After a lot of contemplatings and ponderings, Flower eventually shuffled herself upwards, firmly standing on her two feets. She stared intensely at the environment surrounding her again, trying to analyze and put together which route she might decide to choose next.
'So now I can't go east anymore since it contains a large body of water with its surface overwhelmed with thin ice. And I also can't go west anymore since It's literally where I've been coming from, and if I end up going back, it would mean going straight into the enemy's den,' Flower thought about all these and shivered in dread. She exhaled, then continued thinking, 'Presently, I'm left with either going to the north or going to the south.'
Realizing this, she bite her lips really hard.
Of course Flower could have chosen to tread north and south from the beginning of her pilgrimage. She had certainly had all the zones in mind at some point in time in the past few days, be it west, north, south and east. Notwithstanding, she had supported journeying east because, unlike north and south which harboured abundant hills, mountains and dangerous forest which she had observed and known long ago from her room window back at the werewolf's mansion. East appeared to harbour less hills, mountains and forest, meaning, it would be much more safe and lenient travelling east than any of the remaining tree routes.
However, now that east has prove to be nothing but a mere waste of time, efforts, strength and food sources. Flower could only turn away from east with despair conflating her face and choose either one of the two which she had purposely eliminated.
Flower stared intensely and occasionally at north and south. None of them looked easy and safe to travel, only staring at them was even giving her hard times already and making her tummy ache disturbingly. She scratched her head and adjusted her hairs, gathering them behind the back of her ears.
Bending down, she packed more snow and filled her water container, so that she would have something to rely on in the future whenever she was being overcome by the desire to drink some water. Later on, she placed some snow on her aching, and slightly swollen red knuckles too.
She stood straight, and went back to staring at north and south.
'I still can't decide,' she thought, 'Perhaps flipping a coin would do… But… I presently don't have any.' She gritted her teeth harshly. Then squinted her eyebrows, afterwards a short sigh followed suit. "It's decided, I'll just go north then," she mumbled in assurance to herself. Not really rethinking her decision, since she had thought about it for long enough apparently.
She unbacked her satchel and brought out the rest of the wintergreen berries. She held the container in her hands, and then she began treading east like a lost adventurer whilst supposedly having breakfast. Little miss dora the explorer frequently threw the wintergreen berries in her mouth and chewed it as she walk along the part she dreaded.
Fortunately and thankfully, it wasn't snowing and since there was not much dark obese clouds present in the sky today, it also meant that it wasn't going to snow soon too or anything like that. The sky appeared tranquilize with fresh sunlight, although the weather was still very frigid, however, it was still exceptional.
And as expected. The mountains and hills were quite paramount, it appeared scary to even glare at it, but what could she do at the moment. She tried to make herself calm and collective, thus in that way, she wouldn't appear scared, knowing that some dangerous animal could smell fear from afar, although it sounded like an utter mythical philosophy, but still she wasn't going to just ignore it.
Flower perpetuate her pilgrimage with her short and petite legs, poking the snow and leaving the signs of her sandals upon wherever she scurried pass.
Opening the container which she had filled with snow earlier. It had already dissolved into liquid, and now it was drinkable, she parted her already dried lips and promptly aimed the water container amidst it, she consumed it like a lowlife wretched drunkard. Spilling some upon the double hoodies which she was wearing.
She heaved a voluminous sigh after gulping down some water to her satisfaction. Flower closed back the water container and kept chewing on the soft, and almost melted particles of snow that hadn't dissolved yet.
Chewing on those almost melted soft particles of snow made sweet Flower reminisced back to the word 'chocolate'. Flower loved eating chocolate very much, it's being long she had tasted one, and she couldn't help but just think about those juicy brown chewy chocolate which Julius use to often get her on every valentine's day.
Initially Julius had bought the chocolate for Flower at some point in time during valentine's day without thinking much about it. Then soon he later found out from Flower that she loved the chocolate so much, so then he promised to always get her some on every valentine's day. So on every valentine's day, Flower occasionally look forward to those juicy brown chewy chocolate. It then from there became a ritual on every valentine's day for them.
Back then, Flower had even loved those chocolate to the extent of checking some stores and candy shops for it, but when she couldn't locate any, she then decide to switch into looking it up online, hoping to buy some for herself and enjoy them, since she couldn't really wait till every valentine's day before having some.
Then after a lot of searching and investigation like a cop. She soon dug out some useful information about those special juicy brown chewy chocolate that caught and attract her utmost attention. Since she was leaving in Florida back then, she found out that they don't sell the chocolate in Florida at all, that they're only sold in China. But it can be exported through proper procedure by an individual and not in abundant amounts or for selling purpose but only for self eating purpose.
Meaning that sweet Julius always specially have those juicy chocolate imported just for her and would pay the exporting fee and tax all the way from China to Florida, only for a box of chocolates. This really touched Flower's heart, and since then she couldn't help but cherish those chewy and juicy chocolate more and more.
Eventually, Flower later asked Julius back then when she couldn't just keep it in her mind any longer, that why did he always go through so much trouble of having it especially exported from China to Florida and even having to pay such harsh and abundant expenses upon it. Then he just simply said that he always loved the adorable reaction on her face whenever she saw those chocolate.
Flower didn't know when she began smiling whilst thinking of all this. She already knew that she missed her late fiancé so much, she could literally do anything to bring them back to life if it was in her power, but then, she's basically just a weak young lady afterall.
Those memories of her decease were very precious to her. Thinking about it would only just surround her with forlorns and bereavement. She knew better than to think about all this, but she just couldn't help but miss him.
Then in matters of minutes, warm liquids began forming in her eyes. Her heart began to race painful, then she found it hard to breath.
She took a deep breath. Knowing that there's no usefulness in weeping and lamenting, it couldn't basically bring back the decease. She had to get hold of herself and control her overwhelming emotions.
"I'm fine… I'm fine," she fumfered amidst her heartbreaking tears. Her voice sounded weak and filled with profound sadness as she tried to console herself hopelessly.
She kept walking as she repeated after herself;
"I'm fine. I'll be fine."
She perpetually tread the wilderness, seeking proper help and opportunity. She walked and walked, until she soon walked away all her heartbreaking worries and all the overwhelming sensation of dread amalgamating her being.
By afternoon, her tears had dried up and she had seemingly forgotten all that was bothering her.
…
Glancing at the sky, 'Damn. It's going to snow soon.' Flower thought as she wasn't expecting such. Because at dawn, the weather had appeared basically tranquilize and peaceful, indicating that there wouldn't be snow soon. But presently, the clouds were starting to darken, with black shades of hue and grey.
Flower wiggled her head thwartedly. She swallowed. But kept walking anyways. Besides, she was currently maintaining the path of north, therefore, she need not worry about shelter, because as much as north was occupied by large mountains and hills, it also occupied a lot of trees and shrubs. Meaning, finding a tree for shelter would be a piece of cake.
Just as Flower was still cursing the weather inwardly and pinning all the blame on it.
Her lips parted in awe, letting out a devastated gasp! And immediately after that she halted her footsteps as though frozen.
She fixated her eyes atop a particular place, causing shivers and unbearable dread to accelerate down her spine uncontrollably. She became weak in the knees, all her entire body began to gyrate an unfathomable amount of fright.
Using her hands to cover her mouth from making any sounds, Flower panted profusely but slowly. Knowing that the slightest sounds would mean the immediate loss of her life.
'Oh heavens, I'm dead today. I'm dead!'
The tears that had stopped beforehand, then began to drip down.