Forest Lost in Time.

A Forest Lost in Time.

I never thought, a lost soul like me, would end up here far from home; a place that seemed to have never been touched by man. A place so far away, from human life. This place is so green and full of trees grass as far as I could see, miles maybe, but only one path. How strange it is, only one way a mushy dirt path lays before me wet from rain that seemingly just happened; but how can that be? That's a mystery for it never rains from where I come from. Well that doesn't matter anymore, I move forward never to look back. I walk at a snails pace taking in the fresh crackling air, I let the breeze of this forest blow through my hair, it's peaceful here no worries, no stress and no anger. All of it gone like yesterday, this is all I've ever wanted yet I never got, until now.

I take a look around listening to the beautifully orchestrated melody of the forest around me, who am I to stumble across this place, how lucky I am. I wouldn't trade it for the world. Then a strange crack of branches in the distance far behind me, not loud enough to echo, but close enough to hear. I looked back in fear, nothing not even a chirp or whistling of the wind. Just a murderous silence. Without a second thought I ran forward deeper and deeper into the forest, who would do that, run further into unknown territory; how could I have known. The green land started to fade, only mud dirt and dead grass were all I could see. I stopped for a moment, seeing how different things were. The trees are so old now decayed and forgotten, the green leaves now brown and yellow, the sun did not reach this place, only the clouds of the sad sky. Who made this side of the forest rotten? It almost brings a tear to my eye. I walk further until the muddy path becomes stone. Stone? I wonder who makes roads out of stone anymore, not concrete, not brick but stone. As I walk further all I can hear is the isolated footsteps of my shoes. Like an old clock on the wall of a room "tick" "tock". This made me nervous, stressed, and afraid. There are many trees hunched over the path before me, and I have no thoughts just to go forward that is the only way.

As I venture a little further the trees scratch and hit me, the wind I think, but no there is no wind. So I run past the angry trees until I see the path end onto another. A bridge in the distance and a flowing stream of water clear as the blue sky. I tiredly go forward, hoping that the water is clean, for I thirst like I haven't ever before. Approaching the bridge so creaky old and unstable, as I put one foot on and the other the bridge slowly tears, and weeps as I cross it. I glance to the right of the bridge, a tree knocked over by something, I stop for a moment thinking to myself, imagine being gifted life to become such a grand tree just to get knocked over, and left to rot and have critters all shape and sizes lay in your stomach forever. That I could not bear how unfair. As I cross over the bridge breaks, and shatters it comes crashing down barely missing me. I catch my breath, what a relief how lucky of me. The sound of flowing water lures me, as I fall to my knees taking in the fresh air the sweet smell of the forest's aroma, I can't describe it but I know it in my heart. I stare into the water cupping some of it into my hand drinking as if I have never drank before.

I gazed deep into the stream seeing my reflection of how tired I looked and drained, have I been here that long? Why do I seem so dull? That I'll never know. I remove my muddy shoes and leave them behind, forward I must go this narrow path; I must go for if I don't I'll end up just like the tree. Seemingly traveling for hours seemed like days my feet blister, and cut from the dirt rocky road. My tears dried up long ago for this path is all I know, I must break away somehow. I don't want to go back to a life that never wanted me, and that life I never wanted. However, the way the path is proceeding I would probably rather be back in that life, but there is no looking back. Forward is the only way this path, no matter how much pain it's putting me through, I know somewhere is better than nowhere.

It's cold now the path has weakened and my feet frozen in place, will it ever get better will I ever see another sunrise? The forest grows older, rotten, and darker its frost bite land is bringing me to my knees. Chilling winds hurt my face my hands grow stiff, the same as my feet. I've come to realize now there is no hope. The path ends before me, there at the end a elden tree with two arrows engraved in the bark. One arrow pointed left, the other right; the left arrow blue, and the right yellow. I've never seen this before it's always been the one, what kind of game was this I thought? Two paths lay before me, how do I proceed from here? I suppose this is what my journey has come to. Can I ever decide now? Now that I have a choice, I looked down the right as far as I could see, I even place my toe onto the path. There beyond a green grass covered hill the trees I had seen before, when I first arrived here. I shouted with all my might, with anger; I stomped the ground with my foot crying until my voice left me. Do I not deserve a way out, or should I lay here and die? I looked to the sky, do I not matter? I wiped the tears from my face. Then I look back, the path in to my left. It was foggy I could not see past four feet from the walkway. I couldn't speak, just think. I wondered in that moment I've not ever seen such a path. Could I choose this one and be given a new way. I took a deep breath here this path before me, one that I have never seen. Could I truly take this one? This has to be a way out. All I ever knew before was sadness, regret, anger, and the past. I came here looking for a way out; instead ended up where I started, before me a new path. Wherever it takes me, whatever I find, I know it's better than this forest lost in time....