Burlingham Forest.

Chapter 2

I was scared. I was only nine fingers of age. They hadn't taught us how to survive in the wilderness. I'd bet all the other students were at home enjoying time with their parents. Brothers. Sisters. And here I was. 

Why me? I'd ask myself. What did I do? 

I guess Mr. Valt was just an evil man. I felt the car come to a stop. Was it all over? Was this where I'd take my last breath? He'd banged the trunk before opening it vigorously. 

He opened the trunk and said "We're here!"

We were in the middle of a forest. The bag was still over my head so I couldn't see the slightest. He grabbed me and threw me out of the trunk slamming me to the ground. I bashed my head onto the cold hard dirt. As I slowly slipped into unconsciousness, I heard Mr. Valt speak the last two words I'd hear him speak for the rest of my life. 

"Good luck"

We couldn't have driven too far  I thought. 

Who knew how long I'd be there? Once, I had read a book on bears, but that was all I knew about the wild. I hadn't seen a bear in real life before, but I'm pretty sure they were real. Mrs. Learo told us bears were not real, and that they were extinct a long time ago. I searched around for anything that might have been of value for my unexpected stay in the forest. I'd seen construction of a house being made from metal rods and cement on the way to school. So I set off to find some twigs. I still had my book bag, with all it's contents. Scissors, glue, three pencils, a metal ruler, a dirty thermos, a pencil sharpener and a notebook. I managed to find a water bottle in there as well. It was cold and dark. I found a dry area, and lay my head on a nearby log. I was awaken by the sound of birds chirping. It was sunrise. I had no track of time, and so I tried to get some more sleep. I tossed and turned to find a better spot on the log. Each time I'd move, it'd get even more uncomfortable. After what seemed like five minutes, I got up and began my day. It was cold. Yesterday, I was kidnapped by Mr. Valt, our schools principal. I wrote in my notebook. He took me somewhere. I don't know where I am. I'm lost. I continued. Help me. I finished. As I started my day, I began to gather sticks and twigs. I set off into the forest to find the best of sticks. As I walked, and walked through the forest picking up sticks as I went by, I heard the trickling sound of water. I was thirsty. I set off into the direction of the water. As the sound grew bigger and bigger, I got even more excited. The day before I was taken, I never had any water. Anything to drink. I was parched. As I approached the water, I opened my book bag, searching for my thermos. As I opened it, the stench of mothers chicken noodle soup and mushy crackers filled the air. I dropped the container in utter disgust backing away from it immediately. As I coughed and chocked dramatically, I backed away even more. I couldn't handle the odor of that thermos. It smelled like, well, rotting chicken noodle soup! Plugging my nose, I walked over to the thermos and rinsed it in the river. To my surprise, it smelled better than one might think. I cupped my hands, and drank the water straight from the river. The water was freezing. Just about to the point of ice. I didn't complain. I drank the water till' I felt I didn't need anymore. I filled the thermos with some of the water, and set back off into the forest. As I walked over branches and sticks, I made my way back to the place I slept last night. This would be my camp. I had always wanted to go camping. We just couldn't afford all the ropes, and the tent, and the sleeping bags. As the sun grew stronger, I was glad the weather was finally improving. Even if it was by the slightest. I built a small hut with some mud and the sticks I'd gathered. I slept cold that night. I'd woke up with a growling stomach. The scent of mashed potatoes and green beans and rice filled the air. I had blacked out from hunger. I was day dreaming. 

"Stepheni" 

I heard vividly.

"Come closer.."

The voice said repeatedly.

The voice started screaming.

"You're not safe here! Run!".
"RUN!"

I woke up with a shock and ran in the direction I was facing. I ran through trees and over logs. I knelt down and started to cry.

"WHY ME?!"
"WHAT DID I DO?"
"GOD. PLEASE. I NEED A SIGN. ANSWER ME!"
"Please"

I snorted snot back into my nose.

"Please.."

I hadn't stayed out in the forest for long, but it was starting to change me. The way I thought. I had never turned to god before but I'd heard my mom pray before. I started walking back to the hut. On the way, I seen some wild berries and ate them immediately. Putting some in my pocket. My stomach growled some more. At this point, I'd turned to anything. I was starving. Leaves looked like lettuce. I was eating some leaves when I heard the sound of something I thought didn't even exist anymore. A bear. A frightening hostile bear. I heard the noise again. This time, louder. The sound grew louder and louder. And then, out of all the trees and bushes, there it was. A real life grizzly bear. It was big. I was scared. I felt very small. The bear turned it's head in my direction making eye contact. I was paralyzed. As  it slowly walked towards me, I snapped back into reality and walked backwards faster. The bear picked up it's pace and started charging towards me. Screaming, I ran as fast as I could, through thorns sticks and burrs stopping at nothing. I jumped over rocks and fallen trees. I had never ran this fast in my entire life. As I tripped over a root, I'd thought my life was over for sure. After going through all this trouble, I'd be mauled to death. As I watched the bear come closer, almost on top of me, I closed my eyes,


                                                                      and accepted my fate.

                                    

                               *This book is not yet finished, and will be continued soon*.

-Author.