A short chapter.

A walk through the dark.

It’s only when the forest is drenched in the darkness of the cold night do we realize that the creatures that looked so beautiful and fascinating during the daylight, are nothing but hungry, slithering predators, waiting for the right moment to pounce and take what is theirs. Is your life theirs? Maybe not from a human perspective. But then what are you doing in their territory?
     That is what happens most of the time, you walk into the unknown, oblivious to the dangers lurking beneath the thick layer of leaves or the wide trunks of tall trees.
       Maybe it was just a field trip. You wanted to try something new. Or maybe you were out for the hunt. So which one of those deserves to die?
     None of them but it’s not in their hands. It almost always depends on the place, the timings the situations, and the surrounding lives they live in.
      The morning is beautiful in a forest. The breeze carries the luscious scene of green trees and wood. Twirling between the barks and branches, walking up everyone in its wake. Preys and predators alike. Bees and flowers alike. You and nature alike.
       The walk on the leaves is a dream come true, especially when there is a path ahead, your well-wishes behind you, a backpack full of what you need on your shoulder, a cap to cover your head, clothes to protect you from scratches and mediscines to keep away the insects. Maybe even your pet dog with you. There is chatter as you set out to discover nature, clicking pictures, smelling flowers, touching the shy leaves, and just living in the moment. The birds chirping are nothing but just a realization of how vast and huge this territory is, but you are not worried because you have enough time. To reach the other side. You have the road. The map. The company. And the fuel. You have time, you think, so you take your time.
        What is on the other side? Something you have always been wanting, something you have been dreaming about. That is what it is, the ultimate happiness for you. You know this beautiful forest is the only way there and you couldn’t be happier.
       The sun slowly reaches its magic hour. Each beam of light showers through the leaves onto the ground, making it a surface of molten gold. Each ray highlights a million particles as if glitter.
        This is what you love doing. You love being in the life around you. You love admiring nature. You love straining your body and giving your mind and heart the thrill and peace it deserves. You love all of it. You love when you have to sit under a tree’s shade to eat your food. You love to chat with your companions who share their food with you. You love the cold water as it travels down your throat and refreshes you.
        But what fills you with doubt are also the things present around you. maybe it’s the sudden burst of wind or the frantic chirping of a flock of birds. An unnerving growl from your dog. It can also be the anxious look in everyone else’s eyes as they look around and tighten their grip sound their belongings. They pack things up and suddenly are on their toes. Explaining how you have to be quick. They are using you as a guide. To reach the end and you know it is your responsibility to keep yourself safe so you get up, tighten the leash around your hand and move ahead in the now scorching heat.
       When did it get so hot?
        There is a murmur of discomfort from behind you and you watch as one of the companions turns around to leave. You try to stop them but they are adamant. They just have to leave. They can’t take it anymore. And once they are gone, a seed of insecurity is planted within your heart. Maybe you should have gotten some more cold water or a fan.
       Your dog can sense your mood. It stops and rubs its head onto your thigh, you too stop and caress it gently. Thanking it for its kindness and for always being there with you. it is your family and has been for as long as you could remember. You hear scoffs and voices expressing their discomfort so you keep going deeper and deeper. The heat is burning through your skin and making you hazy and you suddenly start disliking the discomfort. You are averse to the idea that you have to keep walking in this condition, so you slow down. When you glance over your shoulder, there are only a couple of companions left. You get to know that they were too frustrated with your slow speed. So they chose to take another route. Did they know a different route?
       The ones remaining shake their heads. They weren’t too confident. So you just look ahead and keep walking. You are hungry again. You need to rest again. So you stop. But this time, there is an urgency in the air. The sun was lower, no longer serving as a crown to the jungle but as someone who peeked into the depth and brought warning of what lay ahead. Your dog sat beside you and you gently run your fingers through its golden fur glimmering in the golden hour. It gives you peace, more than anyone else can. You look into the pet’s eyes and you see the same diamonds twinkling with the same energy you had when you started, so you get up, with the goal still persistent in mind and the two companions share a smile, passing a couple of encouraging words. Their smile shrinks when the sun sets a little more and they ask you to keep moving and remind you of your collective goal. Their goal.