Thoughts

A Survivor Born?

Panic Man

I woke up in the middle of the forest. What was that dream? It felt so real, like I was standing right there. I could feel the heat. I looked around. Where am I? Why am I sitting on the ground, in the forest? Why is my back so stiff? How long have I already been here?

Ssø mãny küêsstîønss, ssø fêw åñsswêrss ha ha ha ha ha

What? Where did that come from? 'Hello? Is someone there?'

No one. I was all alone. But where did that voice come from then?

Picture Forest by aJVL

Music Panic Man by FesliyanStudios

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Water!

Sam Rosenthal: six: thirteen (stretch mix 1)

It was exhausting to walk through the forest. My throat was dry as bone. But it was worth the struggle. After roaming through the forest for a while I found a small pond. Thinking about it afterwards I should have been more cautious. There could have been something wrong with the water. Instead I fell to my knees in front of it, pushed my face into the water and gulped down as much as I could. I felt how the cool water ran down my throat and moistened every bit down to my stomach.

I felt relieved as I sat up again. Not only because I finally got some water, but also because I got some of it onto my neck too. I didn't notice much how itchy the necklace was since I woke up but I felt the relief as I got some water on my neck.

Picture Forest by IIDanmrak

Music Sam Rosenthal: six: thirteen (stretch mix 1)

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

At first I went right through the water, but noticed after a few steps that it was quite a lot louder than I imagined because of the shallow water. So instead I went a few steps beside the beck, always having it in sight.

It didn't take long till I was at the pond again. Keeping in mind the unknown dangers of it I trod with caution and tried to re-trace my steps.

Ok think... you found the pond... went up on a tree... lemme see... no... no... no... ah! That one!... from there down... and... … into a bush... into... that bush! After that... … I went to the pond... ...why?...

I pondered over that for a moment, Why did I go to the pond? What was there for me to do there?

Hmm... no matter... IT warned me of the pond... then I went further up the stream again...

As I began walking back up the beck I noticed how the area seemed very familiar so I followed that sense of having been here before, the feeling of having seen this before.

After much looking around and searching I found my old camp and all my stuff too. Looks ransacked... hope it was just some animal who hoped to find anything edible here.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

A cool breeze came up. Adding to how cool it already was it was rather unpleasant but I had to keep up with it. There were more sounds throughout the forest now. Crackling, rustling, swishing all around me. Most surely came from the wind, but I had a feeling it wasn't only the wind who rustled and crackled around me.

I took a moment to let my eyes get used to the darkness. Then searched for a stable and above all, climbable tree.

It took me a while. Most trees around were quite stable, but few climbable.

After a bit of searching I found a good one. Climbable, stable, and some thick branches a bit over my head. It was a conifer too. Although it stung in quite a few places, I got myself pretty well protected after bending and 'knotting' some weaker branches around myself.

It was fairly secure up on that branch too. Although I had some eerie feeling sitting up in that tree. As if... something was nearby... watching me.

I didn't think more over it, just thought I was imagining things.

It wasn't the most cozy place to be at this time, maybe a bit softer than on the ground but colder, without a fire. But still, I got very drowsy after a short while.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I was helping Ingrid skin a deer. As always, silence was our closest companion.I wanted to bring up the topic of me going to leave, but I didn't know how. It seemed so... ungrateful to me, simply leaving, after all she'd done for me. After having learned so much about hunting & through that also about survival in the wild, out of towns or villages.

How can I ever repay her for what she has done? How? How?!

That thought was racing through my mind. Not just racing through, it was consuming it. All she'd keep from having me around are some sad memories; Hunting, Carrying game, Skinning animals & all while not uttering a single word.

In the back of my head I heard someone calling me. At first it was muffled, nearly unintelligible. Then it became clearer, and clearer; Bjorn... Bjorn? Bjorn?!

She grabbed me by the chin, pulled up my head and looked me in the eyes.

“No black eyes, phew, was beginning to worry”

“What? ...Oh no, no need to worry, I'm fine, it's me your talking to, Bjorn”

“Better be” she laughed shortly

Then we were silent again. It wasn't the first time we had done this. She had shown me how to skin animals. First started of with rabbits, the ones that were already hurt, where the pelt hadn't sold that good anyway. There was no need to talk, we both knew what to do.

Should I take this up now? Would I be disturbing her focus with it? How much does she have to focus on this? As much as me? She has far more experience, but still, this needs focus & speed.

“...Ingrid?”

“Hmmm?”

“...we ...I … ...forget it, we'll take it later, when I sorted my mind”

“Mhhmm...” she nodded slightly, keeping her eyes on the task “...sure” she looked up and smiled at me

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I was awakened by the bright rising sun, shining right into my face.

