I wasn’t expecting to see anything too impressive in the mirror. After all, I spent the night in the forest and most of today running around town. Not to mention the blow to the head which I received, but this is more than tiredness.
I look as if life has been drained out of me. I return to the living room, suddenly not caring so much about the shower. I need to get my head around this somehow.
What happened to me in the forest? Was I underground, or was it just a dream? I should return and find out, but the thought makes my skin crawl.
I return to the bathroom but purposely look away from the mirror this time. Once the water begins to flow I am glad, it feels so good. The water on my skin, the soap in my hair, and then a cold shock for a minute to refresh me.
Once I am dry I dare to look in the mirror, but there is no miracle. The same grey man appears before me, just a bit cleaner.
I get dressed, eat some food and crash into my bed. I need rest before I can decide what to do next. Maybe I can hide here at home forever?
When he wakes up it is dark outside. He doesn’t know why but he gets dressed and begins to go back toward the forest. It is evening and he catches a bus, then walks the rest of the way.
He has felt a call, too strong to resist. He doesn’t understand it, or even attempt to, he just accepts it.
An observer would see a vacant man, maybe they would assume he was on some type of drug. His motions appear robotic, just a simple focus on a destination.
Then he stops on the track, where his are the only footprints in the snow, and he steps into the forest. Now out of sight and apparently out of his mind.
To be continued…
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