"Go on, Larry!" I encouraged myself, although I was excited, I still had some doubts.
Weirdly, my legs seemed to block after the first step, and I forced myself not to look back.
Back to where my family was, where I had spent the last sixteen years. My whole life…
*Chirp*
A bird flew over my head, and as I glanced up, I saw the rising sun over my first destination.
The forest.
In front of me, there was a small meadow, with a beaten path that I had walked before, just like a lot of people.
The lush grass gently swayed in the morning breeze, glistening with dew.
Everything felt new and beautiful.
It almost felt like nature itself was preparing me for my journey. I could practically inhale the scent of fresh earth and grass in the cool morning air.
"Why am I doubting at all?" I asked myself out loud.
Maybe I'm smarter than Phillip and myself thinks, I thought smiling. Because despite my foolishness, I knew I would regret it for the rest of my life if I turned back now.
I took a deep breath and put a smile on my face again.
Then I took one foot in front of the other. My second step.
Then my third, a bit hesitant but not unwilling. Then the fourth, the fifth, the sixth.
By the tenth step, I felt no pull from behind but, once again, a pull outward.
Not toward the settlement but into the vast, distant world, toward my dream.
I now followed the narrow beaten path with eager steps, leading away from the city gate and into the vast forest.
With each step, I felt the rising excitement within me. I couldn't stop smiling; I had a perpetual grin on my face.
The world lay before me, unknown and full of secrets. I knew this was the beginning of an adventure that would take me to places I had only dreamed of before.
"And I will document everything!" I said with confidence.
After walking across the meadow for a while, I reached the edge of the forest.
This was the only small forest I could see for miles.
Occasionally, when I climbed the hill with the city wall, I saw that apart from the forest and the giant tree in the center, there was nothing but meadows. But in the distance, after a thunderstorm, I saw a massive mountain, and that's where I felt drawn.
The dense canopy of leaves seemed inviting and mysterious at the same time, yet not unfamiliar.
I had been here a few times hunting with Phillip.
I really owe him a lot, I realized.
I grabbed the backpack straps and took my first steps into the familiar but now new forest.
With every step I took into the forest, it felt like entering a different world.
The golden morning light filtered through the leaves, and the ground, covered with a soft carpet of moss, had golden patches.
As I followed the beaten path and saw individual tree stumps, the light gently flickered in my eyes.
Birds chirped above me, and I could hear the faint sound of a stream in the distance.
As I ventured deeper into the forest, I felt a mix of nervousness and anticipation.
Everything felt new and exciting. Every tree, every stone, and every sunbeam that broke through the leaves seemed to have a story to tell.
Suddenly, I heard rustling in the underbrush, and my heart began to race. I stopped and listened.
A small animal, likely a squirrel, darted across the path in front of me and disappeared into the trees. A smile spread across my face.
"Don't smile so foolishly," I thought I heard Emma say, and I chuckled lightly.
Thinking about it now, I won't miss Emma.
The path led me up a gentle slope, and soon, I reached a small forest stream that divided the woods.
The path ended here, and I gazed at the gently flowing river.
The water sparkled in the morning sun, and I could see the reflection of the trees on the surface.
However, the river was also clear, and I could see that it wasn't deep.
I'll cross it and make my way to the central tree!
But first I sat on the river's edge and observed the nature around me.
Dragonflies danced above the water, and birds flew from tree to tree.
Nature didn't seem to mind my presence; it welcomed me.
As I dipped my hand into the clear water, I felt its coolness and freshness.
I immediately felt thirsty.
So, I knelt down, propped myself up with my hands, and bent my head towards the river.
Then I took a few sips.
"Ahhh!" I exclaimed. "Delicious!"
I licked the water from my lips and wiped them with the back of my hand to dry them.
After my brief rest, I stood up and resumed my journey.
I brushed the dirt off my knees and started wading through the water.
My shoes were instantly soaked, and I could feel the cool water on my feet as it reached my knees in the middle of the river, soaking my pants in the process.
Upon reaching the other side, I climbed out of the water, leaving a wet trail behind.
I shook my legs lightly in an attempt to dry them, but with little success.
I conjured a green flame to try and dry my wet leather pants.
The small green flame danced in my palm, and I brought it closer to the pant leg, causing it to immediately shrivel up, so I quickly withdrew my flame.
Darn it!
Now that I thought about it, I recalled some words of advice from my mother. She had warned me not to dry leather, especially wet leather, over an open flame, as it would ruin it!
I was frustrated, not only with my own foolishness but also with my wet shoes and pants.
Nonetheless, I continued my journey into the forest, heading towards the large tree, despite my little setbacks.
After a while, the trees began to thicken and getting larger, and I could sense the wilderness of the forest increasing. However, I wasn't bothered by it. On the contrary, it filled me with a sense of euphoria.
I was no longer the boy pretending to be an adult; I was now an adult, an explorer, and an adventurer!
I ventured deeper into the woods, keeping the enormous tree in sight, its canopy towering above the other trees.
Wow, I thought, the tree was even larger than I had imagined. It had appeared smaller from a distance.
With my gaze directed upwards, I continued, albeit not for long, as I was abruptly halted.
*thud*