Yawn Guess I lost some sleep last night... had I taken this tree earlier I wouldn't have lost as much as I have. No matter, no use regretting.

I got down from the tree again, which was by far easier than getting up. I didn't get down completely unscathed but I didn't get any major injury.

Ok, got back my bow, but I'm still missing stuff... where did I?... right, the other camp... where was that?... think... how did I end up here?... … I was hunting... I needed food... I needed energy! Because I turned back my claw after nearly falling from that tree! Right! There I left my stuff... but where was that... near the beck? … might be... best follow it to the pond and take a look around

Before I actually began searching, I drank some water and ate the last piece of the dried meat. My stomach was grumbling, I had eaten little yesterday and the day before. Better look for some food while following the stream

So I took my bow and an arrow and kept them both ready in case I'd see anything huntable. Then I began following the stream along it's flow.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

The Gate Keeper

At first I was scared, but my curiosity took over.

What or who is that? And how did it get here?

I carefully went closer. Carefully. Closer and closer.

Mwuahahuahahua

What? Why? Wait… I know that laugh.

The other stood still. Not moving from his position.

A snap from his fingers.

Then I remembered. I remembered it all. That maniac back then. The one who killed my father. My mother. The one who burned down the whole town. And all in the name of the king.

Ah… So finally you remember me.

But how can you be here? These are my dreams. There’s no way you could get here… or is there?

Oh, no worries. You brought me here yourself. Kind of.

He snapped his fingers again.

This time columns of flames arose all around us. For the first time there was light in this Nothingness. But it all got eaten by the darkness all around us. It only reflected on him. And on me.

How did I bring YOU here?!

It’s easy boy. I’m in your memories. Deep down there somewhere. You could say, I’m burnt into your memory Mwuahahuaha

And what do YOU want here?! Do you know what this… wall or whatever is?

I do lad. I do. But I won’t tell. And you wanna know what I want here?

I am the gatekeeper.

Picture Gatekeeper (WIP 2) by JonathanGragg

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Something ripped me out of my sleep.

As I opened my eyes I saw the ground below me, and it was coming towards me quickly.

After what felt like a moment or two I was wake enough to realize it wasn't the ground coming towards me, but me falling down towards it. Down from my safe branch.

Why had this to happen this night? Is it just a coincidence or is it somehow connected to me thinking about it earlier? And if yes, how could thinking about something affect if it's going to happen? I mean, naturally if you plan on going hunting and shoot a deer, that does affect it very much. If you hadn't had that thought you might have not gone to do that. But something like this, like thinking about that it'd hurt to stumble and fall on your face and it then happening only a while later. That can't be connected, right?

Suddenly I noticed this pain in my arm, and through that also how numb my whole body was. It was transforming, beginning at my elbow and slowly crawling towards my hand. Slowly it moved, I didn't have any control over it, towards the tree, reaching for it.

Then things began to get faster, I was falling faster, my arm was moving faster.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I checked out my hand, it had healed already since yesterday. Only a small scar was left of the wound. I cautiously got up, stood on one knee and checked the leg the hound bit into. Lord Raspberry-head continued shouting, stomping and wildly waving his hands through the air so he didn't seem to care much about it.

Those are quite deep, and thorn up too... if that damn hound hadn't... fuck! This will take some time, even with ITs help.

All of sudden I heard the unsheathing of a sword through the shouting. I was half-prepared for this so I wanted to jump back, out of his reach. But my left leg didn't like that idea, it stung like hell. Thanks to hands and the other leg I got up and a bit backwards, but from there on it was more stumbling than jumping.

Before I could get out of his reach, I hit the tree whose roots I fell over.

Fuck!... at least it stopped me from falling

He forcefully swung his sword over his head and at me. He was wide open, this man was either no good swordsman, or his rage had consumed him completely. Lucky for me he didn't quite think about the tree and chopped into it before he could hit me.

Before he could swing another time I jumped to the side, trying to put near to all force on my right leg. Both while jumping and while landing again. Jumping kinda worked, it wasn't like I felt nothing, but far less than at my first jump.

Landing didn't work quite as well. I managed to land on my right foot, without the left even touching ground. But I lost my balance and had to cross-step to stop my body, meaning I had to put all my weight on the left leg.

“AHHHHHH!!!!”

It was stinging even more than the first time. I could feel how more blood was running out of the wound instantly.

Cømë ôñ. ¥ øû knôw yöù'vé gøt me, Ï cån hælp yôµ. Jús$st håvæ tø lêävé mè öút he he he

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Just a short notice, got no Internet (router is toast) so I won't be able to upload new episodes till that is fixed. Great week to y'all