Fresh air greeted me. Still, the air was dry and thin, but it was definitely better than the air underground.

My eyes cried out in pain at the sudden sunlight. Although I had seen it a bit before, this was still extremely shocking; I didn’t remember it being this bright. But then again, my memory was very fuzzed from being held prisoner by monsters.

In just a few seconds my happiness wore off. The hot air dried my skin quickly, and I began coughing from the thin air. It was like if you went very high up, the air thinned, except that here it was hotter, rather than colder.

My feet started to burn from the hot red sand. Or was it dirt? I couldn’t really remember exactly how the ground was before, but it looked very similar. If my memory served me right, before it had been dirt. Now, here, it was a lot thinner. More like sand.

Was I in a different place?

I looked around me carefully. Desert, same as before. I turned around slowly, keeping an eye out for anything. My heart was slowly sinking as I gradually realised that there was yet again nowhere to go.

But then I turned behind me. There, in the far distance, lay a dead forest of rotting trees that no longer grew bright leaves.

I spotted a small hill near me, closer to the forest. I walked slowly towards it, dragging my legs behind me for I had no energy left. I eventually made it there, to the top of the hill, the horrible heat weighing me down.

From the top, I had a better view of the large forest spread out before me.

The trees were all extremely skinny, old, and unhealthy. Most of them had the same dark brown bark peeling off. Others were either lighter or darker. But all of them were dead. Their branches drooped slightly, a lot of them littering the ground already.

The ground was grassy. There were some patches of brown dirt placed randomly among the trees. Around them the grass was a tinge greener. But the rest was a dull yellow, a lot of it even brown.

After knowing what would await me there, I sluggishly continued on my path, arching my back from the heat that weighed down on me like a backpack.

Each step hurt, but I kept going, hoping for something to eat there.

Closer to the forest, I could hear the sound of children laughing. A playful one, not mocking. It was more like when someone is having a great time kind of laugh rather than a humorous laugh.

The best part, though, was that they sounded human.

After so long only hearing my own voice and the crackly ones of Mardaugs, it felt so good to finally hear human voices. And not just that, it was laughter.

The last time I’d heard laughter was. . .

I thought for a while, but nothing came to mind. When was the last time I’d heard laughter? I couldn’t remember. It couldn’t be the first time. . .no, it couldn’t. I’ve heard someone laugh before, right? Maybe my parents when I was born.

No, that was even more impossible. Why would they have laughed? From what the doctors told me they just left the night of my birth. So no, they wouldn’t have laughed.

Doctors. One of them had to have laughed, and I’d heard it. Right? I thought back as hard as I could, but nothing came to mind.

Maybe Rachel had laughed?

I searched deep into my brain, and carefully inspected all my memories, but found nothing.

So this was the first time I was hearing laughter? Was that it? Then how come I knew what it sounded like?

Too many questions, not enough answers. I told myself.

I soon decided that if there was human life in the withered forest, I better go check it out. And so I did. I carefully walked (as I now liked to call my slow walking) down the hill. Then, once I had descended it, I started on my way towards the forest where the laughter was coming from.

Closer and closer I got.

Mist creeped its way towards me and surrounded me as it did the trees. I hadn’t seen this from the hill.

It also got colder. I could still see the bright sun beaming down on me, but I felt its horrible rays a lot less, thankfully. And also stepping on either dirt or grass helped my burning feet.

The laughter was getting closer and closer to me. And even thought I could only see a few metres in front of me because of the mist, I was starting to see a speck of light in the distance. It was the same place where the laughter was coming from.

Closer and closer.

I soon realised that the speck of light was a fire, and bonfire. It was relieving to see this, because not the branches of all the trees blocked my view of the red sky.

The bonfire rose proudly with its mighty flames. I could see it very well now. But even better, I was so close that I saw figures. Human figures. I cried out in happiness.

“Hello! Hi! My name’s Mariel!” I called, overwhelmed with excitement.

And then I heard screams. But who was screaming? It couldn’t be. . .but it was. The silhouettes of the people quickly put out the fire, leaving the forest in darkness, and fled, leaving me alone.

