Chapter 3 : Beware of the Wolf

Sia’s POV

               I keep running even though I can’t see where I am going. I stop after a while to catch my breath and take in my surroundings. Shit! Looks like I have run away from the town. I am surrounded by thick trees all around and there is not a vehicle to be seen on the road. The road looks deserted and the tall pine trees lining the road cast an eerie look. I try not to spook myself. Am I hearing voices behind the tress? Do I see eyes behind the trees staring at me? I shake the feeling off and keep walking. My stomach is rumbling louder than ever and I become increasingly aware of the angry complaints of my stomach. It was at times like these that made me realize how rotten my fate was and how much I missed my parents.

               Why did I have to be so unfortunate that I couldn’t even manage a job? I wanted to pay back the orphanage for everything they had done for me. They had raised me all these years and even though it was not a pleasant experience to live there at least I had a roof over my head. They had fed and clothed me and sent me to school. It was my bad luck that I could not get a job or the position I had applied for. I was feeling too tired. I just wanted to give up, just collapse and end the whole ordeal. Who was I living for anyway? I wiped the tears away. What was the point of it all? But I was too cowardly to end it too. I was too scared of the pain. If I was not, I probably would have ended my life long ago instead of bearing all the humiliation thrown at me.

               I looked at the darkness behind the trees. Well, there were bound to be other plants behind these trees. I remember being taken to the forest here on a field trip. If I am lucky I could find some fruits to eat. A forest would certainly have something that I could eat for sure. The more I thought about it, the more the idea appealed to me. Surely there wouldn’t be any wild animals close to the highway due to the sound of the passing vehicles. I take a few steps inside away from the road and enter the forest. Thankfully today is a full moon day and there is some light on the path below. I am not completely blind because of the moonlight. I walk deeper trying to find anything edible. I can only see rows and rows of the thick silver oak trees and a few dried bushes here and there. I am starting to get frustrated when I come across banana trees growing on a thick plantation. I can’t believe my eyes. I drop my bag and reach for the low-lying bananas.

               I gobble them hungrily. I must have eaten at least five when the rumbling in my stomach stops and I feel satiated. I realize that these are the sweetest bananas I had ever eaten in my entire life and not just because I was famished. I was almost always famished in the orphanage anyway. That was the reason I was a size zero, girls in my school envied my figure and asked me how I maintained such a perfect size zero. It was not difficult when you could only have one or two meals a day which barely filled my stomach. Still, I had survived somehow and had never gone a day without food. I was under the impression that today I might just have to go hungry but I guess fate decided that it had tortured me enough and helped me find these delicious fruits.

              I spot oranges growing on the trees further in the moonlight and head towards the orange trees. I pluck one and peel off the outer layer and eat one slice. It is again juicy and delicious. I eat two oranges and I am full. I am neither thirsty nor hungry. For the first time in my life, I feel I have eaten until my stomach could accommodate no more. I felt full. Satiated. The cool forest breeze feels amazing and I feel refreshed. I feel like the forest is welcoming me, I feel at home. So strange to be feeling at home in the forest when I never felt like I belonged in the middle of civilization. Now here in the lap of nature, I was able to find what I never could at the orphanage. A feeling of belonging. Maybe that is the reason nature is called a mother as he welcomes everyone with open arms. Even though I had lost my birth mother my mother nature was ensuring that I was cared for.

              In the silence, I could hear the sound of a stream. I decided to wash my face and hands in the cool waters of the stream and then find a place to crash. I should probably find a big tree or a cave to sleep on so that I can avoid any wild animals. I could come up with a plan of where to go and what to do in the morning. I was too tired to try and find a community shelter or a homeless shelter at this time of the night. Moreover, my full stomach was making me sleepy too. I head towards the sound of the stream. I can even smell the fragrance of wet mud that was probably from the banks of the river flowing here. I get closer and see the clear waters. I wash my face and hands in the stream and take a handful of the running clear water. I drink it with relish. It feels like the purest water ever. I am tempted to take off my clothes and get inside the water for a bath. But it probably is not a good idea.

               Even though I had been lucky enough so far to have escaped being spotted by a wild animal. Trying to swim in the river would be tempting fate. All wild animals would come to the stream eventually to drink water and I had to get away from here as soon as possible. Besides, I didn’t know how deep the river was or how strong the currents were. I retreat from the stream and head towards the trees when I hear the sound of twigs snapping and leaves rustling. Something was coming towards the stream. Damn it! I had to hide quickly. I started climbing the banks of the river and tried to get up to higher grounds. When I saw what was causing the sounds I froze on the spot.

                 A greyish-white wolf! It could be a cuddly Siberian husky except for its size. It is like a giant dog. I come to my senses and realize the danger that I am in. This was not a pet dog. It was a wolf and a freakishly large one at that. I had to get to safety. How do I escape this wolf? Was it going to eat me right here? Shit! What have I got myself into? Was it the end of my life? The wolf was not baring its fangs at me. it seemed like it was just observing me but what did I know about wolves and their hunting patterns. It could rip me apart with just one stroke of its powerful claw. I didn’t want to think about the effect of its bite on my neck. Sia, you are so dead I muttered to myself. I looked around trying to find a sharp twig that I could use to ward away the wolf, maybe if I stand my ground and shoo it away with a huge stick or stone then it would run away like a dog. After all the wolves and dogs belonged to the same family didn’t they?

                 You are out of your mind Sia! Have you seen the size of this wolf? What makes you think that this will be like a street mongrel? There is no way you would frighten this wolf.

                 My mind was right. Comparing this wolf to a dog was like comparing a house cat to a lioness. I start stepping back slowly trying to put more distance between myself and the wolf. The wolf also starts moving towards me but slowly. Crap, why was the wolf coming towards me? I started retearing faster and a strange thing happened. The wolf moved back into the darkness. I sighed with relief and tried to move away faster but at that instant, another giant wolf appeared. A light brown wolf and I almost peed my pants out of fear. Dear God, the wolf didn’t retreat, but they are ambushing me. I am being hunted by these wolves. Didn’t wolves travel in packs? I am sure going to be dinner to these two wolves tonight, and God knows how many more wolves were present in their pack. I take frightened steps back. My heart pumps faster, adrenaline coursing through my body. I have to make a run for it. I have to try and fight for my life. I can’t just stand here and give up.  

                 Run Sia, Run!

                 I run as fast as I could, the fastest I have ever run in my life but only for a few meters. I stumble upon a rock and crash hard. I tumble down the slope that leads to the stream. I put my hands out to stop the tumbling but to no avail. I can see my whole life flashing before my eyes. This is it, this is the end of my life. I hit my head on a rock and everything goes black.