Once she regained her equilibrium, she looked around. Trees, trees, trees as far as the eye could see. “Great,” she said out loud and then listened as her voice bounced around the foliage. Her tongue stumbled over the word like it had forgotten how to form words. She twisted it around in her mouth, unnerved by the foreignness of it all. “Where the hell am I?” Her voice echoed back to her. She gazed at the world around her, taking in all the varied shades of green as she realized just how alone she was.
Fear crept into her gut then rose upward, tightening around her throat, making it difficult to swallow. If she let in the dread, it would consume her. She closed her eyes and forced herself to swallow, loosening the lump in her throat. One, two, three—stay calm—four, five, six—stay focused—eight, nine, ten—don’t forget to breathe. When she opened her eyes, the fear dampened but still waited right below the surface for the perfect opportunity to devour her. The middle of the woods was not the place to have a meltdown. She’d lose it later, when she was safe, clean, and clothed.
Allison needed to get out of this forest. She thought back to the one camping trip she went on during her brief stint in Girl Scouts. Head north, everyone says. Head north if you’re lost. She looked for the sun, finding it to the right of her, resting in the soft blue sky. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, right? Or does it rise in the west and set in the east? Allison couldn’t remember with the throbbing in her head drowning out her own thoughts. There wasn’t a road, a trail, or anything symbolizing civilization. She simply picked a direction and started walking. Nowhere she could end up would be more remote than this.
How did I get here? Allison looked for any mode of transportation. Not a car, bike, or even a damn horse anywhere in sight. Did Gabby leave me? They always promised not to leave each other at parties. She couldn’t imagine Gabby just leaving her stranded. Allison looked down at her naked, battered body. Did someone hurt me?
A chill trickled down Allison’s spine. What if Gabby’s in trouble too? Warm tears rimmed her eyes. She covered both her hands over her nether regions. Was I raped? Her stomach rolled. She squeezed her thighs, no discomfort. She shook her head pushing away the thought. Being angry was better than being worried. Allison chose to be angry.
She walked for at least thirty minutes; her surroundings stayed the same. Trees, trees, and more trees. She came to a slight clearing and sat in a shaded area on the grassy ground. She pulled her legs in, sitting cross-legged, taking note that her perfect pink pedi was long gone now, replaced with thick calluses and jagged nails. How long would it take for my feet to look like this?
Allison pushed the thought from her mind. She needed to focus on finding civilization. Her entire body ached, the same way it had the day after the car accident when she was sixteen that totaled her mom’s Jeep, but her headache had improved.
The vegetation was fresh and green. Birds filled the warm, sweet air with gentle melodies. A soft breeze brushed across her skin. What happened to the fall? How long have I been out here? Her surroundings were the least confusing aspect of her situation. She ran her hands through her matted hair. How long would it take for my hair to grow this long? An icy wave rushed down her spine, causing every strained muscle to shiver. Allison wrapped her arms around her torso, trying to steady herself.
A lump formed in her throat. Tears spilled out of her eyes, creating muddy rivers down her cheeks. Allison scratched at her arms, peeling dry muck off in patches. She glanced at her nails. They were broken, jagged with black goo under each one of them. She examined the rest of her body. This isn’t right. Dark, thick hair covered everything below the waist. Her hand ran down her ribs, feeling each one protrude from her skin. Allison shuddered. She had always been thin. One of the many things she inherited from her mother. She’d eat all day and lose a pound. But now her frame was anorexic thin. Her skin, marbled with abrasions, bruises, and scars, had no significant injuries. Her tremble grew so violent that she’d rip apart if it didn’t stop, so she pulled her legs up and wrapped her arms around them, holding her body in a tight ball. But the shaking came from her core and pushed its way outward. She couldn’t control it or stop it. Something horrible happened. She cried.
Allison’s tears turned to dry, heaving sobs before progressing to a low whimper. Crying in the woods while ants bite my ass will not help me figure out what has happened. I have to find people, anyone. Someone who could help her find out where she was and what had happened to her. With renewed motivation, she walked again.
As she walked she saw very few animals, nothing big, just some rabbits and squirrels. She heard some birds but never placed an eye on one. The dense forest had little underbrush and the flat ground only had an occasional rock or twig disturbing its smooth surface. The walk was easy, as if walking barefoot on sticks and unknown substances is considered easy. Fear slithered in her gut, sending shivers throughout her body. She stopped and dropped to her knees. Her eyes squeezed shut as she cradled her shaking body and rocked. The fear tightened its hold. Allison pushed back against it. You have to keep moving. She forced
