The Forest

Chapter 1~Awake

I'm in that moment when you're awake, but your eyes aren't open yet. I hear birds chirping, I must have left my window open last night. I can feel the cool summer breeze. I try to listen for my mom or younger brother. But nothing. As I try to remember my head starts to ache. Weird I thought. I never get headaches. I decide to open my eyes and get some breakfast.
What I saw shook me to my core. I was in a forest! How did I get here? Where is here? Could I find someone who will help me? Is this some sort of prank? My head raced with questions. It took me awhile but I began to calm down.
I looked around trying to see if there was any sign of human life. I saw trees, many types of trees, pine trees, oak trees, maple trees, birch trees, and more I couldn't identify. The ground was soft grass with some ferns, and other bushes scattered around. I could hear birds chirping, but I wasn't an expert and couldn't identify any of the sounds.
I did however, hear a woodpecker and followed the noise till I saw him. He was a beautiful bird. Long strong beak, the noise he made when he was pecking the wood was like a rythme.
Focus Loupin I said to myself. I continued to look around. As I was walking around I wasn't paying attention to the ground beneath me, and I stepped on something. I looked down and saw it was a knife. It seems kind of strange that I would find something so valuable to my survival here right when I get here.
I thought maybe someone else was here and they dropped it. Or maybe this was some kind of wilderness test to see if I can survive.
I decided to think of everything I know about forests. I know that I live in Canada, and there are wolves, black bears, brown bears, and more that would kill me in seconds if I messed with them. But then I thought, I might not even be in Canada. Since I don't remember how I got here, It could've been days of me lying there, or days of unconscious traveling.
OH MY GOSH! What if I was kidnapped! And this was some sort of sick game!
I tried to calm myself down again. It took a while but I convinced myself I was somewhere on Earth, and Mom set me up for a wilderness survival thing, and couldn't tell me. If I was in any real danger, they'd come and get me. I hope.
I picked up the knife and continued to think about what I know. I know that humans can survive for 3 days without water. Almost 3 weeks without food, and 3 minutes without oxygen.
I have oxygen, food I can hunt, or gather. But water will be tricky. I need to find a clean lake or pond where I can drink. And I need to set up shelter.
Ugh! I wish I listened to my dad when he was saying that stuff about surviving in the wild!
I thought harder about those times when we were camping. I needed to have a bed. If I sleep on the ground for more than a few nights, my kidneys will fail. And I know they're important. I started to gather some leaves, pine needles, and anything else to keep my body off the ground.
Once I had a pile about as wide and long as me and a foot high, I started to gather logs, dead branches and anything to cover me while I slept. It's summer but the nights could be bitter cold sometimes. I also remember my dad saying that the shelter shouldn't be too big, or else it's harder to maintain.
I finished building the makeshift shelter just as the sun started to set. I was starving and probably dehydrated, but I couldn't go anywhere now. It was too dark and the forest is 10x more dangerous at night.
As I lie on the bed I made, I think about what had happened today. I spent most of the day working, but I had really opened my eyes to the world around me.
I was now awake to the wild.