Zaid started walking around the forest, still pondering where this place even was. But one thing he came to conclude was, wherever this was, it was most certainly not on Earth. There was no way this could ever be.
All he could see on either side of him were lush canopies formed by dark, dusky trees. The leaves were taller than a giraffe's head. As he started heading deeper into the forest, he saw wild bushes and vegetation he'd never seen before.
The grass he was walking on was huge and weirdly quite soft. There were no human trails or anything of that nature to be spotted. Everything was massive and wild.
As Zaid was walking through the wilderness, he was also vigilant. He had already experienced first-hand a new type of animal—a squirrel with metal jaws that burrowed its way down. For the love of God, which transported him here, he couldn't fathom what other oddities of species he'd encounter. Hence, while he was scouting the area, he was doing it meticulously and cautiously.
"I can hear the sound of water," Zaid said to himself. The sound of gushing water is as unforgettable as one's first kiss; you just cannot mistake it. Zaid decided it was best to approach the water body and scout the area from there, since the forest was too dense, and a water body would clear things out, making it easier for him to see things located afar.
Zaid started making his way, with every step, the sound getting stronger. Finally, after a ten-minute walk, he'd made it. It was a gigantic river. He was at a meander, and the other end of the river, from his naked eye, was approximately around 300 meters. It was a massive river, both in its length and its width.
"Damn, this is refreshing," he said, as he took some sips from it. The water tasted like the freshest nectar, incomparable to what he'd drink back on Earth from filters. The taste was rich and nourishing, and for Zaid, who had not tasted an ounce of it for the last ten days, this was what he needed.
The river also meant that Zaid could freshen up and wash himself. He only had these pair of clothes, so he undressed and jumped right in. He so much required this.
After washing himself, and then subsequently drying himself off, Zaid wore back his somewhat tattered clothes. "Man, I wish I had got a couple of changes," was what he was thinking, since he just abruptly went along with whatever the master said.
Rejuvenated, he sat out again. He wanted to survey a bit more. To his naked eye, all he could see was dense vegetation. He couldn't spot any open land. The whole region was quite vast. As seen previously, gigantic trees, and a thick canopy. He was truly in a different world, and that realization just hit him again. Twice now.
"Its getting dark. I should call it a day," he said to himself. Indeed, it was getting dark, and whilst Zaid had been lucky not to encounter any of the wildlife so far, except for that weird squirrel, he wouldn't be able to escape them now. He decided his best bet to seek refuge for now would be the cave which got him to this world in the first place.
So Zaid started making his way towards his abode. While being extra cautious, the day's light was slowly diminishing, and he didn't have anything to see things clearly. As Zaid kept progressing, he realized something. He didn't know the way back. A chill went down his spine.
The voices from the forest had been up for a while now, and suddenly he could hear them clearly. He was stranded in a foreign planet's foreign wilderness, with xeno entities lurking beneath those veiled greens. While there was a thought in his head to panic and run toward a certain direction, he maintained his cool. This is what the monks had trained him for.
As the day's sun completely diminished and the night took over, Zaid was there in the middle of nowhere. He was somehow maintaining his composure against all odds. He had to, else the tenacity of his plight would eat him alive, metaphorically and quite literally too.
Not only that, but he had the option to track back his steps to the water body he was at earlier in the day. The downside to that was he'd be left exposed to creatures who'd lurk by the banks and even in the water too. Zaid stayed rooted to the spot, his mind racing. The forest was alive in ways he wasn't used to, and every sound carried an edge of danger.
He glanced back the way he had come but realized retracing his steps was impossible without some landmark. The chill of the night crept in, and Zaid knew he couldn't stay still for long. He decided his best bet was to find some form of shelter, even if it wasn't the cave.
Trees stretched high around him, their twisted roots forming small alcoves and crevices. If he could find one big enough to tuck himself into, it might be enough to get through the night. Moving cautiously, Zaid scanned the ground and surrounding area, keeping his ears sharp for anything unusual.
The bioluminescent plants lining the forest floor provided just enough light to avoid tripping over roots, but their faint glow felt more eerie than comforting. Minutes stretched into an hour, and Zaid's muscles began to ache from constant vigilance. Just when he thought he'd have to settle for sleeping in the open, he spotted a fallen tree ahead.
Its massive trunk was partially hollow, creating a space just big enough to crawl into. "Good enough," he muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible over the rustling leaves. Zaid approached slowly, crouching to peer into the hollow. It was dry inside, and no signs of movement caught his eye.
Satisfied, he pushed some leaves and smaller twigs out of the way and crawled in. The hollow smelled of earth and damp wood, but it was secure. Zaid leaned back against the rough bark and let out a shaky sigh. His body was tense, his mind still racing. Every snap of a twig or rustle of leaves outside made him flinch.
He closed his eyes and tried to focus on the monks' teachings. Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out. Slowly, his breathing steadied, though his nerves were still raw. The sounds of the forest continued around him, a chorus of insects, distant cries, and the occasional low growl. Zaid clutched a sturdy branch he'd picked up earlier, a poor substitute for a weapon but better than nothing.
Sleep came in fragments. Each time he drifted off, a sound or sudden movement would jolt him awake. But he was thankful for those fleeting moments of rest. They gave his mind and body just enough energy to keep going.
As dawn approached, the forest began to change. The sounds of the night gave way to the chirping of unseen birds, and the bioluminescent glow faded as soft sunlight pierced through the canopy. Zaid crawled out of his makeshift shelter, his back stiff and his legs numb.
The sight of the morning light was a relief. The forest no longer felt as threatening, though its mysteries remained. Zaid stretched, rubbing his arms to shake off the chill of the night. "Alright," he muttered, glancing around. "Time to figure out what the hell I'm doing here."
He took a moment to orient himself, recalling the direction of the river. The sound of water had been his guide before, and it would serve him again. Zaid decided to head back, reasoning that following the river downstream might lead him to something—a sign of life, a better shelter, or at least a clearer sense of where he was.
With renewed determination, he set off, his steps careful but deliberate. The sun filtered through the trees, casting long shadows on the forest floor. Zaid kept his ears sharp and his grip firm on the branch in his hand. Whatever this place held, he wasn't about to let it take him by surprise.