3) The Thrills and Chills of the Wild

I stopped when I got to the edge of the clearing where the thick forest began, to listen for the crying again. Yes, I was getting closer. The crying was louder, and seemed only a couple dozen feet away. Hoping I wouldn't run into any wild animals, and hoping that the sound really was an infant and not a bear, I called nervously into the blinding green, "hello". I gasped suddenly because the crying had stopped when I spoke. Whatever it was, it knew I was there, and it knew I was coming. "Hello!" I called out to let it, (whatever it was), know that I was not spooked, and I was still making my way.

Every few feet I paused to listen for which direction the sound came from, and continued pressing on. I stepped over fallen trees, broken limbs, sharp and pointy plants, and flowers. I pushed small flexible trees, dead branches, and everything with leaves out of my way; letting them fling back behind me as I let go. Pausing again, I listened and then called out again, "Hello!" I listened for any resemblance of a word from the crying hoping all the while that it is really, in fact, a human and not a baby bear. I thought I heard it answer for a moment. It sounded like an attempt at saying hello, but then again it could be my imagination playing tricks on me.

The crying started up again. This time, the it was softer, but closer. I stood in my tracks as still as the trees around me peering through the branches trying to see past that log, and that small pile of rubble just beyond. I still could not see what was making the noises, and stood there mostly frozen for a good five minutes. Each minute passed as though it were an hour. I literally stood still unable to move for a solid 5 hours in my mind. Finally, I began to breathe again and the fright slowly faded into curiosity. I figured if I don't move and find out what this thing is 12 feet away from me, I will stand here forever wondering.