Willa Mansi

Moving On

I really don't know how long I sat there, trying food. I was full though. I smiled to myself. That was enough.

With some Cheezits, Cheerios, two jars of peanut butter, a couple of sardine cans and a can of corn in my bag, I left the gas station.

I still had no idea where I was going. I only knew that life had to be better Out There.

One foot after another, I walked for miles. Back at the gas station, I had wrapped my toe with band-aids and it felt better. It was still irritated by the long walk, but the pain was bearable. I took the bottle of ibuprofen from my jacket pocket and put two pills in my mouth. I took three swallows of water from my water bottle. I shook my head. God! I missed soda.

I walked on.

Ahead was a city. I could see the outlines of the buildings. It would be dark when I arrived. I wondered about what it was going to be like. Where in the hell was I? WHO in the hell was I? I was asleep for a long time, but how long? But the one question I wanted answered the most was....how?

I hadn't crawled out of a hyperbaric chamber. It was just a bed. I was in a regular house. What means had kept me alive for so long?

I rubbed my forehead, it was making me have a headache.

I was tired. I had walked a long way. I may have been sleepy, but I didn't want to lay down again. What if I never woke up again?

I pushed on. I had to keep moving. If I stopped to rest, I would probably fall asleep.