Chapter 6

Chapter 6

 

 

     Being a wildcat now, Yuuin is, of course, far faster than I am, to which I am both fearful and grateful. I don’t think I’ll die if I am caught, but Yuuin is only a child and he might not know how to survive or hide on his own. Also, I really don’t want to freeze or starve to death. Yeah, that’s not a pretty thought. I really should’ve at least looked through the cupboards for a canteen and jerky or something before just taking off like that, but when it’s time to act, you act. Every second we get before they realize we’re gone becomes our advantage.

     At some point, I realize that I’m the one following Yuuin, and not the other way around. I left and ran away from the house not knowing where I was going, but it seems Yuuin does. I just hope he isn’t going to his own home. At this young age, he just might, but somehow, I think he understands the severity of this situation. He’s a smart boy, I know he’ll make it through. He knows this land better than I, and though I’ve studied the maps of this area, I’m too disoriented to know even the direction we run, but thank goodness for all these unnecessary thoughts. It keeps me distracted from my exertion.

     Because of the starless, moonless night, the dark is all encompassing and the white snow is an ominous purple-gray blanket that falls all around us. The only sound is that of my boots crunching on the snow and my ragged breathing, which I do my best to stifle along with the clattering of teeth. The snowfall begins to lessen and Yuuin stops. He nudges me with his head making a mewing sound. I think he wants me to continue on in this direction, and I obey. As I continue to run a*s best I can, which really is just jogging at this point, I look back to see Yuuin follow at a slower pace, and making curious movements with his bushy tail. It dawns on me that he is covering our tracks now that the snow isn’t doing it for us. Very, very smart kid. Now I begin to think I’m just a hindrance to him and I’m suddenly relieved. I smile to myself. No matter what happens, I am sure he’ll be fine.

     Curiously enough, before us I spot a dark mass that looms larger and larger as we draw near it. It takes my poor, inefficient little brain quite some time to realize that we’ve finally reached the woods. Inside I cheer and sigh all at once. We’ve made progress (yay!) but we have so much further to go before we’ll be allowed to rest this night (ugh). Finally under the cover of the dense coniferous forest, I stop to rest. I need water and badly. Already I can feel my limbs cramping up, but there simply isn’t any water, and the nearest spring, which is probably semi frozen, is far into the woods.

     I remember seeing some nature documentary way back when, about an animal (I think it was a type of camel?) that lived in the frozen Mongolian desert and was forced to eat ice and snow for its water supply. Eating too much could freeze its insides, so it ate snow in tiny amounts but very often. Well, that would make this trip that much more slow going, but it is doable now that we have cover, and necessary under these circumstances. Oh, If only I’d brought a bowl or a pot I could just carry it with me and eat as I go, but now that I think about it, that still wouldn’t help Yuuin much. I whisper quietly to him, “Yuuin, we don’t have water, but we can’t keep on going like this without any, so we’re going to eat the snow. Can you do that?”

     Without any sort of response Yuuin already munches away at the soft coldness at our feet. “Wait! Don’t eat too much! It’s bad to eat that much. I know it’s slow, but we can only eat small bits of snow, but we have to eat often. That way we get water, but don’t freeze our insides, ok?” He whines and I feel really bad for not getting water, but we have to make do.

     Our short-lived break is over and we march on, at a far slower pace than before, due to the complete blackness that enfolds us. I’m forced to feel around to avoid braches and trees, from which I occasionally grab some snow. My fingers are numb and frozen but I’d rather have frostbitten fingers than to die of dehydration. Eventually, as I’m feeling around, I simply can’t see a fluffy spotted white cat anywhere. Trying not to panic, I do so anyways and my breathing quickens. Choking on my own breaths I try to call for Yuuin, but it sounds more like wheezing to my ears. My throat is too dry and cold to make proper sounds anymore. I feel warmth brush up hard against my legs and I immediately reach down. The plush fur is so utterly relieving, I just can’t help myself. I fall to my knees and hold him to me, stroking his fur with my hands, which I can feel again thanks to the warmth of his strong animal body. The pain is shocking and I kind of wish they actually were frost bitten.

