I was starting to regret listening to my sister about this trail. People had been telling me I needed to get out more, that I spent too much time inside, so on a rare day off, I followed my sat nav to this out of the way trail through the woods. I had driven past the entrance twice before finally pulling my car in and parking. The signposts had been easy to follow to begin with, but the more I followed the little arrows, the further I seemed to go from the car park.
I had chosen the shortest route, following the arrows that had the green writing on them, but I had been walking for hours, and the steps tracker I downloaded to my phone said I had walked at least four miles, not the one I had intended to.
I hadn’t dressed for anything other than a quick walk, in the midday sun, and the sun was starting to go down now. My phone sat, dead, in my back pocket, and it had been at least twenty minutes since I saw a signpost. There had been two crossroad paths, and I had picked straight on each one. Perhaps that was a mistake, simply taking me on the most direct route away from my car.
A snap from behind me had me spinning around, ready to fight some sort of person or animal, but there was nothing. Frowning, I turned around again, and continued on, my sore feet plodding along the path. If anyone ever told me I didn’t get out enough ever again, I was going to tell them where they could stick the outside. The outside world didn’t like me, and I didn’t like it. That was all there was to say.
I shivered and rubbed my hands along my arms, trying to generate some heat. I wish I had brought a jumper, or a coat. But it had been hot earlier, neither had been necessary.
A strange glow in the distance caught my eye, and I started walking towards it, stepping off the path and through some ferns. I scratched my arm on some brambles, and considered turning back, but the glow had given me hope I hadn’t had before. Light meant people.
Why was I talking like I was about to find myself lost in the woods for days, weeks, before being found? ‘Hope I hadn’t had before’. I read too many books, watch too many films. At least I kind of know how to survive. I could light a fire, if needs be. It can’t be too hard.
But, it wouldn’t be necessary at all. The glow I was following was soon joined by a faint crackling, and I could smell smoke in the air. I was walking towards a fire, and when I stepped into the small clearing, it became apparent that it was an intentional one. A small campfire, with a ring of rocks around it, some sort of makeshift spit made of stripped sticks suspending a small, skinned animal over the flames.
I looked around, stepping closer to the fire and relishing in the warmth, while trying not to think about how good the roasting meat smelt. It was a woodland creature, probably a squirrel. Most likely not washed properly before it was stuck on the spit. Besides, shouldn’t it be turned? Someone had to have put it here, where where they?
I crouched down next to the spit, and rotated it slightly. Maybe, if I helped this person, they could direct me back towards the car park.
A twig snapped, and I spun around to face the noise, but I couldn’t see movement in the trees.
“Hello? I don’t mean to alarm you, I’m just lost. Could you point me in the direction of the car park?” I called out, but the only response was the call of a bird, high above me.
I sat by the fire, spreading my legs out in front of me. My feet were thankful of the rest, and when I slipped my shoes off and peeled off my socks, I saw blisters, along the backs of my ankles, the pads of my feet and one big one on my right big toe. It was my own fault, going walking in flat shoes, with no support for walking miles on end. I slipped my socks back on, and grimaced as I forced my feet back into my shoes, leaving the laces loose and untied, to give my feet at least a little freedom.
I turned the spit again, and watched the orange flames flicker, and jump up and down. Darkness fell quickly once the sun slid away, within ten minutes I couldn’t see further than the clearing, and even that was only because of the campfire, casting a yellow glow over the area.
Where was the person who had lit the fire, set up the spit? If I hadn’t found it, the squirrel would be burnt on one side, and raw on the other. Surely they couldn’t have just left it? That was a forest safety issue. But, I suppose, if you’re able to catch squirrels and cook them, you know about forest fires, and how to prevent them. I studied the rocks around the fire, placed directly in the centre of the clearing, as far from every tree as possible. This person clearly knew how not to burn the place down.
A problem arose when the squirrel reached what I assumed was fully cooked, and no one had come to claim the fire and help me. I picked it off the spit, and held the stick from both ends, the squirrel in the middle, staring at it before glancing around. There was nowhere for me to put it. Out of ideas, I pulled the two Y shaped sticks from the ground, from either side of the fire, and moved them away, setting the spit up again, but without the fire underneath it. The person was going to have to reheat their meal if they didn’t hurry up and come back.
I heard the hoot of an owl in the distance, and wondered how long I had been sat here. Maybe someone would see my car in the carpark, and come looking for me. My sister was bound to realise I wasn’t just ignoring her calls after several attempts of trying and not reaching me. She would call someone. Someone would come.
I heard another twig snap, and turned to look, although I wasn’t expecting to see anything at this point. Maybe simply waiting out the night by this fire would be the best idea. It would be easier to find my way back in the daylight.
As I turned to look back at the fire, I felt a hand tangle in my hair, grasping it tight, and I screamed. I squirmed, tears springing to my eyes with the pulling of my hair. I felt coolness against my throat, and stilled, steady breaths against my ear. The person chuckled, a deep sound, before whispering to me.
“I’m going to need a bigger fire.”
And done!
I wasn't entirely sure where this story was going to go until halfway through, when I became absolutely certain I was going to kill the main character.
Ah, the life of a writer!
Anyway, that's all for now...
Bye!
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