A Tale of Twins

“Chapter 1 - Deeper”

The two women travel deeper into the fierce woods, which only grow more hostile as the journey continues. Sonya must take on a task alone but can she find her way back to Kaya?

As they journeyed deeper into the woods the way became tangled and disorienting. Sonya knew now that she never would’ve made it alone. Felled trees littered the ground. Vines and brush covered every square inch of the forest floor. The trees were so tightly packed that very little light got through the canopy and at times it was difficult to tell if it was still daytime. It was slow moving. 

Kaya led the way machete in hand. She hacked and slashed away the hanging branches and vines. To Sonya’s surprise she saw that underneath Kaya’s sleeves protruded strong strands of muscle. She couldn’t have been much older than Sonya, a young woman at most, but yet her strength far exceeded her frame. She sliced through thick woods and mossy greens like it was bread and butter. She also seemed to have a sixth sense of the forest. 

From time to time Kaya would abruptly stop and crouch low to the ground. She would put a finger to her lips and become statuesque in her stillness. Minutes would pass and Sonya wondered what they were doing. Then suddenly out of the blue a large fierce looking animal would stroll across the path they would have taken. Once it was a bear, another time a cougar, one time it was even a 10-foot long snake with a hungry look in its eyes. 

They’d lie in wait until the animal walked, or slithered, off into the distance. Then without another word she’d stand up and begin to cut her way through the woods like nothing had happened. Sonya was coming to realize what Kaya had meant when she said she was “of the forest”. It seemed she had a direct line of communication with nature, a finger on the pulse of the woods. 

Each day Sonya awoke to the smell of cooking flesh. Without fail she’d leap from her bed and check in all directions for the fire that chased her still. The fire was relentless and it followed her even into dreams, always nagging at the back of her mind. Kaya reassured her every morning that nothing was the matter, she was only cooking.

Sonya never knew when Kaya had the time to hunt or collect food. She’d simply wake up and there it was. They ate just the one meal in the mornings and then they would trudge through the woods for hours upon hours. The forest truly seemed endless, a constant unfolding mystery. Eat – hike – sleep – repeat. This was their ritual and days upon days passed in this manner. 

Sometimes they would pass the time with stories, or small lessons about vegetation, plant life, and how to skin an animal. Most of the time they moved in silence for fear of attracting unwanted attention. Sonya was overcome with the majesty of the forest and the strength and knowledge of her guide. On that fateful day when she’d first set out into the woods to enjoy the sunshine, she never imagined what would happen or that she would now be so far from the path, so far from safety. 

As the days passed her burns healed and she could feel herself growing stronger and wiser. She picked up on the patterns of the forest. She could distinguish species of mushrooms, berries, and fruit. She was learning to make the burn ointment by secretly observing Kaya as she worked. But most importantly, she was beginning to learn how to listen to the trees. She could hear the many beating hearts of the forest. Each day was full of wonder and excitement. Before long she began to forget her original purpose. The forest was consuming them as they ventured deeper into the heart. It consumed their thoughts and their fears. They were becoming part of the rhythm of the trees. 

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It was around nighttime and the forest was growing deeply dark. Kaya plopped down on a mossy patch of ground and dropped her bag next to her. The time had come to rest for the night. Clive quickly ran to her side and rubbed his body against her leg ready to cuddle. It wasn’t often that Sonya saw Kaya so tired. Usually, she had the air of a beast, strong, confident and willful. As she slumped onto the ground a great weariness came over her face. 

“Sonya, would you mind searching for food? I’m not sure what came over me, but I’m feeling really tired. If I could just rest for a little bit I’d feel better. You are really coming along with your plant knowledge, I’m sure you’ll be able to find something we can eat.” Her voice fluctuated in volume as she spoke, even talking seemed to be a struggle for Kaya. Sonya was happy to be given such an important task but she felt worried at seeing Kaya so low. But she was eager to prove herself useful and to demonstrate her growing knowledge of the woods. 

“You can count on me! I’ll find something delicious for us to eat. Don’t you worry one bit.” With that, she was off. After a few steps, she looked back and saw that Kaya had already fallen asleep with a content and watchful Clive curled up beside her. Sonya fixed her resolve and boldly cut her way through the trees. 

Kaya made the task look easy, but as Sonya hacked and slashed her way forward her arms and shoulders quickly grew tired. Before long sweat was blanketing her body and her muscles began to burn. She needed to find a clearing where she would have the best chance of finding fruits or mushrooms they could eat. But the thick vines and branches blocked her way and she quickly grew exhausted, they’d already walked a full day and her energy was low from the start. 

Her desire to accomplish this special mission was strong and so she dug deep for the energy and continued forward for what felt like hours. The woods had grown denser and darker as they’d journeyed. Each day the light faded until the forest was clutched by a permanent dusk. 

Sonya was certain that this time the sun had actually because what little light they had during the day was gone. It was pitch black and not even the light of the moon shone above. 

“What am I going to do now?” She thought to herself. Even if she found a clearing there was little to no chance she would even be able to find Kaya and Clive again. She had traveled quite a ways away from them and her path was now completely obscured in darkness. Panic was beginning to set in as she realized the gravity of her situation. She was stuck in the middle of the forest, with no food, and no way to reunite with her guide in the growing darkness.  

