It was like a reflex. The air entering his body jolted him, and he blinked. When he opened his eyes, the sky was overcast and heavy. The gentle breeze was chilly. And the path was gone.
He stood in grass that reached up to his knees. Different from the grass around the river, he now waded in a sea of faded gold. The river was gone. Replacing the churning currents were the whispers of the blades as they bent under that breeze.
He turned to look behind him. He was standing atop a small hill. The valley below was shallow, quick to drift off into the endless expanse of rolling hills. What he considered to be the edge of this space was hidden by the overcasting clouds, falling to create a fog.
Facing forward, more hills described the land as frozen ripples. Beyond them, the same fog closed off any secrets kept in the distance. So far, he saw no one. He'd have to wait for them to realize he was here. Shouldn't take long.
Looking down at his feet, he instantly saw what he was looking for. To the outside of his left foot was a large rock. The tall grass hugged close, almost hiding it, but there at the top of this golden surface was a circular-shaped absence. In the vastness that surrounded him, one might think such a small indication would be lost, but as Joseph panned his eyes over this land, he could see each gap like the one at his side. Each hill had one.
That was because each hill had a name. There was nothing written upon the rock next to his foot, but he knew this hill's name just by looking at it. He had his bearings now. Casting his gaze more to the right, he targeted one of the small gaps out of the multitude.
"I see you," he whispered into the chilly breeze, and he spoke that hill's name. When the word came, the sound never escaped his mouth. It rang in his mind, though the air that should have passed between his lips felt like it had reversed, causing him to experience what he would describe as a hiccup. At the same time the name was in his head, he heard a rumble in the distance. He knew it wasn't thunder coming from the fog. He felt a tingle under his feet. The rock that sat upon his targeted hill vibrated to the tone of its name.
He chuckled and lifted his voice, "Yes…" and he called out that hill's name. The hiccup sensation jolted him much in the same way entering this space had. The distance rumbled again, louder this time. The tingle under his feet had come at him as a consistent buzz.
He took in a breath, and then he lifted his face to the overcast sky, shouting the name.
The hiccup sensation nearly jerked him off his feet, but he threw his arms out to steady himself. The rumble cracked along the clouds, sending a numbing shudder under his feet.
He chuckled again, and when he leveled his gaze, the hills before him were different. The fog was at the same distance, but when he looked behind him, the hill he started on was so far away now.
Looking down at his feet hidden in the tall grass, he saw the gap to his immediate left. Leaning over a bit, he peered into that space to find the rock that had rumbled to his greeting.
"Aha." He said and then straightened his posture. Keeping his feet in place, he twisted about, searching the new slopes falling away in every direction. After a moment of seeing or hearing nothing, he spoke, "Ernie. Henry? You there?"
"Not always." Was an instant response.
He whipped around to the right.
"But today we are." Came another response.
He looked to the left.
A portion of grass down the slope directly ahead of him exploded. Jerking his head that way, he saw the man spring up from a hunch and stand upright.
"Hey Joseph." The man said.
Another person popped up from the grass further down the slope and to the left. Once he was standing upright, he also gave a greeting. "We were wondering when we'd see you again."
Joseph greeted the closer man, "Ernie." Then he greeted the man further down the slope. "Henry."
Both men were carrying a military-grade assault rifle. Henry was holding his against the front of his body, the barrel end
pointing down. Ernie was carrying his against his chest, one hand on the grip, the other underneath the barrel which was angled skyward.
Glancing between the two, Joseph noted their positions along the slope. His smile faltered, "Are you…?"
Ernie twisted to share a glance with Henry, and then they both regarded Joseph again.
"Oh!" Ernie said, "Actually, we're chasing one down right now."
"One?" Joseph asked.
"Yeah!" Henry cheered, pointing his free at Joseph's chest, "Looks like you're all armored up. Wanna help?"
Joseph glanced down at the multicolored patches on his skin and then tossed his hands out to the sides with a shrug, "I…guess?"
"Oh good!" Henry beamed. "Come on!" Then he hunched back down and disappeared below the grass.
"We can catch up at the same time." Ernie offered, and then he, too, hunched back down and disappeared under the grass.
Joseph snickered to himself and let out a long sigh. "Those guys." Then he hunched down and disappeared under the grass.