First Time Forest Dweller (Gen)

07.17.2007 | Author: Chark | Posted in Shorts, Writing

As the sun slowly rose over the horizon, the first rays of yellow and warmth touched the tips of each limb and needle along the tops of the forest. The sounds of life started to increase from the occasional chitter to the symphony of birds chirping as they began looking for that early worm.

Sharon laid within her lightweight sleeping bag on her stomach; her arms folded beneath her head as a pillow. She listened to the waking woods and smiled in wonder. This was her first foray into camping and the wonder of the last eighteen hours was something she would never forget. Her best friend, Pam, had had a difficult time convincing her to spend their weekend camping in the middle of a forest. But the spot Pam had reserved was gorgeous; they were situated on the shore of a lake, with the sounds of a waterfall nearby. Tall evergreens enclosed their secluded spot, which made Sharon truly feel as if all of humanity had faded from the earth.

Sharon sighed and let her body give into a long and luxurious stretch, feeling her muscles strain and then relax. She listened to see if her friend was stirring and found no signs of other human noises — except for the faint whistling snores as her friend slept on. Sharon chuckled; Pam had always been a late riser and a heavy sleeper — being out in the fresh mountain air hadn’t seemed to change that.

After gathering her toiletries, Sharon made for the lake edge to wash up and gather some water for boiling to make coffee. She knew the smell of fresh made coffee would be the only thing to make Pam stir long before she would normally rise.

While the pot of water sat over the gas flame of their Coleman stove, Sharon sat looking at the terrain around her. She was awed by the beauty and tranquility. Living in the fast-paced life of Seattle, a person came to accept the frantic routine as normal. And the body, mind and spirit sometimes paid the price — being exhausted almost continually was taking a heavy toll.

The sight before her was almost too much to take in and she was tempted to close her eyes. The sun cast a warm glow around the tops of the trees above her and the sky was just turning a paler blue with hardly a cloud dotting it. Briefly, the shrill cry of an eagle broke the steady hum of forest life.

Sharon turned her regard back to the pot of water and found that it had begun to boil. She turned off the flame and poured the water into a thermos that she had already prepared with the instant coffee grounds. It wasn’t JavaJives quality wise, but it would suffice for the long weekend. The glimpse of movement from the corner of her eye caused her to look up sharply.
With a stillness that was unusual for her, Sharon watched as a deer came looping out of the woods. She held her breath and watched as another followed and they went straight for the large edge. She itched to go for her camera to take pictures of the scene before her, but she knew the moment she moved they would be gone. The deers were such delicate creatures. Sleek and compact, with graceful lines. It would naturally be at that moment that Pam would start to stir. The yawn from inside the tent startled both animals and they bounded off back into the deeper parts of the forest. Sharon slumped and exhaled. She knew they would have left her sight eventually, but to have them do so in a startled manner was disappointing.

The sound of the zipper on the tent jolted Sharon into action and she poured out some coffee into a tin cup, then dived into the cooler next to her for some cream and the container of sugar. In a few short hours, the two women would be heading back into civilization and Sharon would make sure to persuade her friend to book another weekend off to come back to this spot again.

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