Shroud [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

The compass needle moved about randomly as Levi hiked through the forest, manoeuvred around the dense tree line.

He'd been at it for a few hours already, and according to the compass, it had been in the direction of north. He wasn't sure why he was going north; he hadn't received any information from the old man about where exactly in Finland Viseli was other than 'in the forest'.

But he assumed it was better north or nothing.

To his right, he spotted a river through the trees. An idea popped into his head and he decided to follow the discipline of following the river to civilisation.

He stumbled over some of the rocks downhill before he reached the river bank. The sun had started to set, and Levi frowned. He assumed that he had more time to look for Viseli.

Levi stepped up onto a large stone in front of him and sat down. It sat in the middle of the river, quietly flowing with hardly a breeze in the wind. Levi removed his slouch bag and stuffed his hand deep inside. He pulled out a torch and a McDonalds bag.

He flicked the switch on and placed the torch between his teeth while he opened the McDonalds paper bag. He pulled out his Big Mac and placed the torch beside him. He ate the cold burger as he watched the sunset.

Where he sat was incredibly beautiful. The water was so clear that the reflection of the trees shone brightly and glimmered in a haze of orange and dark blue. He even saw the reflection of a deer which drank on the opposite side.

It was peaceful, and Levi exhaled. The deer's ear twitched and it lifted his head in alarm. Levi stared at the animal and it stared back intently. He felt a feeling rumble inside and the animal bounded away.

"Ah," Levi breathed as he withdrew his hand. Even the animals could sense the monster within him, the dangerous side of him. He stared sadly at his half eaten burger; his appetite for the greasy meal suddenly revolted him.

He threw the greasy burger onto the river bank and stood up on the stone. He felt a sickness rumble within him and he jumped back onto the river bank towards the trees. He gripped the nearest tree; the bubbling feeling inside of his stomach flowed like a wave.

He slung his head downward and he vomited behind the tree. He coughed and wiped his mouth once he was finished and groaned.

No more McDonalds for him for a while.

Levi spat out the left overs in his mouth before he walked back to the river. He collapsed onto his hands and knees, and dipped his head into the still water.

The ice cold water entered his mouth in a rush, and Levi stuck his finger inside and washed his teeth. He gasped as he lifted his head out; his hair clung tightly to his face as water dripped down his neck.

With his elbow, he dried his face off and stood back up. He grabbed the torch and stuffed the McDonalds bag into the slouch bag on the stone, before he heard a growl behind him.

Levi turned around slowly, the items gripped tightly in his sweaty palms.

Behind him, on the riverbank stood a large brown bear. It lumbered forward, huffed as it walked towards the river.

Levi froze. He hadn't seen a bear this close before, only at the London Zoo. The girls he took there always mentioned the bears were cute. He had agreed with them.

But since it was the wild, his opinion of them had changed drastically.

Levi noticed the animal drink the water, disinterested with the prospect of a human a few metres away. He decided maybe to do the risky thing and get away.