Viscious 2: Cult of Kellan

"Granny"

           The sun comes over the horizon, and I can probably count on one hand the times I have closed my eyes. I did it! I survived the night. For a woman who is lost in a strange environment and can't walk, I'm going to take the win. It was well earned, and the night was definitely full of scares and nerves. I nearly shit myself when I found myself staring into the face of a curious racoon. My heart got an extra workout when a deer came near enough to snap twigs. I could have sworn the ignorant duo had come for me, but it was only Bambi.

          The rising sun is accompanied by my rising appetite. I am seriously starving, and I am going to need strength to get out of here. I have been separated from Dallas probably two days now, I figure. A lot can happen medically in forty eight hours, and I am scared to leave his medical decisions in the hands of others. Right now his mother is probably soaking up all the attention she can, and has probably pulled herself a throne up to his bedside where she can rule with her iron fist.

          The thought stirs a fire in my chest, and I decide that if I get out of here that maybe I should return the favor and put a hit on them. How ironic would that be? This was a hit, I think. It had to be something of that sort. How does one even find a murderer for hire? Better yet, how does one find food in the woods without the ability to run or really walk? I'm likely to become too weak to get out of here and get to help if I'm starving. Meat is definitely out of the question, so I will have to find plants or berries.

            I complain to myself as I crawl out of the thicket and to the stream. I can support myself on my knees this morning, but the damaged leg still can't take as much weight. I ignore it however by putting more weight onto the half leg that isn't injured. I would kill to have my prosthetic right now, and I hate myself that I had to be so hasty. I could have perhaps composed a different approach with a better opportunity and managed to escape with my prosthetic. I also could've screwed around and ended up wasting this opportunity that I am exploring now. At least I am free-ish now. This is a better alternative than still being bound in that house, waiting for who knows what.

           The water is ice cold, due to the chilly night and the absence of sun this morning. I shudder as I drink and I watch a few minows float by. I snatch at one, catching it's slimy tail and it glides through my fingers. Disgusting. I might as well have snatched a live booger. I wipe my hands in the grass and wrinkle my nose. I know that beggars cannot be choosers, but even had I held onto that thing I have no way to cook it. I'm not eating it raw or whole, and I'm not famished enough to attempt it. That can be my hail Mary for when I've got one foot on a banana peel and the other on my grave.

         With that in mind, I stay along the stream as I move farther out in search of berries mostly. I'm not certain I can identify anything else edible. I just know berries, poke and yellow dandelions off the top of my head. Poke I could not eat without cooking, and is likely out of season if berries are budding. Dandelions might be unlikely too. Shit. What else is edible? I dig deep into useless recesses of my brain in hopes of recalling some of the odd things my grandpa always boasted were edible. Pawpaws and persimmons are edibles, but also found in trees. Unless I could shake them down, or fund them on the ground they might be too tough to get to. I'm certain climbing right now would go great for me.

           "Mercy!" I exclaim too loudly as a wolf spider runs out in front of me. I cringe and shiver in disgust as it skitters off, fat body bouncing as it long, fleshy legs pump hard to avoid me. I feel the same, and my warped little limbs scurry fast away from it as I continue my search.  

            The stream is deeper out this way, but still shallow and clear enough for me to watch schools of bluegill and minows play. Crawdads and water spiders can be seen occasionally, as well as a few water snakes that slither along beneath the minnows. The sight of snakes makes me hyper aware of their existence, and I second guess everywhere that I place my hands out of fear that one might pop up at me.