Lost Treasure: Into the City

I wake and push myself up so I’m sitting. My body aches from the night before. I rub my eyes and try to clear my head. A migraine thunders through my brain. I look around the empty one room cabin. A propane stove in the left corner, a small counter top to the left with a cabinet above it. To the right a large kitchen table with six chairs around it. Bunk bed cots to my left against the wall the couch is on. Directly across from me is a door to the bathroom. Next to it is the pantry and a closet full of survival gear, tools, etc.

There is something so off about what happened last night. The realization I am alone, feels like a punch to the face. I pull my knees to my chest and weep. I cry for my parents, brother, the twins! I cry for the injustice on my pack that have been slaughtered. They wanted me… guilt rose up into my throat. No, that was bile. I ran to the toilet and empty what little is there. Wiping my mouth, I sit on the floor with my back on the wall.

I get into the shower, hoping it will help, but all I do is cry harder. It was a good thing I am in here; snot and tears are everywhere. If I wasn’t afraid to be heard, I would have wailed uncontrollably.

Why did this happen? What did they want? If they wanted the pack or territory, why kill the women and children? The alpha was all they needed to defeat. How many rogues were there? Hundreds? Thousands? Too many to count that’s for sure. And what did that one say, he only wanted me? What did they want with me?

I shake my head at the thought. It’s too late now, they’re gone and I’m alone. What am I going to do now? I turn off the water and dry quickly. Then dress. I stand and look at myself in the mirror for a long time. I was trying to will the voice in my head to speak to me again. However, just like this cabin, so is my wolf.

I go to the kitchen and open some of the MREs and eat. Then lay back down on the bottom bunk, I feel the depression seeping in, ready to consume me. I end up crying myself to sleep, the pain of my grief ripping through me like a hot knife through butter. Somehow, I must survive.

After a week of feeling sorry for myself, I have had enough. I feel like the walls are closing in on me. Not to mention the nightmares I’ve been having. I gather all the stuff I think I’ll need to camp and live off the land.

I go into the bathroom and stare into the full-length mirror one last time. Hoping my wolf will awaken like she has before, to offer any words of advice. My hair is pulled back into a ponytail with a green camouflage bandanna tied across my forehead. My face looks tired and worn, bags under each bloodshot eye, and dry cracked lips.

My frame showing signs of fatigue from lack of exercise and food and water due to loss of appetite. It is spring so I’m wearing a pair of capri camouflage pants with many pockets, a loose camo t-shirt, and black combat boots. The girl looking back at me from the mirror looks terrible. Hopefully, with my lack of activity, I didn’t lose all the training I’ve done.

Where am I going anyways? Do I have a heading? North! I’ll go north. I need to be where there is a lot of people. It’s harder to hide in the wilderness as a human. If I had my wolf now, pah! I could live quite comfortable out here. Until then I must go to a city.

It’s a good thing I remembered the combination to Father’s safe which had maps and a bank card. Father always kept the pack’s money in a bank outside of the pack. I swear it was like he knew this was going to happen. I’ll go to Gatlinburg first to resupply. Then I'll head to Knoxville, a city, I’ll check that out.

Unexpected anger fills my mind. Whoever is responsible for my loss will pay. They will feel the depravity they put on me. I’m quickly becoming thirsty for blood. I embrace this new feeling, it’s better than the self-loathing and pity party I threw this week. Yes, revenge! That’s what I need to keep focused, it’s what will drive me. To stay fit, to eat healthy, to get stronger. I will be hell on wheels, a force to be reckoned with. Now is the calm before the storm.

I sling on my survival pack and unlock the door. I take a deep breath and grab the doorknob. Twisting and pulling opening the door, I step out and shut the door behind me. I walk to the edge of the porch surveying the area.

Fresh spring clean mountain air fills my nostrils. I take a deep breath in through my nose to smell it more. Love that smell, there isn’t anything like it, especially after it rains. The cabin is surrounded by thick forest. I could hear a few squirrels chattering and birds sings their beautiful spring songs. There are no signs of anyone around. With that, I figure out my bearings and find North, and slip silently into the woods.

I stick to the hollers and water ways, keeping a steady pace. I bed down in thick undergrowth’s putting my mind into alert light sleep mode. For one, to not get jumped and two, I won’t dream. I wash up in the stream after eating another MRE. Then I go east. I find myself on a worn-down path. Against my better judgment I follow it.

I find a sign that tells me I’m on Trillium Gap Trail. These trails are used by human hikers, which means I’m not far from town. I decide to hike the trail like any other human. I keep a steady pace as I enjoy the scenery. At the high points I can see tops of mountains and treetops with different shades of green with the new leaves of the year. As the sun is climbing into the sky, I notice some places in the valleys where light hasn’t touched yet. And I just love the smells. The soil so rich from last year fall season and years before that. Flowers waking from their winter snooze.

I hear two people coming towards me on the trail. I keep my eyes to the ground as they talk quietly and giggle. A man and woman. I hug the right edge of the trail to make room for them to pass. They pass single file and don’t bother looking at me. I let out my breath, when did I start to hold it?

I see another sign. Grotto Falls. Sounds like a good stopping point. As I’m walking along, I realize I’m near a neighboring packs territory boarder. More like 500 ft but I can still smell it. How disturbing to have a human hiking trail so close to your boarders? It’s a little too close to home if you ask me but I haven’t seen a lot of people today so maybe it’s not as bad as I think.

It’s an ally pack, Gideon became alpha not too long ago after his parents died in an accident. He’s the same age as my brother. So, he would have an idea about how I feel. Maybe I should see if he’d help me, but how would I get ahold of him without a phone. No, I better not bother him, whoever is after me could go after his pack. I don’t want any more blood on my hands because I can’t stand to be alone. So, I move on.

By noon I make it to Grotto Falls. How beautiful!