The Forest

Chapter Five - Strange Dream

I woke up in a daze. Nothing felt right. My body felt weak. I was shaking. I was cold. My vision was blurred. I saw a figure. I lifted my head off the ground just to look. It was a woman. My mother? No. It can't be. My vision cleared the slightest bit. This woman was not my mother, but she was staring right at me.

When she saw me staring back at her she turned away and started walking in the opposite direction.

"Wait-" I tried to yell but my voice was weak. She continued to walk away. I could hardly see her but what I could see was long dark brown hair, similar to mine in color, flowing behind her just like her long flowing white dress. I just kept wondering how her dress was kept so white roaming around in a dirt-filled forest.

I dropped my head and left my body on the ground. I couldn't move. I needed help. I couldn't do this on my own. I lifted my head in her direction once more and I called for her. "Help! Help! Helllllp!" I could barely scream, my voice kept cracking. I dropped my head again but I was still looking in her direction as I saw her turn around to look at me. It looked like she felt pity. I saw her walking over as I closed my eyes.

In my sleep, I dreamt of my mother. I dreamt of her sitting in her favorite chair in the living room. Her medium length, caramel brown, frizzy hair draping in front of her somewhat aging face. She was unhealthily skinny, but yet so strong. Strong enough to bruise me, and choke me, and whatever ways she could use her strength to torture me. My mother stood up and walked toward me, but the closer she walked toward me the more her face changed, her hair changed and everything about her changed. She began to look like the woman I saw in the forest. The beautiful woman with long dark hair and a white dress. Her skin was flawless. She was tall and had a little bit more weight on her body than my mother. Her face was kind and caring. She was like an angel.

She came closer to me and held me and nursed me back to health. Suddenly my mothers house became the forest and suddenly the woman was gone. Suddenly, I was alone.

My eyes struggled to open from my sleep. I looked around half awake. The sun was setting and the woman was gone. Is that what it feels like to have a mother that loves you?

I stood up, suddenly feeling fine. Was it only just a dream? My eyes were now fully open and I took a deep breath. My stomach was still cramping just a little bit, but other than that I felt okay.

Then my head dropped in disappointment as I remembered; I was still lost. I started walking in a direction that could maybe, possibly lead me back to where I was before. I was now away from the river and could not hear it's water flowing. Why did I wander away from the river? Stupid! I was thirsty. I needed that river water to survive. I'm lost in the forest with no food, no water, and nobody. Nobody but my imagination.

As I wandered on, my thirst grew stronger, I wondered if I was getting anywhere near the river or just wandering farther away. There was something in the distance. A house? I kept on towards what looked like a house in the distance. As I approached, I saw that it was a cabin, seemingly abandoned. This place didn't look residential, as if no one knew it existed besides the person who made it and well, now I knew. There was no mailbox, no known address, nothing.

There was somewhat of a walkway that led up to the front door of the cabin. I stepped foot onto the walkway and eerily walked up to the front door. The door was dirty like it hadn't been cleaned in years. It was full of dust and dirt, even the window on the screen door looked smeared in mud.

I pulled open the screen door by the handle. I gulped as I put my hand on the handle of the actual door to the inside. I turned the handle and began to push.

It opened.