black hole sun

I. New Beginnings

     I was shivering the cold settling deep inside my bones, I hadn't brought a jacket only a thin cardigan. That was my first mistake when I had entered the dense forest that morning, I had though it would be a good opportunity to finally see the forest first hand. I had a drawstring backpack carrying my flashlight, a half gallon of water (that was well half empty at this point), a granola bar, Scooby-Doo gummies, and my wallet. My Motorola rendered useless besides playing music this deep in the forest. As I stood shivering in the evening as the sun began to set and the sight was breathtaking. My negativity told me I was lucky that at least the sky would be pretty before a mountain lion ate me tearing into me bit by bit. 

     I was deciding on whether the sun was north, east, west or south when I had set out in the morning. Maybe Hansel and Gretel were onto something when they dropped breadcrumbs, but I wouldn't waste my perfectly good Scooby snacks on the forest floor. I should've definitely used the granola bar. Running my hands through my (h/c) hair, frustration began to set in as every single path I had been in lead me to the same clearing. It could've been the 60th time that I'd landed here, it was as if I couldn't leave... This was my Groundhog Day. 

"Dammit!" I hiss as I drop to the ground and pull my knees close to my chest, desperation setting in longing for a warm shower and fluffy pajama bottoms. The grass was still damp from the morning dew that never seemed to dry in Forks, my eyes scanned the clearing as I sat deep in thought. "This is why I never exercise, this right here." I spoke to the trees... well myself but, maybe if I was speaking to the trees I'd feel less insane. "Exercise,' they said." I glance at a flower next to my hip, I breathe in deeply as the petals meet my finger tips, "'It'll be fun.' They say. Now I'm stuck in this stupidly green forest without an out." I mumble to myself, the flower dances in the breeze as the wind blows reminding me of the failed adventure. I lean back resting on my arms to think of possible ways to get out, "I can pick a direction and run...that'll make me look crazy for sure. I never thought I'd miss the random palm trees, until now."

     A calmness warmed me for a while as I sat in the clearing thinking of a way to escape the never-ending forest thinking of how it had been leading me to the same place in the dense forest. It felt as if the sun had came out, though as I looked up I could see the moon. Staring at the sky I could see the stars from the clearing, 'It definitely isn't Los Angeles.' I sigh removing a strap from my bag to take out the flashlight to prepare for a pointless and possibly dangerous run, hopefully back into civilization. Grabbing hold of the flashlight, I pull it out and put the strap back on as I move to stand, I hear something from the trees.

    Snap, a twig jolts me from my position on the ground, my legs barely keeping me from falling back onto the grass. My hands shoot up to point the flashlight at my stalker, nothing but plush  dewy green trees not yet covered in snow. As I look around the trees I hear another crack from the treeline, except whoever it was, they were behind me. Slowly turning around to the noise, I squint in the minimum lighting to find the source the predator to whom which I have became prey too. The shape of a creature is made from the shadows of the trees eyeing me from the distance either determining if I was a threat or a simple treat, I couldn't decipher what it was. My hands moved into a surrendering gesture, "I- I didn't mean to startle you." I cringe internally as I think about how stupid I sounded talking to an animal. Seeing the wolf's head tilt curiously as it finally made it into the light of my flashlight, for a brief moment I wondered if animals could understand us. "I'm sorry, I-I-I got lost? I can't read maps and I got it from the police department, its all weird and tourist-y annnnd... I'm talking to a wolf." As the wolf steps forward to reveal it massive size, a shiver runs through me loosening up my grip on the flashlight no sound comes from the fall. 'Oh gods, he's going to eat me.' My mind screams alarming my pulse as it quickened and my palms began to sweat, the wolf was bigger than anything I've ever seen. As my mind ran wild I couldn't help but be surprised with the patience the creature seemed to hold for me.