I got on the road and took a look to the left and a look to the right.
I had lost my position through the forest and the direction I was facing. The sun wasn't visible and the rain is awful.
I would have to guess where I was and head back to the base or I would just walk and walk.
I had two paths of action I could take. I could, A, go and pick one way and commit, or B, leave the gurney alone and run for a minute or two in one direction. If I left the gurney alone someone could come along and mess with the body.
I came to the conclusion that it would be smarter to pick option B. So I now had a decision to make.
Do I go to the left or to the right?
I just had to pick one and hope it is correct.
Left or Right, left or right. I took a look to the left and it seemed to be a long bend. I looked to the right and it was a straight line for as far as I could see in this low visibility climate. I opted for the left, I could see more of what was to my right and there wasn't any signs of life or anything. While the bends to the left could be hiding a road sign that could be closer and give my some bearings. I grabbed the AK and turned to run off in that direction.
After one quick scan of my surroundings I was off. I would jog for five minutes. If I found anything before then I would run back and get the gurney. I would have to be careful for the trees and the road as if anyone saw me besides those from the shelter it could have been risky.
I continued running for the next four and a half minutes before I stumbled upon something. It was a road sign! If I could figure out what cities were listed I could tell if Petrozavadosk was in front of or behind me. I sprinted as fast as I could towards the sign and when I got to the sign my heart froze.
Half of the cities names and all of the distances were melted somehow!
But luckily most of one city was still on the sign on the bottom, "Petrozav-" I was pretty sure of it now. I was going in the wrong direction. I immediately sprinted back. It looked like it was around one, so time was running out. I had a few minutes of running to get back to that demons body and haul it back.
So, I ran.
--- 5 minutes later ---
5 minutes of grueling running later and I found the gurney. From what I could tell the demons body was all there, but the rain was pooling on the gurney and in all the small cracks and crevices. My shoes were beginning to get raggedy and I would need to find replacements soon. A pair of work boots sounds nice, good ankle support, maybe I could get rubber ones if I played my cards right.
I picked up the gurney and started walking. It was a grueling task. My legs had grown weary and were almost cramping every step I took. I could feel the muscles in my shoulder knotting themselves as the weight of the gurney was taking its toll after only a few minutes of walking. All I knew was that I needed to get to my Volga.
--- 2 hours later ---
Painful injuries heal over time, but they leave scars as a visual reminder of your mistake. But muscle soreness is a much more painful endeavor. You work and work and your muscles begin to shut down and refuse to work. Normal people rest and recover, or get to a safe area first if they are in a dangerous situation. But I had a time crunch, so I was a less willing recipient of the full pain of soreness. Your muscles begin to knot and you have to continue. They begin to shake as weakness takes hold. But after rest you see larger muscles as a result. But for fucks sake, why does it have to hurt like a bitch.