry yellow grass. A few meters behind the grasses edge; small columns of light grey smoke drifted up as if there were small fires spotting the shoreline. And yet there was no smell of smoke, and no crackling of fire. Only the quiet wind as it blew through the tall grass, and the lapping of the waves as they struck the shore.

Splayed out on both banks of the river were hundreds of freshly killed sea creatures. Most if not all were mammalian ranging from dolphins, to seals, to even a few manatee. They were skewered on jagged rusty metal spikes that protruded from the ground. Some were old spears and harpoons while others were twisted rebar and metal pipes. Most were badly mutilated. Torn open with entrails dragged out upon the beach. Some had large inhuman bite marks while others were torn up beyond recognition. And yet once again there was no smell. No vial smell of viscera or of decay. No buzzing of flies. Only wind.

We finally came upon the mouth of the river and it opened into what was either a massive lake or the ocean, and given the context of the creatures in the river I assume it was the latter. The shoreline behind us stretched on unending to the edge of our vision with no notable landmarks or structures, however these shores were free of the slaughter found before.

Straight ahead of us was a small island bisected by a shallow segment if water across its sandy surface. On the left most part of this island was a lone dead tree missing most of its limbs. Draped across the island on its back was a massive blue whale. It’s eye had been gouged out and it had several open wounds. Spears and metal pikes stuck from its underside and the color of the creature had faded to a full grey tone.

As we approached the island the water was unusually calm. There was almost no waves and what few ripples there were was a result of our boat. We were about half way to the island when the great whale began to slide backwards tailfin first into the water on the far side of the island. The creature itself remained limp and its sliding movement looked almost as if it were being dragged backwards by some unseen force. The creature sank below the island and out of sight as we finally reached the shore. In short moment it took to climb the hill on the edge of the sandy island, the creature had completely vanished. I walked the perimeter of the island cautiously peering down into the water below. The island appeared to be surrounded by shallow rocks that could be seen through the calm water. However there was still no sign of the whale, and with water this shallow it should have been plainly visible. It was then that I noticed the pit.

Not far off shore on the opposite side of the island from where we had landed was a massive almost circular hole that was so deep light could not reach its bottom. My brother said nothing as I moved closer to investigate. Peering deeper into the abyss I suddenly found myself frozen in place. Unable to look away as something began to slowly float up into view. At first it was too difficult to make out, but deep down I new exactly what it was. As the bloated carcase of the whale began to slowly float closer and closer to the surface I tried Desperately to turn away and flee. But I could do no such thing and was forced to watch as the creature floated ever closer. Finally it reached the surface and it’s massive head broke the calm surface. For a moment, neither of us moved, it just watched me with it’s one remaining eye. Then the creature began to slowly open its mouth, head tilted to the sky. Everything went silent as my paralysis suddenly vanished. It was then that I felt something odd gnawing at the back of my mind. I suddenly became aware of something inside the whale’s mouth, though I couldn’t tell what. I knew that whatever it was it wasn’t good and yet the gnawing continued as if it were voicelessly beckoning me towards the creature. Suddenly my legs began to move on their own and as I drew closer to the whale my sense of dread grew even worse. Finally I stood beside the creature trying with all my might to keep my eyes forward while the voiceless presence compelled me to look down. I began to tire and could no longer keep my head up, but luckily I awoke before my eyes fell on whatever had been calling me.