In the forest you can tell it's alive. You can hear birds chirping, small animals rustling in the leaves, the wind whistling through the branches. The golden forest will come alive at the peak of dawn, the sunlight dancing on the leaves of living trees, the happy songs of birds praising the sunlight for coming out.

I jerk awake to a sound in the forest, it’s still early in the morning but the sun has been up for a bit. I look in the direction of the sound but can’t see anything, from the road you can’t see but a few feet into the trees without it being without light. There’s life all around us but death lingers like a thick fog waiting for the right time to lunge at you and drag you away into its icy cold fingers. This is the sign of a dying inhabitants, of a dying planet.

I look around to Alexia who is sleeping next to me in the passenger seat, her expression finally looks peaceful after everything that has happened in these past few days, not including who knows what before we met up. She looks pale so I reach my hand up to her forehead and check for temperature, most likely due to dehydration but you can never be too cautious these days, illness and disease spread like wildfire especially when it gets colder. She moves away from my hand but doesn’t wake up, Helen and Doug also look sound asleep.

I quietly rummage around in my pack and grab a water bottle. I take a couple sigs from the bottle then cap it again, staying hydrated is good but you also don’t know when you’ll happen upon another source of water. I place it on the dash where she could see is, should give her some indication to drink that one or one of her’s. I grab the bat that’s against the door and my leg, I kept the bat at least until today but I won’t hike all day with it. I slowly open the door as to not make much sound and try to get out without moaning from sore muscles, I softly push the door shut until there’s a mechanical click, all to do with simple machines. I wobble back a few cars to walk out my stiff muscles and so I can go pee.

I did a few stretches while walking back, I read them in a fitness book, I got a little too bored sometimes. There was a cool sports car adjacent to the back of the car we were sleeping in, I took the liberty to recline on the hood and windshield, no one here to stop me. I stared up at the sky to see a few clouds had gathered over night, it won’t be raining at least for another few days if any. I close my eyes to bask in the sun and to listen to the quiet surroundings, it’s a little freaky to how quiet it is. I sit and listen for a few minutes until I hear a door open and close.

“What are you doing out here?” Helen says in not very welcoming voice with a hint of displease. I let out a short laugh with a smile on my face, “Mornin’ , just getting some fresh air”. Mmm is all I hear from her, sounding very disinterested. My smile fades and I go to a straight cold face, keeping my eyes shut since all I need is tone to understand. “You can drop this bitter act against me already, I’m not out to hurt you, and frankly it’s getting a bit annoying now” I say in a condescending tone. Huh is all I hear in the quiet void. “Please don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about. You’ve only known me for a few days and you’re already treating me like one of your children’s friends who does drugs. You don’t want me hanging out but you don’t want to hurt your kid’s feelings. I was willing to play along for the beginning hoping you’d warm a bit but frankly that’s taking a little too long for me now” I open my eyes and she’s standing in between the vehicles with glazed eyes pondering on what I just said.

I crawl off the hood and walk towards the car, I stop in front of Helen and put my hand on her shoulder. “I understand she’s a dear friend of yours but you do need to recognize and remember that she IS your friend and not your kid, that and she’s an adult already. The decisions she makes from anything to everything involving her life needs to be hers and hers alone” I pat her on the shoulder and take my hand away. “I am sorry for my recent actions. I Had been Alone for a Month, so when you guys suddenly showed up a few things slipped up. I will do my best in the future and hope we will be on better terms from now on” I flash her a smile and give her a moment to process my words. She mutters an okay, I walk past her to the car. I drum on top of the car to wake the other to, they halt awake, yeah it was a little mean.

“Daylight awaits us, places to go, things to see”