Chapter 1 - An easy trail
I look at the trees and I’m reminded of the stench from yesterday, the freezing nights I’ve not been able to sleep. Most hours my mind anticipates the hunger, I try to stay focused, but where am I going? What is the end result I’m looking for? The weight of what I carry burrows deep, at times it becomes unbearable as I navigate through these woods. When I stop to eat I almost want to give up... I throw the weight off me as if a demon gripped my body. I resist the temptation as I sit without my gear, no matter how seducing it might be. The sun cuts through what shade there is, I’m always drenched in my own sweat, never dry enough to avoid the itching heat. Amongst all this I notice something that makes me forget why I keep going, it crept into my thought as I passed it, I couldn’t ignore it any longer. A tree. A single, ominous, tree. How did this tree grow so different? It looks almost burnt, maybe even recently, it’s out of place. The grass is dead here and there’s that stench, Jesus, it’s worse than me. I sit here now examining the area. The tree bleeds, as I chip away the bark a dark red slowly trickles, it smells sweet but it tastes.. bitter.
“So, where is he?” Luke asked, he readjusted his pack as he stood behind Johnson. “I guess further north, I don’t know. This is pointless.” Johnson threw the diary to the ground, dirt flakes up as it hit. Johnson viewed the woods in front of him, he hesitated to suggest going further. The days were cruel but the nights were unforgiving, Luke was reaching a breaking point and Johnson couldn’t stomach anymore of what they had witnessed. The forest came to life as they neared, bark shivered upon each tree with each passing footstep, the stench made the trip near pointless to them.
“Look I know I said I’d stop complaining but” Luke had abruptly stopped speaking as Johnson raised his hand motioning him to be quiet. “Don’t. We’ve gone so far, we couldn’t quit now even if we wanted to.” Johnson said without looking back. Luke’s face saddened, he knew it was too late but refused to believe it. They continued to walk further north, the frigid air followed them making each mile worse.
Johnson saw a leaf fall with it’s hard structure slapping the ground, he remembered years back when nature had its lucious green look. The months would dictate the On coming beautiful autumn golden brown, then winter where they would lightly fall, and lastly summer, how he loved the summer nights. His thoughts dissipated as he felt a hard object fall on him, “Five years and that still hasn’t happened to me.” Luke laughed, “Lucky you.” Johnson said sarcastically.
The smell of oak was strong, Johnson gagged, “I never got used to that smell. Oh god, the tree is bleeding too.” The blood ran down his shirt spreading unnaturally. He shrugged the leaf off, “So what’s the plan anyways? By the time we find this guy then what?” Luke stepped lightly as he saw roots quivering around his feet. “We have a little, talk, with our new acquaintance.” Johnson spoke half to himself, Luke noticed the smile creeping across his face, he felt his stomach.
Silence ensued after that conversation, Luke felt unsure of Johnson’s true intent, it made him nervous. As they walked he kept glancing at Johnson, the silence only interrupted by the living forest. Branches undulated as they neared, flower spores stung at his nostrils as they scratched away at his skin, “You met the guy before right?” Luke asked, “Yeah, met him during the Inferno. Weird guy, didn’t think he’d be capable of causing this much havoc though.”
Johnson looked further ahead seeing dead vegetation, it bled with open wounds on the vines. Grass sputtered pus as they stepped upon it, tall strands lathered against their clothes, “The world has gone to shit in a short time.” Luke said as he avoided a reaching branch, “Yeha well, we still got to live with it, no sense in giving up now. You know what happens when you give up.” Johnson glanced back at Luke as he spoke, Luke’s shook his head, “Dont need to be reminded, I can go a day without thinking of it.”
