Green Eyes - Chapter 1

My fingertips brushed against the white, the delicate shards of ice crumbling and melting at the touch of my warm skin. Within moments, the pattern of the snowflake was gone, just a droplet of water on my hands. Mesmerized, I ran my hands through the loose snow, watching those fragile flakes disintegrating instantly. Minutes, hours, years could have passed as I stood, staring intently at the tiny specks of snow on my hands. The forest was still, quiet in the early morning. I brushed my hands off, and put my leather gloves back on. Adjusting my backpack, I took one last look at where I had camped for the night. The snow had covered the remains of my stay, and I had slept under a small shelf of rock, sheltered from the snow and wind. There was barely any trace of my stay. I smiled to myself and turned away, trudging deeper into the forest. I did not look back. The sun slowly rose, grey light filling the valley. I walked for hours, stopping only to fill my water bottle at the rare stream I saw. The sun hid behind a thick wall of dark clouds that threatened to open on me at any time. I knew they would, a storm was coming and it wouldn’t be pretty. I just hoped I would have sufficient shelter when it did. As the day dragged on, the tension grew as I waited for the storm. There were rocks and boulders that I passed, but none that I would be able to fit under. It was nearly nightfall when I felt the first droplets of rain on my face, and the forest was darkening quickly. As was the clouds above me. I scoured the hillside, looking for any sign of a cave, a big rock in which I could hide under. But there was nothing, only a few small boulders planted firmly in the ground. I sighed exasperatedly. Within only a few short minutes the small droplets of rain would turn into an intense rainstorm. Even with my thick coat, I wouldn’t last long. The rain would soak me completely, and I’d be wet for days, out here with nowhere to go.
I sat down and bit my lip, holding back the tears that I knew would never end. The darkness crept up on me slowly, and the rain got heavier and faster and I got colder and sadder and more and more exhausted. After a few minutes I stood up. I knew I had to do something; I had to save myself, before the storm took all of my energy. Looking around, I chose a tree only a few meters away. It was big, the biggest tree I could see in the forest. The trunk was as wide as I was tall, and stretched up forever. The first of the branches were halfway up, still at least 50m. I put my hands on the thick bark, which had cracked with age. Taking a deep breath, I put one foot on the tree and pulled myself up slowly. I paused, expecting the bark to break off or my hands to slip, but nothing happened. I pulled myself up another step, and another, until I was nearly at the branches. I glanced down quickly, and my pace quickened. It seemed a lot further from up here than it did from the ground. The snow had melted, but there were still patches of white dotted over the valley. The rain hadn’t eased.
I kept climbing, and soon the branches were big enough to hold. I stopped for a break and sat down on one. Just above me was what I had been climbing for; my sleep for the night. All the main branches came together here, and there was a platform just big enough for one to sleep on. The branches and leaves covered it, more thickly than the ground, meaning I would stay at least a little dry. It was perfect. The forest had just begun to sink into the depths of nightfall, and the rain was bucketing down. In my little nook in the tree, I stayed surprisingly dry. I snuggled into my thin coat and closed my eyes, listening to the sound of rain lashing against the trees.



I woke to the sound of nothing. It was eerily quiet; the rain had ended and silence filled the forest. I let the silence fill me, too. I lay, looking up at the canopy of dark leaves and black, black sky, without a sound. I breathed small, quiet breaths, waiting for the first sound. It was as if I was swimming in a sea of silence; it surrounded me and rushed into my ears until even my mind was silent, empty. Peaceful.
I took a deep breath and looked around as the sun slowly filled the forest. Surprisingly, the clouds had disappeared, and I could see the dark grey beginnings of a clear sky. I packed away my gear and climbed down the tree quietly but quickly. The birds had started singing, their sweet voices bidding good morning to the world. Their music followed me as I started walking, in the same direction as yesterday. And the day before.



I’ve been walking for 3 days now. I’ve barely eaten; the meager supplies I brought with me had run out quickly. I knew that water would soon be insufficient; I needed food. The forest had minimal wildlife, only birds and insects in these cold winter months. The streams I had crossed were far too small for fish, and even so I would have no idea how to catch one. My only hope was to follow my initial plan, walk through the forest until I found the farmers that had crops and orchards and big storerooms of supplies that would feed me forever. Just the thought of it made my stomach groan, and I quickened my pace. If I kept up a reasonable pace, I should be there by nightfall tonight. There was also the fear that I’d kept in the back of my mind, because I knew if I thought too much it would ruin me. But there would always, always be the searching; I will always be on the run. I can never be safe.