Chapter 1

When I was five my parents started drinking. I was young and so dependent on them that now that I look back at that time in my life, I have one more reason to hate my parents.

Meh, it isn’t worth thinking on the past when I have to think of what I’m going to eat tonight. Fish was the first choice, as always, so here I am sitting on a rock stuck in the middle of the river that separates my territory. Waiting for something to happen. This is my forest, yet I have no control over when it rains, or when the fish bite, or the way the wind blows. But I have learned to take the habits of my forest and head warnings from them. Like when winter is approaching, or when a storm brews, or even when a hunter or fishermen finds his way this far upstream.

I protect my forest, I live off my forest, that is the way it has been for eight years. I was eight when my parents deliberately abandoned me in this forest. The day before my eighth birthday, so technically I was seven but when I realized that it had been on purpose, I was eight. I was also angry.

But that’s ancient history. I’m sixteen now and I’ve more than survived in this forest, I’ve thrived. Away from civilization, from the complicated life of a ‘normal’ sixteen year old female. I am simply happy here. Of course, there is the occasional band of ‘civilized’ humans that I have to scare away because they are simply too destructive.

That’s what bothers me about the rest of my species, they are all so destructive. I hate them all. I would never live in civilization, never live among people.

My parents gave me a name; I remember that much about them. Riley. I know how to spell and write and read and some math but what I lack in ‘text book intelligence,’ I make up for in my knowledge to survive. I could live without a microwave or a television. No doubt, I knew how to use both of these appliances; I remember using them as a child.

But I believe I have strayed from the topic. Fishing. The trick is to not to let your shadow lay across the water and to be very still. It was easy to find the supplies I needed to survive. It’s truly amazing what fishermen and hunters leave behind when they leave frustrated. Another thing. Most fishermen don’t stray too far upstream, I don’t know if it’s too strenuous a walk or what, but they just don’t. So the fish upstream haven’t been diluted by the civilized fishermen. They fish for sport, I fish for my diner, and it annoys me that they take my fish.

But what you can do?

I have what I need. Shelter, a food source (several, actually), a water source, and knowledge of my forest that no other human being can ever dream of having. I guess I was happy. No, I was happy. I didn’t need anyone.

Yeah, I do get lonely. But when you live all by yourself in a vast expanse of forest, you can’t help but get lonely.

Human companionship, in my book, is overrated. I do have friends in the forest, albeit non-human, but friends nonetheless. For example, Misha. I found her when I was exploring the trails on the west side of the river. She was a black stray cat that I picked up and fed. That was two winters ago, ever since she’s followed me around. So I’m not completely alone in this forest.

I also have the trees and the occasional small animal to talk to. They aren’t afraid of me. I wonder if it’s because I don’t smell of civilization. I suppose I can’t be considered civilized. Yet a part of me wouldn’t have any other way.

XXX

D.R.M/Broken Wolf

661 words

3,459 characters

48 lines

2 pages

19 paragraphs