walking through the forest

Squelch squelch as my shoes rubbed against the leaves on the ground as I zig zagged

disorientated through the forest. I was never good at directions or navigating. I had engrossed myself with tracing a leaf onto a paper which I had now gone astray.

It was the request of our teacher Mr Bailey to collect things from the forest so I had decided to get a leaf printed onto paper. I was never much of a naturist hardly Bear Grylls and the thought of collecting either tadpoles or insects brought a chill down me.

I had no idea where I was, all the trees were green and tall, facing upwards shielding

me from the outside world. I could feel the sweat trickling down my back

sticking to my school shirt, it was dirty with mud and green stains. I had slipped and grazed my arm which was red, had a sore throat from shouting ‘help’ several times and ripped

my trousers with a hole. There was no one to hear me or see me in the forest

but the trees, birds and insects. I just kept on going forwards I had no idea where to go, my chest was beating hard against my skin, my breath heavy. I had only my own thoughts of company surely someone would know I had not returned I thought.

On reflection on that I was the unpopular kid, the one who stood out, I wore

glasses for one thing and had braces, plus I was smart and contrary to the

Big Bang Theory show it still wasn’t cool to be clever. I didn’t have a girlfriend either,

but girls were not what I preferred, though I kept that secret.  I always felt lost , now I had

literally gone off track into the forest.

I didn’t know which way to go or to find myself through the wilderness,

the sun was beating through the trees onto my head. I felt light headed, the water that was in my rucksack was nearly finished as I sipped the last remains of it into my dry mouth. I shouted ‘help’ again as one last desperation cry as my voice echoed into the surrounds beating off the trees and water disappearing into the distance. I felt warmness of water against my cheeks as the tears rolled down from my eyes, and wiped the snot from my nose as it dribbled down my face. I thought of my mum at home and Mr Bailey informing her that her son had disappeared and her wailing at the prospects of her only son not being able to give her grandchildren in the future. I had meant to tell her about my sexuality but I was Asian and that information could hardly be blurted out over tea and samosa. But I knew that I had to tell her the truth.

The sun was starting to go down it was going to be dark soon

and my Iphone battery was only up to around ten percent I had tried to ring it but it had no credit on it.

As I sat down onto the wet log which soaked into my underwear. I could hear a

voice in the distance cry out ‘Asleen’ ‘Asleen’ thank god I thought it was Mr Bailey’s voice in the distance.