A few minutes had passed before i got out and put my clothes back on, my hair was still wet but i had other problems, other things to worry about for example; food and shelter. I decided the first was more important as even if i went to find something to eat there'd be no guarantee that i'd find something edible. Afterall i know nothing about this place. I hesitantly made my way back to the bigger part of the clearing.
"Ok, now where do find a shelter?" i state out loud.
On the other side of the clearing, opposite the gnarled trees and the sea, a forrest gradually formed its trees forming a irregular pattern, most of the leaves of the gradually taller trees being different shades of brown and green. My first thought was to maybe find a tree i could get up in and properly see my surroundings. From there i could make a more detailed plan about what to do and where to go and for what.
This place was probably way more dangerous than I'd been led to believe. So higher ground would probably be the safest bet.
I tried, but soon realized that due to my lack of upper body strength climbing a tree would be very difficult and i soon gave up on the idea.
I was getting nowhere with this.
Soon enough i realized that even if i didn't have a shelter I'd opt for comfort over security even if it was only temporary.
I quickly gathered leaves and started making a pile under one of the shorter trees in the clearing, soon enough i realized that i had enough and then started on making a really large basket. I've read a lot of books before and i recalled that an easy way to make a bed was to make a basket out of vines and fill it with leaves. this wasn't easy however and the vines were really hard to find.
My inability to do this simple task just made me frustrated and angry, I mean what was i hoping would happen? im a city girl for heaven's sake! I've never done any of this before! I don't even know how to use a needle and thread.
"Ugh!"" i let myself fall back into my pile of leaves. It was scratchy but soft enough and warm. "Maybe this... could be enough." I took up a pile of leaves and let them fall through my fingers as i held them above my head.
they all drifted away in the wind except for a single one that landed on my nose.
Surprisingly though just as i was about to give up i noticed some of the strange creatures from earlier playing with each other rolling around at the edge of the tree line. Their beady eyes trained on me only leaving from time to time in small intervals.
Even though they seemed wary of me, they seemed to be enjoying themselves. in the midst of danger. As i could only be potential threat to them. A strange creature that suddenly invaded their space. Yet here they are, still playing around.
I sighed quietly, as i blew away the leaf that landed on my nose with a small puff of air.
Before sitting up, "I can do this!" I took a small breath before continuing.
With the motivation i got from the small white monkey-like creatures i soon completed the basket, it was really big and the leaves i put in it stayed in without spilling out. i smiled a little at my own success before i noticed leave spilling out the opposite end.
"Ugh, really?" i continued this until i'd gotten all the holes big enough to let leaves spill though and blocked them with more vines.
This made me just a little more confident that i could do this. I could survive here even though i had no idea how long id be here on this island by myself so i had to make the most of it. i laid in the huge basket of leaves. It was pretty comfortable and I smiled again to myself.
Next i made a small perimeter around my tree and basket bed thing. I used large sticks and the leftover vine with the support of the other trees in the clearing until i had almost completely surrounded my tree.
My tree was only a little taller than me so i kinda had to bendover a little to get to my basket. It had enough leaves that it could easily shelter me from the rain. So now that I effectively had a shelter, the next objective was to find food.
I wasn't very keen on killing an animal especially for food, i scoffed at the very idea so i decided to look for fruits. Maybe some berries? I had no idea what I'd find or how long it'd take so i set out after making myself a smaller basket i could use to carry the things i'd find.
Carefully i made my way further inland.
The trees here where a lot bigger now and so much taller, in fact the large trees' leaves blocked out most of the sunlight making the area a lot darker than i knew it actually was.
The small creatures didn't follow me here and although i thought it was weird i didn't pursue the thought.
The cool area didn't seem to have any large animals, and once every so often id see some really small animal dash into the bushes quickly disappearing into the underbrush.
A sudden snapping of twig's behind me made me jump in surprise.
looking left and right, nothing moved.
the silence was deathly.
My breathing became ragged, and my i could feel my heart beating seemingly way louder than was possible.
"W.." i started.
stepping backwards slowly.
I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. The same feeling you get when you know you're in danger but aren't sure why.
This thing, whatever it was seemed to have purposefully cut off my escape. There was absolutely no way i could return to the clearing now without bumping into it. Whatever it was, even though i couldn't see it i know that it's there and that it was big.
A low almost silent growl reverberated from the shrubbery.
It was trying to force me deeper into the forest and it was succeeding.
My hands trembled as i backed away slowly clutching to the small basket i'd made raising it to my chest, it was the only thing between me and whatever this thing was.
This can't be it right?
This can't be where i die!