Hidden Identity

Chapter Two

"Ugh, my back is sore."

Kira woke up from her first night in the woods. She was woken up three times by the animals outside, and once when she thought she heard voices. Due to these interruptions, she slept fitfully, and was aching all over.

"Well, day one out of the apartment." She whispered to herself. "The food I have will last me for about twelve days, a bit longer if I ration it out. I need to focus on finding a source of water near here."

Kira sat up and stretched. She changed out of her clothes from the day before, and folded them neatly in the corner, next to her box for food. She put on a light t-shirt, jeans, and a thick hoodie. She fitted on her sneakers and tucked her necklace down her shirt-front.

"Let's go."

Kira trekked through the woods for about fifteen minutes, away from the closest town. She found a pond created by beavers, so she tested the water.

It doesn't taste funny, she thought to herself. I'll just have to wait and see. 

She turned her back to the pond and pulled some brightly colored tape out of her jacket pocket. I need to mark my route.

And so, for the next hour, she strategically tied the tape to tree branches. They were far enough apart that it wasn't obvious, but close enough together that she could still find her way.

There, thought Kira as she tied the last strip of tape. Now I have a path.

She glanced into her pocket. There were four more strips left. I'll  save them. They might come in handy later.

Kira glanced around at the area around her hideaway. The shack she was staying in was about 10 by 12 feet, and was in a 20 by 20 foot clearing. The woods around were thick, so no one could easily find the shed, and the clearing was covered in bushes and tall grass.

I wonder if I could use these grasses somehow.

Kira spent the next two hours examining and selecting grass and branches, and another hour sorting them. By then, it was nearly middday. She spent the rest of day one weaving all sorts of baskets and ropes for her to use, all the way till nightfall.

I guess it's time to go to bed, thought Kira. She finished her last basket and placed it next to her clothes. She laid her hoodie on top of it and curled up between the blankets on the floor.

So, day one's over. I harvested grass and made a bunch of rope and baskets. I found a water source and marked a path. Today's been a good day.

But what Kira didn't realize was that she had just made a big mistake.