Wind and Trees

The wind and the trees didn’t bother me when the sun was still out.  Back when I thought I was still brave.  Now I was beginning to wonder if I had ever been brave.  I had never been afraid of the dark until this very moment, but here I was.  Alone.  Outside.  Terrified. 

I wanted to scream curses at Bethany, but I was afraid of what wild animals would respond.  It was Bethany who had convinced me to come hiking and had somehow managed to get the two of us lost and then she had abandoned me.  The sun had gone down hours ago and I was debating climbing a tree just to stay away from any animal lurking on the forest floor. 

But didn’t bears sometimes climb trees?  The next branch I heard crack on the forest floor behind me, I started to climb the nearest tree.  The farther I climbed, weirdly, the safer I felt.  After a few minutes of climbing, I finally found a branch wide enough I felt comfortable to sit on it.  That’s when I saw her.  Bethany.  Getting into a tent.  With Alex.  My boyfriend.