“Why are you silent?” the pretty elf asked him once again.

“Joe” –Still he stood dumb.

The pretty elf with her musical laugh started to melt into the thin air and moved away with the perfume of the blossoming flowers.

The vehicle screeched and came to a halt. Jerked by the sudden jolt, Joe woke up. The driver had applied the brakes to avoid hitting a deer that crossed the path. Everyone looked out of the window. They could watch a herd of deer grazing on the slopes. Some of the picnickers got down and took photographs of the grazing deer. The trees on either side of the path on the slopes were abloom with colorful flowers.

With a cheer, the children climbed down the vehicle, and started to run along the stretch of space. Every one brought out their picnic basket and started to look for a clearing where they can sit and eat. After eating and relaxing for a while, they decided to continue their trip.

Suddenly they heard a shattering sound that echoed and re-echoed from all around. Joe saw tongues of flame leap with the air, and smoke billowing up in the air. Joe took out his pair of binoculars and looked ahead. He saw a plane had crashed. He could hear the cries of people shouting for help.