THE FOREST WAS SILENT.

Four figures emerged from the thick foliage.

The first, and the most authoritative was an attractive female with smart grey-blue eyes and a pointed chin. Her cheeks and nose were red from the cold. Her pink lips were slightly pursed, and silent. A splatter of light freckles dotted her nose. Her straight, red-brown hair flowed over her shoulders, onto her coral pink vest zipped to the neck. Black-and-white striped sleeves were rolled to the elbow. She finished the outfit with a dark pair of blue jeans and well-worn sneakers.

She wasn’t especially tall, though her high waist and thin structure often gave the illusion of so. It was her gait that was powerful. Her spine was so straight, as if it curved inwards. Her arms didn’t swing when she walked. It was as if her body floated on top of her legs, and the legs were from a completely different person’s.

Her name is Oakley.

The second was a sizable man in a long white coat, the edges of which were slightly browned and dirty. He had intelligent brown eyes, with suggestions of crow’s feet appearing at the corners, which was surprising as the man did not seem particularly old. His pale skin was still young and bright. A lumpy nose sprouted above a silent, angry mouth. Dark brown hair was gelled to a side, though the result was obviously a hurried and messy attempt.

He wore a collared shirt tucked into his black pants. He was rather tall, but, for some strange reason, not at all intimidating. He wore a cheap knock-off watch three minutes slow on his left hand, which was in his coat pocket clutching a pathetically thin wallet.

His name is, well, no one quite knows. He is the Doctor.

The last was a skinny man with large green eyes and a nest of hair. His entire face, including his ears, was bright red. He was shivering and sniffing loudly, his mouth constantly twitching, yearning for conversation. He wore a puffy jacked with the hood on. A large wooly scarf wrapped around his neck. Two skinny legs poked out of the winter jacket.

He moved by shuffling. He was all hunched over and curled up. He walked in a zig-zag, the large, furry hood blocking his vision. His hands were stuck deep in fur-lined pockets. He glared under the hood.

His name is Timothy.

The last was a small dog, almost a perfect imitation of its owner. Despite it thick fur, the dog was shivering and freezing. It whimpered whenever its delicate paws stepped on a sharp pine needle. It kept licking its nose to keep it warm, but the moisture only froze its nose more quickly.

Its name is Stapes.

And the four of them made their way through an eerie pine forest.

“We there yet?” Timothy finally mustered the courage to ask.

“Not even close,” Oakley replied, growling softly. She receded back to silence.

“Where are we going anyway?” Timothy whined through his scarf, “Why did you have to bring me here?”

“Oh, will you shut up,” the doctor hissed. “Look, I’ll pay you, alright? Not as much as you’re probably used to, but I’ll shut your whining if I were you.”

“Are you bribing me?”

“Shut it. Hear me?” The doctor zipped his lips for clarification.

They walked in silence some more.

“I’m—” Timothy began once he was certain that they weren’t anywhere close.

“Shut up.” Without breaking a stride, Oakley twisted her head to glare at Timothy.

“—hungry,” Timothy finished, “or rather, was hungry.” He muttered to himself for the rest of the walk.

“We’re here,” Oakley announced, as they walked to a very ordinary bit of ground.

“How do you know?” Timothy challenged, “How can you remember so clearly? I heard you were wandering about that day. How do you know this is the right place?”

“Please ignore him,” the doctor apologized, producing a pair of latex gloves from a pocket, “He’s usually this irritating. I’m used to it.”

“I’m not irritating! It’s just you that get easily irritated!” Timothy protested. “And you too, Oakley,” Timothy added off her glare.

“Put these on,” the doctor instructed, tossing the gloves to Timothy, “And start examining the ground. Is there anything out of the ordinary?”

“Oh, great,” Timothy grumbled, “now you want me to get on all fours, and crawl around looking at dirt. I have feelings too, you know. Where’s my respect?”

“You lost it when you started whining,” Oakley pointed out.

“Oh, shut it, you. You and the doctor really make a nice pair.” Timothy, after a great deal of arguing and cursing, finally squatted down and examined the ground.

“Do you see anything odd?” the doctor asked.

“No…” Timothy replied, “nothing very interesting. A leaf here and there. And a poor ant. This area is slightly darker than this other area. Very strange. Wonder what that could be. But other than that—What is that?”

“What?” the doctor exclaimed eagerly, “What do you see? Something glowing?”

“No, it’s just dirt,” Timothy replied maliciously. “You know, it could be awfully helpful if maybe one of you also started looking. It’s not like I have super vision and I can detect any odd object in any given area. Or hey, here’s a thought. Maybe both of you start looking. Aren’t I such a genius sometimes?”

“Who’ll watch the dog then?” Oakley asked.

“Oh, I’m sure he wouldn’t go far.”

Slightly confused, Oakley put Stapes down and accepted a pair of gloves from the doctor. The three of them were squatted in a sort of circle, performing an odd ritual that involved a lot of staring at the ground and grunting.

Timothy had been right about Stapes not going far. In fact, Stapes was absolutely frozen in place, sitting upright and staring at who-knows-where.

“Well?” Timothy said sarcastically, “any updates? Anyone find some especially interesting dirt?”

“Shut up and keep working,” the doctor hissed.

“Ah yes, working. You know, something that usually involves a nice a hotel and a considerable amount of money. Oh, and let’s not forget. Work also happens in good environments. That is, places where the temperature is above zero.”

“Alright, I get it,” the doctor grumbled, “I shouldn’t have called you. I should have come with just Oakley. Because hey, now if we find some rare material, the money wouldn’t have to be split with you ungrateful swine. I should have thought of that.”

“You’re trying to bribe me by calling me an ungrateful swine? Good luck,” Timothy pouted.

“Shut up you two,” Oakley commanded, and all three of them fell silent.

Largely because, of course, Stapes had begun barking loudly.