The Huntsman

Chapter 2 - Divine Providence

I was done.

Stumbling with fatigue I caught myself up against a tree. I had escaped, but I wasn't going to make it any further. Closing my eyes, I whispered out brokenly, "Please God. Please I...... I...."

I shook my head and opened my eyes as I tried to express how I wanted to live, but had nothing more to give. A bright color out of place in the snowy forest caught my eyes.

It was a truck! Not an army truck, but a regular, extended cab truck. It was a bright blue, but it was covered with leaf debris and a fallen branch lay over the back bed of the truck denting in both side panels. It looked like someone had just left it there and it had sat out in the elements for a long time.

Cautiously I approached the truck. Peering into the bed of the truck I saw that it was filled about halfway with split wood that had weathered on the inner faces. This truck had been here since the EMP attack that had fried all the computer modules on modern vehicles.

I went to the driver door and opened the latch. It moved and with a tug the door came open. The interior of the truck looked like it had never seen a hard day's use ever. I opened the back door and saw several items laying on the seat. One of them was a wool blanket.

I looked around, but saw nothing as the falling snow covered everything with an ever-increasing layer of white powder. Looking heavenward, I felt tears come to my eyes. Words failed me and truly it didn't seem that they were needed.

I crawled up into the backseat and shut the door. Even though there was no heat, I felt warmer. The interior of the truck still smelled new. It was a good smell. It had been a long time since I had smelled something good.

I wrapped the wool blanket around me and began looking into what else the truck had in it. My hand came out of a box on the floor holding an energy bar. I stared at it in my hand for a long moment and then with as much reserve as I could muster, I opened the wrapper and had my first bite of real food in two and a half years.

Tears flowed down my face as the flavor of the bar exploded in my mouth and reminded me of how life had once been when a bar like this would have been nothing but a snack to me, but now served as the finest of all dinners. Truly the experience of life was a matter of perspectives.

I ate the bar and though I wanted to eat more I made myself wait. I continued looking and found a pair of hiking shoes, a pair of blue jeans, several T-shirts and a heavy over-shirt. I found more food bars and two bottles of water. I swigged down one bottle of water on the spot and felt the betterment of it almost immediately.

I had everything I needed within this truck. The only thing that felt out of place was me or better put the smell of me. The clothes would be baggy on me but they would work and I made the decision with sudden energy that not only was I escaping from my captors this day, but also from my smell.

I opened the door of the truck and got down. The snow had let up and sudden afternoon sunshine lit up the glenn I was in. The sight of the sun sparkling through the snow was beautiful to behold and for the first time in a long time I took in the wonder of creation.

The strength of the sun's rays against my cheek emboldened me and I started stripping off everything I had on. I let the soiled and tattered garments fall to the snow and taking a step I got on top of them and leaned down and undid the binding cloth that was all that held my shoes together. I felt worn out all over again from just the act of undressing.

Finally, my feet were free and I threw the repulsive worn out shoes far from me. Straightening I stood up and breathed in. It was an odd moment as I hadn't seen myself unclothed in almost 2 years.