ebb
Senior Member
"Shanks of slate fall to the beach
Wrapped in life in ultra greens
Pools teem with tiny feet
And whorls of tired anemones"
Luke fell into bliss. Sunlight broke through the branches above and bathed his face in a soft glow. The temperature was a comfortable cool, so he’d removed his outer jacket and used it as a barrier between the bristly grass and his legs. Scattered along the side of the trail, the rest of the group divided into clusters. They’d taken a break from the hike to eat the food organized by the guide. On the other side of the path, a steep drop off provided the perfect vantage point of the forest. It stretched on for miles- rich in hues of green and blue. Every few minutes, a party of birds broke from the trees and danced in the air before settling onto stoops. The smaller ones decorating the leaves around the group boasted intricate chirps and rendered the music on his phone meaningless. They were the forest’s own unique playlist.
❧
When his family first mentioned the program, he’d fought it. It seemed like a pointless idea. Yet, now that he was free of the overwhelming stress of the city, he was glad that he came. On his left, three members of the hike spoke loudly, joking and laughing freely. He chimed in from time to time, but being out of his comfort zone amplified the dissociation he occasionally experienced. When he was in normal situation, he could keep it under control. But, when he was encountered new things, they could be tough to process. The feeling of being out of his body made it difficult to follow the conversation- or care about it.
Thankfully, the tour guide broke the cliques by stumbling down the trail. The grayed, middle aged man was out of breath and glazed with sweat. His wide brimmed hat was askew on his head and his face read with barely concealed panic. He’d left the group to scout ahead fifteen minutes ago, with the instruction to stay put. “So, guys,” he exclaimed, arms swinging wide. “We’re a little off course, but that’s okay. We’re not far out enough that we have anything to worry about.” One of the girls sitting in his group clearly wasn’t having it. She stood up, twisting her long hair behind her head. “Umm- shouldn’t you like know the way? Don’t you guys do this walk like a thousand times a year?” The entire group was silent, asking themselves the same thing. They stared at the guide, waiting for a reasonable answer.
“Listen, listen,” he panted. “If we head south, there’s no way we’re not getting back within an hour. Even if we overshoot the facility, there’s a city not far off from that. Worse case, we just get to enjoy the forest for a little longer.” He laughed it off, wiping off his shoulders like he was trying to smear away the tension. Luke worked to process this. It seemed highly unprofessional to just get lost when you were paying a program to find yourself. Especially when it was the one thing he didn’t want to happen. Grimacing with anxiety, he gathered his belongings, trying to tune out the constant rumble of complaints from his peers.
“This is bullshit,” he mumbled to the person walking next to him, rubbing his forehead with his free hand.