In the Wilderness.

Day one: I have been walking all day and still I can’t find the way out I'm losing light fast, I have retraced all my tracks and I think it’s safe to say I'm lost, I can’t see anything around me accept trees and forest land, I don’t know what animals lurk in these areas at night or what dangers lay ahead I'm trying to stay calm and not think about that stuff the light has now completely faded and I have now set up a little shelter and a fire for the night. I have some food left enough for about 2 days but that's all. I will get a good night seep and hopefully tomorrow I will find the way out.

Day two:  I didn’t get much sleep last night like I planned but enough so my head is clear; I woke up a couple of times during the night because of some strange noises and hunger. The sun is just starting to come up so I make an early start; I pack up all my gear and head off. I don’t know which way is which because my compass broke last night when I stood on it, I'm starting to get hungry but ignore my stomach I don’t know how long I'm going to be out here so I need to save what I have. I'm not an experienced hiker so I don’t have any fancy equipment just myself, the clothes on my back, some food and a sleeping bag. I have a map in my bag but the forest is half cut off and I have no idea were about I would be. I have now been walking for hours and still no sign of an exit just trees and bushes. It is about 3 o'clock and the sun is starting to fade. As I'm walking I hear a rustle in the bushes not too far away, I freeze not sure what's lurking behind the bushes when a huge brown bear come running towards me, I have never been so frightened in my life so I run as fast as I can when suddenly I fall over….

Day three: I open my eyes my vision is all distorted and blurry I feel a thumping in my head and notice I have hit my head on a rock, my hair is all dry and stiff from dried blood and a rock nearby has a blood stain on it. I get to my feet not knowing what has happen and then I realise I must have had an encounter with a bear, my bag is all shredded and my supplies I had saved were thrown out everywhere. As I'm standing I start to feel dizzy so I take a seat. I gather all my stuff and head to a higher spot somewhere bears can't get to me. When I reach high land I start to feel the winter chill so I start a fire. It’s now the third day out here all alone and I'm starting to feel it nearly all my food is gone, I have a headache, I'm cold and my whole body aches from sleeping on the rocky terrain. After I get a fire started I go searching for some food all I find is some wild berries, I don’t even consider whether they are poisonous or not. I feel a wet drop on my nose and look up at the sky which was once blue and clear but now black and murky. I know I don’t have much time before a storm hits so I run back to the campsite and much to my surprise I find an old tarp on the way, it's not in perfect condition but it’s better than nothing and will keep me sheltered and dry. I put the tarp up by 4 sticks and wait out the storm. I can hear rumbling and then it starts to pour. I try keep to stay awake so after the storm I can go searching but my body gives in.

Day four: I wake to the glare of the sunlight in my face, I waste no time and gather my stuff. By now I'm assuming my wife or friends have sent out a search party because I was supposed to be back 2 days go. My legs are weak and my vision isn't 100% but I can’t rest I need to get out of here, I come across a marking on a tree saying north with an arrow desperate I follow it knowing north will lead me out of here, I come across a familiar tree I saw on the way in its spikey and purple so there can’t be many of them about I get a bit excited but don’t get my hopes up. I start feeling extremely light headed due to not having water or much food for four days now my bodies telling me to stop but I won’t allow it, if I want to get out of here I have to keep pushing on. I come across a creek and run straight to it falling face first in, my lips are dry and crusted so the water is good I have never been so thirsty in my life. After having a drink I feel much better still not 100% but better than before. I have been yelling out every now and then hoping for someone to answer back but no one does. This place isn't very popular and is kind of isolated so not much people come here. I keep on pushing and things start to seem familiar, then to my surprise I see the exit I run as fast as I can, even though I could hardly walk all the pain has gone away. I come out of the forest but I don’t see my car I blink a couple of times and still don’t see it. Maybe I'm hallucinating or maybe this is another way. I see a dirt road dust in the air so a car must be close. I run up the dirt road to see a car I start screaming and yelling and finally they stop I run to the car and collapse. A guy hops out and helps me to my feet; he helps me into the car and gives me some food and water. We have now been driving on the dirt road for at least an hour and my eyes start to shut. The sun is down and stars are out…

Day five: My eyes flicker open hurt by the strong sun repelling in through the window, I hop up and to look out the window, I see houses and shops. The man informs me that we are in a town about 5 minutes away from mine. He talks to me about how there has been a search party out looking for me for days, I was right they just hadn't found me. The guy tells me to rest because the cut on my head is pretty bad he suggested that I go to my local hospital and get it looked at I agree. When we arrive they take me straight in, first I ring my wife and tell her how that I'm safe and were I am. I can hear her crying and I tell her not to worry, she hangs up the phone and heads here straight away I go into emergency to get my head stitched back up and when I come out I see my beautiful wife I run up and hug her it’s the best feeling in the world I'm home.

By Sarah McDougall.