The Longest Walk
A Lonely Beggining
The rain poured down on me as I walked down the middle of the empty road. My feet stepping on gravel was the only sound accompanying the rain. No other soul in site. It truly was a lonely and freeing feeling, however I knew at any minute that could all change.
I didn’t know exactly where I was going, but stopping was not an option. I was so determined to make it somewhere, that I had not rested for hours. My pack felt like it was filled with the largest bricks I could find. Funny to think that such a small amount of items could feel so heavy after hours of walking. Obviously the weather did not help.
What used to be a clear bright spring day, had slowly changed to a dark moody afternoon. Of course I had never walked this far north before. I was unsure where I exactly I was. The surroundings had changed dramatically in the last couple of days.
I was now surrounded by dense forests. It was an environment I was completely unfamiliar with. My entire life I lived in a small town surrounded by farmland, creeks, lakes, rivers, with the mountains only barely in view. Now I was in the midst of those mountains. They were so much larger and amazing then I could ever imagine.
I knew soon I would have to stop and rest. I tried to be as prepared as I possibly could. I snuck into a Wal Mart and took whatever camping supplies I could fit in the pack I grabbed. I took food, water, and even some basic puzzle games that could keep me entertained if I really needed it.
I looked up towards the sky and let out a deep sigh. It was time to stop and rest. I decided to walk off the path for about ten minutes before I found a small spot against a large tree. I didn’t want anything sneaking up behind me, and it was a good dry area I could make a fire. I figured it would get cold at night and I wanted to make sure I didn’t freeze. It took me awhile, but I set up my tent and my sleeping bag.
By the time I had my fire going, night had settled upon me. The rain had let up slightly and I could hear some nightlife of the woods. It was peaceful. Not something I was used to anymore. I looked through my food supply and decided on one of the cans of soup I was able to find. I was surprised to find any canned food inside that store and I was determined to enjoy this little “feast” that I had discovered.
Then I got one of my damning headaches. I quickly searched through my pack and found my painkillers.
“Shit,” was the only word I could think of when I saw my small amount of pills I had.
I was in such a hurry I had forgotten to grab another bottle. I only had a small handful. I didn’t know how long they would last me. I decided to break it in half and take the half dose. Hopefully I’d be able to sleep.
Speaking of sleeping, I was dead tired. I got into my sleeping bag and closed my eyes. I could only hope for sleep with my head pounding, but the pain slowly numbed and I was able to pass out.
Now I’m not one to remember my dreams. Every once in awhile I can recall them, but usually I didn’t. This night was a little different. I remembered small snippets of images Most of them were just memories. I wish I could forget these things, but the mind works the way it wants to and when I woke up all I could do is shake off those memories and get ready to move on.
The fire went out overnight, so instead of making another one and cooking, I decided on an energy bar. No reason to go through my food supply too fast. I packed all my things and made my way back to the trail.
The rain had stopped, but now the trail was wet and muddy. I hate mud. It seems like such a little thing to complain about right now, but mud just makes everything harder. I begrudgingly began walking up the trail, but I decided to look back to see if I could see my town.
A pillar of smoke far off in the distance was all I could see. My town was gone. My family was gone. I knew that now. I held back tears and feeling of loss an anguish. If I stopped now, I would never be able to continue.
I turned away and began walking again. I didn’t know where I was going, but I knew stopping was not an option.
I didn’t know exactly where I was going, but stopping was not an option. I was so determined to make it somewhere, that I had not rested for hours. My pack felt like it was filled with the largest bricks I could find. Funny to think that such a small amount of items could feel so heavy after hours of walking. Obviously the weather did not help.
What used to be a clear bright spring day, had slowly changed to a dark moody afternoon. Of course I had never walked this far north before. I was unsure where I exactly I was. The surroundings had changed dramatically in the last couple of days.
I was now surrounded by dense forests. It was an environment I was completely unfamiliar with. My entire life I lived in a small town surrounded by farmland, creeks, lakes, rivers, with the mountains only barely in view. Now I was in the midst of those mountains. They were so much larger and amazing then I could ever imagine.
I knew soon I would have to stop and rest. I tried to be as prepared as I possibly could. I snuck into a Wal Mart and took whatever camping supplies I could fit in the pack I grabbed. I took food, water, and even some basic puzzle games that could keep me entertained if I really needed it.
I looked up towards the sky and let out a deep sigh. It was time to stop and rest. I decided to walk off the path for about ten minutes before I found a small spot against a large tree. I didn’t want anything sneaking up behind me, and it was a good dry area I could make a fire. I figured it would get cold at night and I wanted to make sure I didn’t freeze. It took me awhile, but I set up my tent and my sleeping bag.
By the time I had my fire going, night had settled upon me. The rain had let up slightly and I could hear some nightlife of the woods. It was peaceful. Not something I was used to anymore. I looked through my food supply and decided on one of the cans of soup I was able to find. I was surprised to find any canned food inside that store and I was determined to enjoy this little “feast” that I had discovered.
Then I got one of my damning headaches. I quickly searched through my pack and found my painkillers.
“Shit,” was the only word I could think of when I saw my small amount of pills I had.
I was in such a hurry I had forgotten to grab another bottle. I only had a small handful. I didn’t know how long they would last me. I decided to break it in half and take the half dose. Hopefully I’d be able to sleep.
Speaking of sleeping, I was dead tired. I got into my sleeping bag and closed my eyes. I could only hope for sleep with my head pounding, but the pain slowly numbed and I was able to pass out.
Now I’m not one to remember my dreams. Every once in awhile I can recall them, but usually I didn’t. This night was a little different. I remembered small snippets of images Most of them were just memories. I wish I could forget these things, but the mind works the way it wants to and when I woke up all I could do is shake off those memories and get ready to move on.
The fire went out overnight, so instead of making another one and cooking, I decided on an energy bar. No reason to go through my food supply too fast. I packed all my things and made my way back to the trail.
The rain had stopped, but now the trail was wet and muddy. I hate mud. It seems like such a little thing to complain about right now, but mud just makes everything harder. I begrudgingly began walking up the trail, but I decided to look back to see if I could see my town.
A pillar of smoke far off in the distance was all I could see. My town was gone. My family was gone. I knew that now. I held back tears and feeling of loss an anguish. If I stopped now, I would never be able to continue.
I turned away and began walking again. I didn’t know where I was going, but I knew stopping was not an option.