Not In Kansas Anymore

Prologue

I awaken with a jolt because something landed on my face. I try to open my eyes to see what it is. Ow. My eyes seem to have not adjusted to the light. I cringe my face and groan at the sudden discomfort in my eyes. It is only then that I become aware of various other things wrong about me. I have a splitting headache and my body is sore like I slept on the floor all night.

It’s then that, despite my body’s discomfort, I reach up and grab what was on my face. Even though I can’t see, I can tell the touch that it’s a leaf. With that revelation, I feel the area around where I am lying. And that’s when I discover yet another disturbing fact:

I had been sleeping on the floor all night. Specifically the ground. Outside.

Racking my brain for answers, I try to remember all that had happened the night before. All I remember is being on my college campus. I had hung out with my friends after all my classes, went out to eat, studied for my exam, and then I was walking back to my car. You see, I lived off campus, in a multi-roomed, shared house. It was pretty much like a normal house, only multiple students lived in it, each with their own bedroom and bathroom. We had to share the sink, fridge, and cabinets though.

Anyway, I distinctly remember walking towards the parking lot, but I don’t remember reaching my car at all. Had someone snuck up behind me and knocked me out? This question led me to check my pockets for my stuff. My wallet felt full, and my keys and phone were present as well. This made me wonder what had happened to me even more.

After this time of thought, I decided that my eyes had adjusted enough for me to open them. And if not, then it’s as good a time as any to get them adjusted. Besides, I seriously needed to get the lay of the land so I can find my way back home. I slowly opened my eyelids. It hurt like heck, but it had to be done eventually. Slowly would just make it less uncomfortable overall.

My eyes met an even more curious sight. Trees. Lots and lots of trees. Trees enough to make a forest. I was in a forest! I looked behind me. Even more trees. Yep, I was definitely in a forest. A pretty dense one at that.

The strangest thing about this forest was: there wasn’t any forest close to the campus I was at. Or near the house I lived at, for that matter. So I was seriously afraid of where I was and how I got there. It’s then that I get an idea to call 911. They can track phone signals, right? They could help me figure out where I am and maybe help me get back home, if I need it. I quickly pull out my phone and dial the number while looking about. I put the speaker to my ear. And I hear nothing. Not even a ringing tone. I look at my phone then.

No bars. No signal whatsoever. This is just fantastic.

The only good that comes from using my phone is I get to know what time it is. 5:34 P.M. Which means I don’t have much time to get out of this dang forest before it starts to get dark. And I do not want to be in this forest when it becomes night. I can’t explain why, but I had this constant sensation when I was there that I shouldn’t be. That this place is more dangerous than it seems from my current perspective. I needed to find a way out. And quickly.

I seemed to be standing on a beaten path, so there were only two logical directions to go. One direction seemed to be giving off more light than the other, so I decided to go that direction. I figured the light that was coming through was because of an exit to the outside somewhere along the line. If cartoons have taught me anything, it’s that if you have a choice on which path to take on a road, pick the less scary-looking one. Just ask Phillipe from “Beauty and the Beast”.

And it seems cartoon logic has saved me, because the further I walk, the brighter the light becomes. I must be getting closer to the edge of the forest. Things start to look up for me.

That is, until loud animal growls can be heard behind me.

Every instinct is telling me to run. Run. Run from the growling things. Don’t even look behind you. Just get out. Every single instinct is screaming at me. But instead I ignore them. Fear has frozen me in place as I slowly look behind me. But when I do, I wish I hadn’t.

They were wolves. It was like my worst fears come into being. Through most of my life, I had been pretty wary of canines. The bigger the canine, the further I wanted it to stay away from me. Wolves, now that was just a million times worse. Didn’t help that these wolves were about 4 feet tall. But the scariest thing of all was that they looked like they were covered with stick, no, that they looked like they were made out of tree limbs. These were not even normal wolves, and their otherworldly-ness just made them that much more terrifying.

One of the wooden wolves put one of its paws forward a step. I took this time to obey my primal instinct and run like it’s no tomorrow. Unfortunately, the wolves decided it was a good time to follow their urges as well, and chase me.

I don’t know how fast I was running, but all I know is: I wouldn’t be able to run this fast ever again. And even then, it wouldn’t be enough. The noises behind me are getting louder. They’re gaining on me. In no matter of time, I’m going to die because of these things. I can’t even scream. I’m spending all of my energy trying to flee. It’s now that I regret being out of shape. Who knew that loving food so much was what was going to make me food for something else?

My legs are starting to give out. My chest is burning from breathing. There’s not enough air getting in and out. But I know I have to keep going, for my life’s sake.

Thank the heavens above that I saw an opening from the woods. With some newfound hope, I gunned it even faster than I had before. I hoped that they wouldn’t chase me too far from the forest, because I knew I couldn’t keep this up much longer. As I cross the edge of the woods, the wolves continue suit. Crap! Now I know I’m doomed.

As I flee with the last few seconds of energy I have left, I see that the forest has let out into more trees. Except these ones are placed in perfect rows, like an orchard. Great, so I make my way to a farm, and I’m going to die this close from finding shelter. My thoughts are interrupted as my foot catches a dip in the ground, and I fall head over heels.

Several things happened in those few seconds. I twisted my ankle from the catch, I felt my right arm scrape against the bark of a nearby tree, and I landed face-first into the dirt. The pain was pretty bad, considering I normally don’t get injured that much. But there was one thing I knew: those wolves were still chasing me, and I had fallen. I felt tears well up as I knew my end was near and prayed that it didn’t hurt that much.

But the end never came. Instead I heard a few whines and then heard the wolves retreat. I had did it. I had survived. I was going to live another day.

As I laid there hurt and completely exhausted, I heard some loud clanging noises from the direction I had be running towards. It sounded like a cowbell, or pots and pans falling on the floor. Was that some kind of an alarm? Was it a rescuer? Was that what had gotten the wolves to leave me alone? I had no idea.

I did know one thing, though. I knew I had no more energy left, and before I knew it, I had slipped into unconsciousness right there on the orchard grounds.