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Chapter Eighteen

I woke up and was met with pitch black darkness.

Something rustling in the leaves below me had roused me awake.

I once again closed my eyes and tried to go to sleep again, knowing I would need it for the next day.

I heard a slight noise again.

I rolled over slowly and peered over the edge of my spot in the tree, searching the darkness with my eyes.

I studied the area below me seeing nothing.

I was about to lay back down but then my eye caught a movement in the darkness, the reflection of eyes then met with mine.

No way.

"Go away." I whisper-shouted.

I got a growl in response.

"Nope never mind." I whispered, retreating as I laid on my back once again.

No way am I going to have it out with whatever is down there.

Nope. I'll lay right here. Not trying to be a night snack for any type of creature right now.

I laid there until the sun come up slightly.

It felt like I had been waiting forever.

I could see now. Whatever is down there has been keeping me up for a while.

I once again peered over the edge and spotted a wolf drinking from the creek.

Great. A wolf. Exactly what I needed.

I waited in the tree until the wolf walked away.

I'd have to wait here longer to be sure he wasn't close.

I stood up carefully and put my body suit back on, then waited a while longer.

I decided to tear down what I made so I wouldn't leave a trail of any type for Lorenzo to find me by tracking.

I then took the vines I had used and began to braid them, trying to make something that I could wear to walk though the forest on my feet.

After about an hour and a half I made shoes that slightly resembled sandals but were a lot more rough looking.

I stood up to test them out and groaned as the left one fell apart.

I then repaired that one and tried it out again, grinning when it worked.

Yes! I had shoes now.

The sun was shining brightly now.

I removed myself from the tree now that I knew the wolf was long gone, and continued going straight enjoying how much better it felt that I now had shoes.

I walked and walked, not seeing any type of sign of anything really.

Just endless woods.

My stomach growled and churned, a burning ache collecting in the bottom of it.

I was so hungry.

I looked around for anything, but only trees were in sight.

I sighed and continued onwards sluggishly.

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The sun was setting, chill bumps erupted across my skin as a cold breeze enveloped my body.

My teeth began to chatter.

It was getting cold fast.

I needed to find somewhere to sleep for the night, and I needed to find it soon.

I kept my eye out as I continued trudging forward.

A large rock that jutted out from a bank caught my attention.

I quickly jogged forwards the rock, knowing I didn't have much time before it would be dark.

There was a hollowed out area high enough for me to sit up in. Definitely a good place to stay in for the night.

I gathered nearby branches quickly and set them up so that nothing could get inside and get me.

I pushed dirt to the bottom of them and molded it with my hands tightly against the bottom of the branches so that they would be rooted in their spot and stay in place.

I grabbed tree branches and placed them over the area afterwards, making it look natural as I threw leaves on top as well.

I climbed my numb body into the hole, lifting a branch on my way in and placing it back once I was inside.

Feeling began to come back as I rubbed my body, trying to gather body heat.

Inside was a nice relief compared to the chilly wind outside.

It doesn't help that I'm basically wearing a one piece bathing suit.

I mean it's not a bathing suit but might as well be. I hadn't planned on losing my bottoms in the lake.

There will probably be a storm tonight, and I was not prepared at all.

I gasped as I felt something crawl up my thigh, smacking my leg in the darkness repeatedly.

I felt a smushy carcass on my hand of something with long legs.

Spider.

I took a deep breath to calm myself down.

It's just a spider.

A now-dead spider.

It's okay.

I wrinkled my nose in disgust as I wiped the spider carcass in the dirt.

I laid down and curled up in a ball.

Thunder cracked across the sky, making my body jump in response.

I then heard rain-droplets outside.

I took deep breaths in and out to calm myself, repeating to myself that I would be okay and make it out of this forest alive.

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