Collection of Short Stories

Isolation Experiment

            I've been walking for hours trying to find any sign of civilization. I haven't seen another person for days. All I remember is a sharp pain on the back of the head and then complete darkness. I don't remember who I am or even where I am anymore. I woke up with dried blood in my hair in the middle of the woods. I had a small backpack next to me filled with two bottles of water, a handful of granola bars, and a small pocketknife. It has been three days since I woke up, and my food and water supplies are running low now. The sun is beginning to set; I need to hurry and find shelter for the night.

           I hear rustling from a bush a few feet to the right of me. I grip the knife in my hand tighter and brace for whatever may appear. The bush continued shaking until suddenly a bird flies out and over my head. I ducked away from it, my breath coming out rapidly as I try to calm my beating heart. I suck in a deep breath before trudging further through the forest. The freezing wind blew through the trees, bringing the cold of winter with it. I pull my thin jacket tighter against me and tuck my head down against the cold. I needed to find shelter soon before the temperature dropped further.

           I walk up a steep hill and once I reached the top, I saw a rocky ridge. At the base of the ridge was an overhang that I could use to block some of the elements for the night. I quickly walk the hill and to the overhang. I sit my backpack down to gather wood for a fire. Once I had enough gathered, I use my pocketknife to cut a v-shaped notch into a flatter piece of wood. I grab a stick and roll it against the notch quickly. After a few minutes, an ember begins to glow. I carefully move it to a piece of bark. I place the bark into my kindle nest and watch my fire grow. I don't know how I know this, but my body just moved on its own accord. Maybe I was once a boy scout when I was a kid. Whatever the case may be, I'm just grateful for the warmth.

          I rub my hands together and warm them next to the fire. After I added a few more pieces of wood, I grab my backpack. I pull out my rations and take note of how much is left. At this rate, I'll be out of water by tomorrow night and food the next day. I grimace and take a small sip of water, my body begged for more, but I need to make this last. I pull out the half-eaten granola bar and munch on that.

         I need to come up with a better plan. I've been walking east since I woke up. The sun has been one of the best guides for navigating the woods. Every morning as the sun rises, I walk in that direction. If I keep walking east, I'll either be getting closer to society again or, further away. Regardless, I needed to get somewhere fast. With the weather changing and my supplies running low, I don't know how much longer I'll last. I take a deep breath and release a sigh. I'll continue eastward. There's no point in changing direction now, I'll just have to pray that I made the right choice. With that thought, I check the fire one last time before I put away my water bottle and wrapper in my backpack. I lay on my back, using my backpack as a pillow and look out towards the stars. Hopefully, tomorrow is the day I reach civilization again.

           I wake up the next morning to the sound of leaves rustling and moving toward me. I quickly scrambled to get into my backpack and pull out my pocketknife. I stand up and prepare myself for whatever is coming. I scan the area around me, trying to locate the source of the noise. As the sound moved closer, it got much louder, it had to be something big. It almost sounded like it was more than one thing. I let out a shaky breath and ready my stance. Whatever it is, it's coming my way quickly.

         I was ready for it, and suddenly the sound stopped. I look around and wonder what happened. I began to relax again, maybe it was just some animal somewhere out there. I chuckled to myself and suddenly several people stepped out of the brush. One wore a white lab coat and the rest were in military fatigues. What was going on? Who were these people?

         "Ah, Test Subject 29, good to see you again. You have lasted longer than half of the other test subjects. Congratulations on that, you get to move on to the next phase of the experiment, too bad you won't remember any of this." The man in the white lab coat looked to the soldier next to him, "Tranq him."

           Before I could react, I felt a stinging sensation in my chest. I slowly look down to see a dart sticking out of my chest. I begin to look back up with horror before falling to the ground unconscious. The familiar darkness takes over me once again.