A Rude Awakening

Jacob pulled himself out of the smoking wreckage, covered head to toe in soot, oil, and grease. His "Better Call Saul" t-shirt and plaid shorts were ripped and torn, and his favorite Converse shoes were falling apart at the seams. There appeared to be no other survivors of the accident, and Jacob knew deep down that he was the only one who would walk away from the desolation behind him.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out what remained of his phone. Though smashed thoroughly by the collision with the tree, the cracked screen of the phone lit up, blinking the time: 6 A.M. In his other pocket was a red Swiss Army pocket knife and his wallet, both in fair condition. As he attempted to get his bearings, Jacob noticed one thing: everything was a little blurry. He blinked rapidly a few times, but his vision got no clearer. After the third furious bout of blinking, Jacob remembered he had been wearing glasses when the accident had happened.

Despair set in, crushing him more and more as he realized there was no way for him to see at least until rescue. He threw himself down on the ground, feeling hopeless. As he did, he saw a glint of sunlight off of something hidden in a nearby shrub. Rushing over, Jacob dug his hand into the thorny bush, ignoring the pain until he grabbed his prize: his glasses, miraculously saved from the crash. They must have flown out of the window right before we hit the tree, Jacob thought. Regardless, the glasses were intact, and Jacob put them on with relish, sending his blurry world into sharp clarity.

As he did, a strong pain surged through the arm he shoved into the bush. Looking down at his right arm, he saw a thousand tiny incisions on his pale skin, each one letting out a small drip of blood. It hurt, but it was nothing serious, Jacob thought. Sending up one more silent prayer for the glasses, Jacob stood up and attempted to figure out where he was, and what his next course of action was to be.

He was in what appeared to be a small valley, and the top of the hill was easily visible, not more than a hundred feet up, but on a steep incline and covered with light foliage. Jacob began to climb the hill, making easy work of the terrain, finding hand and footholds with surprising skill and dexterity. As he climbed, he tried to recall all that had happened over the last 24 hours, but his memory was patchy and faded. All he remembered was that his family was on their way to Ohio to see relatives, and somehow he had ended up here, wherever "here" was.

As he reached the top of the hill, he came upon a breathtaking sight. Huge, sky-piercing mountains fanned out before him, assertive in their height and size. Beyond the mountains, rolling hills and long plains sprawled out across the countryside. And, just at the edge of the horizon: buildings. Or, at least, he thought they were buildings. Regardless, that was where he had to head first, but to get there, a long trek through the mountains and wilderness awaited the sixteen-year-old Jacob. An eagle cried out overhead, and the sun broke through between two mountains, bathing the valley below in golden light. "This sure isn't Ohio," Jacob muttered to himself, and he plunged into the wild, ready for the journey ahead.

Author's Note

I know it could be a little longer, but it is just a rough draft. Advice on where to break paragraphs would be nice as well.