After a full month in the wild, it was strange to be heading back to civilization. I had done it. I had survived. More than that, I'd learned how to live off the land. What started as a crazy plan to get away from Vanessa and everything tied to her had turned into something more profound. I didn't just survive—I thrived. I'd become someone who knew how to find food, build shelter, and stay warm, someone who could rely on himself.
But now, as I sat on the bus, heading back into the city, I couldn't shake the mix of emotions swirling inside me. Relief, yes, but also a weird sense of sadness. I wasn't sure I wanted to go back.
The bus was mostly empty, the worn-out seats creaking with every bump in the road. A couple of old-timers sat near the front, talking about some local sports team, their voices low and raspy. I sat in the back, my backpack at my feet, staring out the window as the landscape slowly transitioned from trees and open fields to the familiar sprawl of urban life.
I leaned back in my seat, letting out a long sigh. I had made it through a month. No phone, no distractions—just me and the wilderness. But now that it was over, I wasn't sure what I was supposed to feel.
I glanced down at my hands, still rough from days of chopping wood and fishing. The calluses on my fingers were a reminder of everything I'd been through, a physical proof that I'd learned to fend for myself. It felt good—better than anything I'd accomplished in the city.
But now, I was heading back to a world that wouldn't care about any of that. Back to reality. Back to the mess I'd left behind.
The bus hit a pothole, jostling me in my seat, and I winced. A woman a few rows up shot me a tired glance before going back to scrolling through her phone. The glow of her screen looked so foreign to me now. Technology. I hadn't touched my phone in a month. It was still powered off, buried deep in my pack. I didn't even know if I wanted to turn it on again.
The driver, a middle-aged man with a worn baseball cap, glanced at me through the rearview mirror as we approached a stoplight. "Long trip?" he asked, his voice gruff but friendly.
I nodded, not really in the mood for small talk but feeling like I owed him something for the long ride. "Yeah, you could say that. Been out camping."
He raised an eyebrow, smirking a little. "A month-long camping trip, huh? You're either crazy or you've got some serious balls, kid."
I laughed, shaking my head. "Maybe a bit of both."
The driver chuckled, turning his attention back to the road as the light turned green. "Well, hope you found what you were looking for out there."
I stared out the window again, watching as the city grew closer. Did I find what I was looking for? I wasn't sure. I'd gone into the wild to escape Vanessa's influence, to break free from the control she had over me. And in a way, I had. Out there, it was just me and the elements. No manipulation, no bullshit—just survival.
But as the city skyline came into view, the reality of what I was returning to hit me hard. My parents. The debt. The jobs I still didn't have.
And then there was Vanessa.
I couldn't help but wonder what would happen when I turned my phone back on. Would she have tried to reach out? Or would she have moved on completely, letting me fade into the background like one of her other forgotten toys?
The thought made my chest tighten, and I shook my head, trying to push it away. I didn't need her. Not anymore.
As the bus pulled into the station, the driver turned to me again. "This your stop?"
"Yeah," I said, standing up and grabbing my pack. "Thanks for the ride."
He gave me a nod, and I stepped off the bus, the hot city air hitting me like a wall. It felt strange. After a month of fresh, crisp air, the smell of exhaust and concrete felt heavy in my lungs. I adjusted my backpack, looking around at the familiar chaos of the city—people rushing by, cars honking, the distant rumble of construction. I had grown used to the quiet, the stillness of nature, and now it felt like I'd been dropped into a completely different world.
I walked through the station, weaving through the crowd, and found a bench near the entrance. It was time. Time to turn my phone back on. I pulled it out of my pack, staring at the black screen for a moment before pressing the power button.
It felt like I was lighting a fuse.
The phone buzzed to life, the screen glowing as the familiar logo flashed across it. Notifications immediately flooded in—texts, emails, voicemails. I scrolled through them, my stomach churning as I saw a few from people I hadn't spoken to in months.
But nothing from Vanessa.
I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. Good.
As I sat there, scrolling through the messages, a wave of relief washed over me. I had done it. I had escaped. Not just from the wilderness, but from her. I didn't need her help, her money, or her approval anymore. I had survived on my own.
I stood up, slipping my phone into my pocket, and started walking. The city might have been chaotic, but I wasn't the same person who had left it a month ago. I was different now. Stronger. Wiser.
And this time, I was ready for whatever came next.
***
As soon as I stepped through the front door of my parents' house, I was greeted by a mixture of shock and confusion. My mom stood there, her eyes wide as she looked me up and down, probably trying to figure out if I was still the same person who had left a month ago. My dad, sitting on the couch, turned to me with a raised eyebrow, clearly just as surprised.
"Tristan," my mom said, rushing over to me. "You look like a caveman! Where the hell have you been?"