No, no, no! I had been so close! So close to people! Actual people! I tried my best now run after them, but my legs wouldn’t respond. I wasn’t able to. So instead, I fell onto the ground and cried my eyes out.

“Please, come back; I-I need someone.” I cried, choking up tears. My stomach churned with anger and frustration. I was showered with a horrible, overpowering sadness. I was devastated, awfully angry. But most of all, I was scared.

There were real live people there. I wasn’t alone. And then my only chance just vanished. The people screamed and ran from me. But I was an ordinary human like them. How could they do that to me? Now I was alone, no more than a speck of dust in a massive dead forest. What now?

I cried more and more. I was never going to get out of this. . .place. But what was there for me back home? No, not even home. The hospital could never be called my home. Rachel was my home. But she was no more. She had moved on to a better place.

Oh, how I wished Rachel was here!

And then I coughed more and then started hiccuping, and through all that tears streamed down my dirty face.

What would Rachel tell me?

I had no idea. Maybe she would tell me to calm down or to look on the bright side.

No, she would never tell me those things. She would know that it would do nothing. I wished she was here to guide me through this.

I wished I had a friend here. Yes, that was the word, a friend. Someone to feel the same pain I was going through since I got here. Someone to tell me everything would be alright. Someone to remind me that at least we were together. Someone to insist that I would make it through this.

I pictured myself running after the now almost faded screams. I thought about finding people, and them not running away again.

And then I stood up with these happy thoughts. One step after the other, I started walking, then jogging, and then a fast run. And I was catching up fast. I didn’t feel tired, I didn’t feel lonely. With the heavy wind in my face, and my happy thoughts to keep my spirits up, I ran. All the aching in my body disappeared. I felt-alive.

Soon there was no more screaming, but back to laughing that got louder and louder with every step. They’re happy I’m coming! my thoughts rushed to any conclusion that benefited myself.

Soon I saw a bonfire. And now I was closer than last time, so more than just the shadows of people, I saw tents.

And then there was a scream. And then another. And then they were gone. The fire extinguished, I could hear the footsteps of the people frantically running from me. No, no, no! Not again! my horrible thoughts were running around in my head, coming up with mad conclusions as to why this was happening again.

All my encouraging thoughts were extinguished. My newfound energy was suddenly gone, and my heart felt heavy again.

I sat down and stared ahead of me in disbelief, where they had ran. What now? My whole body felt like jello; there was no way I could chase them again. And anyway, it seemed that they were afraid of me. But why?

I still had no idea.

Quickly my thoughts turned back to wishing I had a friend here with me. Someone to help me out in this frightening situation.

Slowly the wind in the forest got sharper and colder, and the mist got thicker. I curled into a ball to keep warm.

After what felt like hours of shivering pointlessly, I decided to try and sleep. My eyelids were already starting to feel heavy. So I let them rest.

But before I did so, I noticed a figure standing a little way away from me. I sat up straight, anxious to see what would happen next. To my delight, the dark figure moved closer to me. As it approached, I began to see more of its details.

It was very short, maybe a bit higher than my waist, and very hairy. I slowly realised that it had four legs, also very hairy. No, not hairy, furry. Long fur blanketed the mysterious creature. It had dark brown eyes, mostly covered by its beautiful golden fur. It had a tail, too. A long tail that wagged more and more as it got closer. It also had long ears that perked up when even the smallest sound was made.

And then it was there. Right in front of me. And now seeing it so close up, I could easily tell that this magnificent creature that had probably come to save me was. . .a dog.

Wasting no time, the dog held out a fluffy paw. I had no idea what to do. I’d never seen a dog, or any other animal. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. Out the window I’d sometimes seen birds or squirrels, but never a dog.

Astonished that my hand was not obeying the order to not touch the dog, I shook its paw. Then the dog nudged its head right, where it came from. Did it want me to follow it? But I couldn’t. I couldn’t move.

Incredible. The dog bent down towards me, my hand still holding its paw. It pulled its paw from my hand, and then pointed it towards its back. Did it want me to climb onto it. It seemed extremely strange, but something in my gut told me to. I forced myself to stand and then sat down on the dog’s back, slowly putting my weight on it, expecting a howl or bark, but the dog stayed silent.

As soon as I was on, it stood up and ran.