One of the most important things about living in the forest is that you take care of the bugs.
As I stared outside the window from my bed on my third morning in the cabin, I regretted not packing mosquito repellent.
It was clear from the bite marks on my arms and feet that maybe walking around naked wasn't that good of an idea.
The whole laundry thing had become a secondary issue as I could barely move. The fever came down like an avalanche.
I believed dying like this wasn't that bad. It could be like falling asleep.
After suffering for what seemed like an eternity, I started drifting in and out of my consciousness.
I could see my dad walking around the cabin kitchen. He's dead. Maybe I died too.
I was awake but I couldn't move.
I was trying my hardest to get up but it was in vain.
My throat was screaming but no sound came out.
I saw a creature, pitch black, hovering over me.
A demon.
I could feel it touching my arms.
Its hands were awfully soft yet felt like sandpaper.
The demon stayed for a while, watching me.
Then it disappeared like the bear.
I saw my dad again. This time he kissed my forehead. Just like the day he died in the plane crash.
I felt nothing. No longing.
The demon took my tears.
It was after what seemed like a long long nightmare that I finally opened my eyes.
It was afternoon the next day. It was raining.
The cabin was the same.
I wobbled up and trudged my way to the kitchen.
There it was, my beer bottle half finished as I left it.
I picked it up and chugged in whatever was left.
I needed that after that fucked up dream shit.
I looked for my pack of cigarettes. I had lost it.
I sat on a crate on the porch, watching as the rain intensified the smell of the forest.
A squirrel climbed down from the porch roof. It certainly wasn't expecting me there as it darted as soon as it laid eyes on me.
I felt kinda hurt. In all honesty, I could use the company.
The rain had no plans of stopping. Maybe it really was going to last a week. But I had only two days worth of firewood left.
Well, I could just wing it and see how it goes.
And all of a sudden, thunder struck a tree right in front of the cabin.
The sound was deafening.
One like they use in the movies.
But another deafening sound came too.
This one from inside the cabin.