I dropped my backpack near the entrance, running a hand through my scruffy hair. I hadn't shaved in a while, and I knew I looked rough—dirty clothes, a scraggly beard, and the lingering scent of campfire smoke clinging to me. But I didn't care. I had survived.
"Camping," I said simply, trying to keep things light. "Remember? I told you I'd be gone for a month."
My mom shook her head, clearly not satisfied with that answer. "Yeah, you told us that, but we didn't think you were actually serious! We thought you'd be back in a week at most! And you didn't answer your phone once!"
I sighed, already feeling the weight of their concern pressing down on me. "There was no signal where I was. I couldn't use my phone even if I wanted to."
My dad leaned forward, squinting at me like he was trying to make sense of what I was saying. "No signal for a month? Where the hell were you?"
"Somewhere off the grid," I replied, shrugging. "That was kind of the point."
My mom crossed her arms, her worry quickly turning into frustration. "Do you have any idea how worried we've been? We didn't know where you were, if you were okay, or if something happened to you! We almost called the police!"
I winced, realizing just how much I'd put them through. "I'm sorry, alright? I didn't mean to worry you guys. I just needed some time away."
My mom sighed, shaking her head. "And you couldn't call us even once? Not even to say you were alive?"
"There was no signal, Mom," I repeated, a bit more firmly this time. "It's not like I was ignoring you."
Just then, my dad chimed in, his voice calmer but still laced with concern. "Vanessa came by, you know. She was looking for you. Said she hadn't heard from you either."
My stomach tightened at the mention of her name. Vanessa. Of course she had come by. She couldn't help herself. She probably thought I was dead in a ditch somewhere or off sulking like a child. But a part of me couldn't ignore the fact that she had been looking for me.
I forced a casual shrug, trying not to let it show how much that bothered me. "Well, I didn't exactly want to be found."
My mom raised an eyebrow, her arms still crossed. "You didn't want to be found? By Vanessa?"
I sighed, sitting down on the couch and leaning back, feeling the exhaustion of the past month catch up with me. "It's complicated."
"Well, you better start explaining, because she came over here worried sick about you," my dad added, his voice a bit sharper now. "And you've got some explaining to do to us, too."
I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone, powering it on for the second time that day. As the screen lit up, the familiar buzz of notifications hit me again, and I immediately saw several messages from Vanessa. My heart pounded in my chest as I opened the messaging app and started scrolling through the texts.
My mom, noticing my reaction, stepped closer. "What is it?"
I didn't answer right away. Instead, I skimmed through the messages.
Vanessa: "Hey, haven't heard from you. Where are you?"
Vanessa: "Are you ignoring me?"
Vanessa: "Tristan, I'm worried. Please call me."
Vanessa: "I came by your parents' place, but they haven't seen you either. What's going on?"
Vanessa: "I miss you. Can we please talk?"
There were more, but they all followed the same pattern—worry, then frustration, then a hint of vulnerability. The same Vanessa cycle.
I stared at the messages for a long moment, trying to figure out how I felt. Part of me was still angry, still bitter about everything she'd put me through. But another part of me... felt something else. Guilt? Maybe. Or maybe it was just the fact that, despite everything, she had still been worried about me.
I sighed and put the phone down on the coffee table. "Vanessa's been texting me. A lot."
My mom glanced at the phone, then back at me, her expression softening slightly. "Well, are you going to call her back?"
I shrugged, rubbing my face with both hands. "I don't know. I needed to get away from all of this—away from her. That's why I went camping in the first place. I needed to clear my head."
My dad let out a low grunt, leaning back in his chair. "Sounds like you've got some decisions to make, son. You can't run forever."
I looked up at him, feeling the weight of his words sink in. He was right. I couldn't keep running from Vanessa, from my problems, from everything. Sooner or later, I'd have to face it all. But I wasn't sure I was ready for that yet.
"I know," I said quietly. "I just needed some time."
My mom sat down next to me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "We understand, Tristan. But you need to talk to her. If she's been this worried, maybe... maybe it's not over between you two."
I shook my head, the thought of getting back together with Vanessa feeling like a weight pressing down on my chest. "It's over, Mom. It has to be. She's not good for me."
She nodded slowly, not pushing the subject further. "Okay. But you still need to figure things out. You can't just disappear like that again."
I looked at my phone, the unread messages from Vanessa staring back at me like a challenge I wasn't sure I was ready to face. "Yeah... I guess I'll have to deal with it sooner or later."
My mom squeezed my shoulder gently. "We're just glad you're back."
I smiled weakly, though the knots in my stomach told me that coming back was just the beginning of a whole new set of challenges.
Q: What would you do next?