     My eyes tear up but I quickly wipe them away before they can freeze. Finding my resolve again, I stumble back onto my feet. Yuuin once more leads the way, but now he stays much closer and every so often, without slowing at all, I see him scoop up some snow with his mouth. Atta boy. We turn this way and that, and though I’m confused, I decide to continue trusting in him. Right now I know it is I who needs him to survive.

     I trudge ever so slowly now, and my brain simply cannot process it when Yuuin pushes against me with his body. I keep trying to walk and he bites at my shoes making little growly noises. I finally stop and look down at him. He crouches at the base of a tree and begins to dig through snow. I have absolutely no idea what is going on, but I just don’t have the strength to stand. I collapse, but never take my eyes off the curious white cat, or so I think until I realize that he’s disappeared. I hear a mew, and I look around but I cannot spot him. He sounds muffled and so, so close. Then, so suddenly, his head pops out from the hole he dug under the tree and I see his blue eyes glow. I think I get it. I crawl down into the hole to find that we’re actually in the tree. It’s hollow! I can’t fully lie down, but Yuuin can. I draw my knees up and snuggle up against all that fluffy warmth. My heavy lids fall shut and sleep instantly finds me.

 

~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

     My fatigued muscles scream at me as I try to unfurl my body and find that I can’t. I feel around with my hands until I feel the bitterly cold snow. Twisting my body, I pull myself into that coldness, not wanting to, but knowing I have to. It is dark, but there is still light enough to see by. The sun is almost set. Yuuin bounds towards me and I wonder where he was, but the blood on his chin answers my unasked question. He hunted and ate, and I don’t feel disgusted in the least. In fact, my stomach grumbles at me angrily and I silently scream at it to shut up.

     I try to stretch out my cramped body and find myself biting my lip to keep from crying out. Breathe, breathe, in out, in out. Good, now let’s go. Don’t think, just go. Good advice. I nod at myself, though Yuuin takes it as a signal to keep going, and I’m grateful. No thinking on my part. The pace he sets is brisk and every ounce of mental strength is focused solely on keeping up. I don’t even have the capacity to be grateful anymore. I don’t notice the light disappearing altogether. I suppose my eyes just adjusted to the darkness on their own, or perhaps out of need.

     Eventually Yuuin stops and looks at me. I’m confused, my brain takes perhaps an entire minute to finally regain thinking capability. I’m wheezing, badly, my throat is hoarse and burns, one hand is clutching my chest in a death grip where my heart pounds frantically and my other arm is wrapped around my cramped torso. I see Yuuin lap up some snow into his mouth and I remember that I desperately need water. I scoop up the object of my loathing and stuff it into my mouth. Yuuin turns and keeps going. I have to remember to keep myself hydrated, but now that my brain is working again, all I can think about is the horrible pain that permeates my entire body. My feet and hands are simply too cold to feel, but everything else is hot sticky sweat and icy chill that makes me so utterly aware of every gruesomely sore muscle.

     I can’t go on, I just can’t do it. I cry and the tears freeze on my face. I can’t control my body. I can’t will it to go on. It just won’t listen to me anymore. My legs collapse beneath me. I’m only kept on my knees by the tree that I’m now holding onto. I can’t fall, not here. I don’t want to die. God help me, please. Fresh tears melt the old and refreeze. I hate this place. I want to go home. I wish I had a home. Please take me home someone, please. And as if in answer to my silent prayers, I finally feel nothing.

Reviews

[The Representative]

'I'm too disorientated to know even the direction we run, but thank goodness for all these unnecessary thoughts. It keeps me distracted my exertion.'


A specific representation. This displays your keen commitment to your character's reality.




You do write humanely. And it isn't just content, it's form: the exact state of Miya's mind shows through in the writing - this isn't a work-free task, taking more effort than perhaps too many people would give it credit for.