Dungeons & Disappointment

Chapter 5: Foliage Fantasia

"SCRREEEEEEE!!!"

The screeches of crickets and the chirping of other insects that I couldn't just yet identify hit me as I finally recovered from the horrific poisonous berries. As I woke up, staring up at a nighttime sky, I felt a racking pain throughout my body, feeling like all of the nerves in my body were getting pricked by little pins all over. I took in a deep breath, subsiding some of the pain, and I sat up, looking around just to make sure that I was safe. So far, and thankfully, the forest was still quiet, even at night, and it was lit up slightly by the moon and the few lightning bugs that cast their small lights over the surrounding plants. I looked over at the tree trunk, staring at the grapes, and shook my head.

"Goddammit, I should've known they'd probably be poisonous," I said, wiping drool off my face as I looked around the forest. "Fucking stupid."

I sat up, then stood up, and, for the first time, I felt that my throat was completely parched. And I don't mean like 30 minutes without water parched, because this felt like I hadn't drank any water for the last day. I swallowed, trying to get any moisture in my throat, but, to my panic, it felt as though there was a sharp thorn of dryness in my throat.

"Oh, my god," I said, rubbing my jugular as I was trying to get over the pain in my body. "I gotta get some water."

I started walking around again, searching for any sign of water, but, for the time being, there was still no water, and I was starting to feel a little bit lightheaded. The start of dehydration.

"Oh, not good," I said.

I rubbed my temples, trying to get back on track, and thankfully, it seemed to work for the time being as I refocused. I had limited time to find water at this point, and boy, I didn't want to find out what would happen if I didn't. I carried forth, foraging my way through the forest, and, after about an hour of walking, I finally saw something worthwhile up ahead. There was a small stream that was babbling through the woods, and I stood still, staring at the small creek with wonder in my eyes.

"Oh, my god," I said, my mouth trying to moisten. "WATER!!"

I shuffled my way over to the stream, pushing and slapping through the foliage that was in my way, and finally, I made my way up to the creek just as my head got more and more lightheaded. I dropped to my knees, then stuck my hands into the water, cupping them together and drawing water from the stream. The moment the water hit my cracked, dry lips, I felt a massive influx of relief, and I sat back as it coursed down my throat, hitting my empty stomach like a lead stream.

"Oh man," I said, looking up at the sky as I reveled in the feeling of the water. "Oh my god that is so fucking good."

I laughed, then took in more of the water, cupping my hands and drinking over and over again, almost feeling like I was going to drink in the entire stream of water. However, after about a full three minutes of drinking the water, I sat back on the rocks, letting the water flow over my nose as I basked in the nighttime air of the forest. Everything in me began to feel better as the water was coursing through my veins, and I felt my mind begin to clear up, losing all of the lightheadedness that was plaguing me beforehand.

"Alright, what's next?"

I looked around the forest, still trying to see if there was anything around me, but suddenly, out of nowhere, a loud sound erupted and echoed through the forest.

EEEAAAAAARRRUUUUUUU!!!!!

I shot up into a sitting position, and I wildly looked around, trying to seek out the cause of the noise, and, out of a line of bushes, there came an awful creature, stomping out through the bushes and towards the stream. It was hunched over, maybe only five or so feet tall, and the thing was covered in natural red armor all over its body. The thing had no eyes, or arms, only two stumpy little legs that held up its frame. However, the weirdest thing about this thing was that its mouth was separated into six parts, and all of the flaps extended in front of the awful creature like they were feeling the air for anything of importance. It trudged forward as my breath hitched in my lungs, but for the time being, the thing seemed to not notice me, and I was thankful for that.