“I was a fool to think I could do this! I’ve seen her do this every day. Hack, slash, find food, navigate without fail, hunt, cook, make medicine….everything…meanwhile here I am….I couldn’t do anything…” Waves of shame crashed over her. She couldn’t believe how useless she had turned out to be. She felt that her whole life all she’d done was cause problems for those around her. She embarked on this journey to make herself fit enough to live with her family again but now she was lost in despair waiting for the predators to come.

“How could I ever return to them like this…is there nothing I can do?” As the hopelessness began to grip her heart, she turned her head skyward and let the tears fall into her hair. If only she could find some food if only she could return to Kaya victorious and prove that she was useful. She sat in tears and her heart cried out, desperately hoping to find a solution to her woe. 

As if the stars themselves heard her cry, a stray bit of light suddenly broke through the impenetrable canopy. It was a small beam but she still had to shut her eyes and look away. In darkness that deep even the smallest light becomes blinding. She blinked furiously as her eyes adjusted to the newfound light. Her eyes gazed across the forest floor and for the first time she could see her surroundings fully. 

“My goodness….” She froze. She sat at the edge of the tree line and a large meadow surrounded her. It was one of the largest they had seen since setting out together. The trees with their watchful eyes, the tall grass, the moss, and the flowers were all bathed in a pearl-white light and a thin fog hung in the air. Sonya looked skyward to find the moon staring back at her. 

The sky was full of clouds but somehow the brightness of the full moon began to shine in the clearing. If her body hadn’t ached so much she might have thought she was asleep. The pearly light and the mist floated through the meadow as if they were fairies dancing in a dream. Her awestruck eyes followed the dancing fairies and suddenly she saw that the clearing was full of mushrooms and berry bushes. Her heart beat with excitement. She instantly recognized the strain of berry and mushroom and knew they were safe to eat. 

“Thank you oh precious moon! You have shown me the treasure that was right before me. I never would’ve known had you not guided me!” Her heart was full of gratitude and although tears still fell from her eyes they were now tears of joy. She could finally return to Kaya with food, she could complete her mission and prove she was worthy - that she wasn’t a burden anymore. 

She leaped up from the stump where she sat. She spun in circles with her arms outstretched, thanking the moon from the bottom of her heart. The freedom to move, to dance, to spin, it was a blessing. She wouldn’t miss the tight labyrinth of the forest when her mission was complete. 

She glided across the meadow with glee and gracefully she picked three bags of berries and a fourth bag of mushrooms. She even grabbed a dozen flowers to bring to Kaya as a thank you for all she’d done. With the food safely packed into her bag, she thanked the moon once more and without any delay she set out to return on the path she’d cut for herself. 

She was happy and full of confidence but it wasn’t long before the light of the moon once again faded behind dark clouds. She tried her best to remember the light and the hope it brought. No matter how she tried to preserve the memory of the pearly fog her eyes struggled with the darkness until once again she could no longer see. She could only move forward by feeling the path in front of her with outstretched arms. 

Her movement was glacial compared to the dynamic freedom she’d felt spinning in the meadow. Each step she took was tentative and unsure. She kept hearing a rustling noise from the surrounding forest but she refused to let her mind wander. Her hope was already fading fast enough without considering how many lurking predators were tracking her through the woods. She trudged forward, one foot at a time, feeling her way through the woods as if blind. She went on like this for an ineffable amount of time. It could have been minutes, hours, or maybe even days. Time had begun to blur together. 

She leaned for a moment against the cool bark of a tree to catch her breath. As her chest heaved up and down furiously, her eyes scanned around searching for something, anything. At first, there was only the stifling stillness of complete darkness. But then, she saw an abrupt spark of light erupt in the distance. Maybe it was wishful thinking, or maybe something unexplainable, but she had to find out. She moved as quickly as she could through the surrounding darkness. Her feet caught on upturned roots a few times and she came crashing down to the wet ground. Yet, she got back up and ran all the faster to catch the small spec of light somewhere off in the distance.

The spec drew closer and her heart began to beat in her ears. She wondered if the moon had come back to save her or if maybe it was the sun finally rising through the trees. The forest creaked, groaned, snapped and pounded as she moved her way forward with force. She was nearly to the source of the light. Excitement and adrenaline coursed through her veins. 

“There it is…I’m finally almost there…the light…the beautiful light…safety….if I can just reach….” The orb of light was in sight now. She reached her hands out wishing to grab it, capture it, and keep it with her for the rest of her journey. No more darkness, no more confusion, finally there would be safety. Her hands reached out and clasped the orb. She was surprised at first that she could actually touch the floating ball of light. It felt warm in her sweaty hands, and the warmth continued to climb up her arms, then her chest, then her stomach, then her legs. 

After a few seconds her whole body felt warm, as if she had jumped into a bubble bath. A complete sense of peace came over her. There was no sound or sensation except a calm, warm, peace. She didn’t hear the sounds of earth breaking. Or the sounds of her body falling down the ravine. She didn’t see the rocks and trees her body crashed into as she fell. There was no smell of blood or sweat. No feeling as the ground cut into her. There was no fear as her limp body tumbled across stone and wood and slid to a halt at the bottom of the ravine. Only a silent peace and then darkness.