This walk was taking way longer than it should. Colin is definitely slowing me down. It's been at least 25 minutes. I think. It feels like my perception of time is frozen. Being here with Colin is somewhat draining. But on the contrary, I feel slightly joyous that I am facing one of my greatest pains.
"What do you even do out here?" Colin looked around, amazed.
I'm taken by surprise, "Um, nothing really. I just kind of walk around, and listen to the sounds of nature. It's pretty soothing."
No one has even asked me about that before. People usually say something like, "Get out of the woods. You'll get kidnapped, raped, murdered..." You can fill in the blank with basically anything. It's agitating, yet I've gotten used to it all by now. My ventures out to the woods started when I was maybe 10 years old.
When I was 10, there was a forest behind the house I lived in. There was no fence or wall to block us from the wilderness. My dad would always warn me about going back in the yard.
He'd tell me, "What ever happens back there, I can't control. You have to promise me you'll stay out of there so that I can keep you safe."
I would endlessly respond to him, "I promise, Daddy. I'll never go back there."
He'd smile and we'd go into the kitchen to cook dinner together. My mom would play with my sister and brothers and we were a happy family. That's what I thought at least.
The worst day of my life happened when I was 10. One day, it all just came collapsing down. My life was ruined, and I felt that the woods was the only place that could comfort me. So I crept out of the house and went exploring.
"What makes you hate people so much?" Colin asks, breaking my train of thought.
"I just don't like how harsh and cruel people can be."
A smile creeps up on Colin's face, "Seems kind of ironic if you ask me."
"Shut up," I can't help but let out a laugh.
YOU ARE READING
the girl called mystery
Misteri / Thriller"I've been referred to as Mystery for so long that I barely even remember my own name."
