The Search for Paradise

Undefined Surface

I could feel the pull of reality, urging me awake.

I didn't want to wake, though, because that meant embracing reality.

A pain seemed to numb my feet, keeping me from drifting back to sleep. My fingers, face, and limbs were touched with a slight frozen fog that had greeted me this morning.

Heat now made a slight sheen of sweat cover my skin. Sitting up and pulling off my sweatshirt, I dreaded the moment in which I would have to stand up again.

If I never stand, though, then I'll never see them again.

Slowly, I pulled out of my sleeping bag and sat on the material, backpack in hand.

I began undoing the wraps around my feet. The pain was more of a dull numbing pain than a crippling one.

Opening the first aid kit again, I quickly set up another alcohol wipe. 

My feet were an offset color, bruised, bloodied, and blistered. 

Grounding my teeth, I washed away any dirt with a little water left in my water bottle. With shaky hands, I swiped at the blisters.

The pain shot straight through me and went to my core.

Grabbing one of my softer shirts, I ripped it in pieces, and grabbed one end to wipe away any blood and dirt, drying the rest of my foot.

Again, I wrapped my foot in gauze and white clothe. I made sure it was tight and secure before moving onto my other foot. 

Finishing my other foot, the pain lessened ever so slightly. 

"Okay. Time to get up."

Heaving a sigh, I forced myself up onto my crippled heels. The pain stole my breath.

"Okay, much worse than i thought. So much worse."

Leaning from one foot to another, I pulled off the sweat pants layering my jeans and folded it up. Pain had my legs trembling.

Pushing through it, I grabbed my boots with shaky hands. Slowly, I began to slip on the boots.

I pushed the air from my nose, trying to keep silent. 

After lacing up my shoe laces, I knotted and double knotted the black strings.

Dropping onto my knees, I gripped the material of my heavy sleeping bag and began rolling it up.

Grabbing an apple creme breakfast snack and piling the rest of my clothes into my backpack, I stepped slowly towards the edge of the cliff, looking down below. 

Sitting, I rested with my feet dangling, taking and eating pinches of the creme filled pastry, savoring it.

The sun was behind me, beating my back as I stared into the unknown of the trees.

A sigh escaped my lips as I pulled my phone from the pocket in my backpack. The trees were throwing off the signal.

Agitated, I placed it in my bra before deciding to take a trail that was off to the side.

From here I could see it led to the little cozy house.

Pulling myself onto my pained feet, and away from the edge, my fingers wrapped around my backpack, and hefted it up around me. The bag felt as if it swallowed my shoulders. 

Ignoring the shot of pain numbing my legs with every step, I took to the slightly traveled path. 

In a wobbly limp, I began descending slowly.