Running Wild

Running Wild - Chapter 1

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“Mum!” I called, praying she would be able to hear me over the ferocious wails of the wind. “Mum!” I screamed again; still with no reply. I sprinted out further into the thick woods. Surely if she was going to go and feed the wolves in this weather she would have told me...

As the jet black clouds approached and thunder and lightning filled the atmosphere I was running out of time. Determined not to give up hope, 'Mum!' I cried again using all the possible volume I could summon.

“Leila!” Came the muffled call of my mother from inside.

“Mum!” I screamed again purely out of desperation.

As I ran back towards the house through the thick woods lightning flashed violently before my eyes, rapidly followed by a deafening roar of thunder that nearly knocked me off my feet.

The piercing sound of my mother screaming combined with the rumbling of the thunder above filled my ears. I dodged and weaved as fast as I could through the trees of the thick woods trying to make my way home to my crying mother. I hoped and prayed everything would be all right. Then suddenly, on top of all the surrounding noises, I heard the dreaded creak of a falling tree. Just when I felt like I'd been running for an eternity I arrived home. Only to find I was too late.

The indescribable sound of the impact when the hundred year old redwood hit my home flooded me with emotions. Then, when it seemed things couldn't get any worse, the screaming stopped.

~~~

I gasped suddenly in realization of what had just happened. As I ran towards the house I was preparing myself only for the worst. All the things my mum had taught me on first aid seemed so insignificant now. If only she prepared me for something like this.

I checked every room of the two story house screaming my mother’s name every two seconds until finally I got stopped in my tracks. The corner of the house where the tree hit was the only place I hadn't looked for my mother.

I was just about to give up hope when I heard I faint moan coming from upstairs. I ran as fast as I possibly could through the ruined stairway and started to approach the main wreckage.

I felt vomit form in my throat at the sight of my mother’s mangled body. Once again I was too late, but I couldn't give up hope. What would my mum think if I didn't even try? ‘She could just be unconscious,’ I thought in a pitiful attempt to reassure myself.

Her body was crushed underneath a solid branch that was connected to the main trunk.

My mind went blank.

I couldn't think of one way to aid my helpless mother. Then, even if I did, it would be too late.

So I did the only thing I could physically manage; cry.

~~~

I wept for hours at the sight of my mothers’ broken body. Her long slender limbs were twisted into unnatural positions. Her beautiful golden brown hair was tangled through her surroundings and the blood... As I wept all I could think was how this wonderful woman, the one and only person I have truly ever known, had just been taken from me. She had raised me for all 16 years of my life single handedly in the most isolated place I'm sure she had ever known.

She was more than just my mother she was my everything, and to have that taken away from me... Well I felt... Empty. As if my something just left me and I knew it was never going to come back. That's when I heard the howling of the wolves. At that moment some form of hope ran through my veins. I had something to live for.