A New Hope

A NEW HOPE

           

            It was past midnight and I still couldn't find my way back. I thought of lighting a fire which would catch the attention of my fellow members but giving it a second thought, it could also lead to a forest fire (Since when have I become so conservative, I guess its the thought of being barbequed refrains me). The wild was slowly awakening, I could hear wolves howling, hounds barking. The very thought sent shiver up my spine. My mind told me to ignore it, but  at the same time having a bunch of hungry wild packs of animals around isn't very reassuring.

 

            I thought of getting some sleep and started to search  for a suitable shelter. I found a huge tree beside a den, I  decided to choose the tree instead of a possible beast's layer.

 

             I climbed the tree and having found a suitable branch tried to sleep on it, I wondered whether my fellow members would be looking out for me or continued without me. I was too scared too sleep, being lost somewhere I had no idea about and the wild roaming freely. I hadn't eaten anything since the time I got separated from my fellow campers, except well...some wild berries and guavas (It may sound ridiculous, but at least it kills my hunger).

 

            Through the passage of time I realised how the life of forest inhabitants were, they are probably more intelligent on how to uitilize the resources and certainly more conservative than our so called 'LITERATE' urbans. (Yep, the forest was definitely having some uncanny influence over me!).

 

            I now regretted on joining this good for nothing adventure camp and not heeding my parents advice. All because of my stupid passion for adventure I am stuck here in the middle of nowhere with nothing to eat other than some wild strawberries and some fruits which I am not sure whether they are poisonous or not.

 

            This was our fourth day of our five-day adventure camp. On the third day, I wandered a bit too far from our base camp and then got lost in this forest and I am stuck since then.

           

            The inopportune weather brought me back from my nirvana into reality.    Within no time it started raining heavily. The tree was a wide one with a lot of gaps, hence I had to vacate it and look for another shelter. But finding a proper shelter in such a situation is next to impossible. There was nowhere else to go except the den and not sure if the beast is inside waiting for some prey to enter into his lair. Having no other option except dying to death in this rain by pneumonia and excessive cold, I decided to take the risk. I only hoped the beast wasn't inside. But the hope still didn’t give me assurance.

 

 

            Any case sooner or later I have to go in, so why not sooner. I took the risk and marched towards it. I was just 4 yards away from the den. I bent to see if anything or anyone was inside but the rain made it difficult to have a good view, I took a step closer, and another, still oblivious to the fact that any closer and I'll be history.

 

            After what seemed like an eonaeon, I came close enough to get a better view. A moment later, I heard some scraping noise and saw a paw of possibly a lion coming from the shadows... my guess was correct, the beast was inside. I guess this is how one really feels if they are this close to a certain death. I couldn't run even though my conscious told me too, my legs were frozen to the ground.

 

            I can't describe the feeling one gets if a beast appears in front of you but is injured. I  probably was a bit relieved and thought of running, but giving it a second thought, I didn't like to leave someone alone in pain even if it was my worst enemy (Curse my stupid heart). I still had my portable first aid kit and tried to bandage him even though I was not sure of the consequences of it. The fact that he didn't show any sign of attacking me amazed me. 

 

            The rain had stopped and the sun was rising. I bid farewell to my friend and continued on my way though I didn't had a slightest idea where to go. My friend tried to point towards a direction. At first I didn't know what he was trying to say but I soon came to a conclusion that probably the rest of my camp members had passed through the same route and by chance he had seen it. I thanked him and bid farewell once again and continued on my way, as I saw him retreating back to his den.

 

            Through my friend's help I soon reached the campsite. My fellow members were so relieved to see me and after some chatting and satisfying my ravenous stomach, we journeyed our way back to the  school.

 

            "How is it even possible?". I have asked myself this question a gazallion times, I...I was s...so close to him, yet he showed no sign of assaulting me, he could have made mincemeat out of me even though he was hurt. Why can't we humans inculcate something from the race of beings whom we treat as an outcast. Calling someone an animal now seems more of a compliment than an insult, rather people should be like, 'Hey! Why are acting like a human.'

 

            The almighty made us all equal, but have we have failed to recognize this or is it that we don't want to. Now, one might call me insane for typing all this gibberish, but think about it, if sanity was always better, our earth would be a perfect synonym for nirvana. I believe an insane person is not one who has lost his mind but the one who tries to direct his mind in another path. (There I go, writing a thesis on insanity).

 

            You may find this story a lot similar to ­the slave and the lion one (don't seem to remember the title), but that's not the point. According to me for a story to be successful, a good plot is essential but the ultimate aim is to create an impact on the reader by making him perceive it from a way which he desires to see. Your opinion matters but how others perceive your opinion matters too!!!