Manifest

The dampened dress was uncomfortable but something to embrace, was it empowerment? Here her legs brought her with meager preparation and little fright.

She found herself looking up to the sky, over and over. There was a clarity up there obscured within the safe zone's energy dome, perhaps your eyes begin to thirst for it. She'd bring her attention down now and then to check her steps. Eventually the terrain became flat and consistent enough for more sky gazing. 

Sun rays streamed delicately through the pine leaves and the clouds beyond had much to tell of how deep their pure white runs. She left her rhythm to autopilot, one blink down, another up and then a sudden gasp tensed her body as her eyes snapped back down. Dark patches enveloped parts of the trees ahead, it was frightfully close to going unnoticed. Nothing about the environment changed, not the air, smell, or crunchy twigs below. Only those patches, stating the danger that is the forest. 

Taking a step back, wisps of hair flipped onto her collar bone as she twisted around. There weren't many patched trees in sight. Her shoulders relaxed, "Okay." It should be safe this far in but she took heed, going just beyond the forest's edges.

There she stood, scouring around through plants to branches, poking her ears this way and that way to gather any hint of movement. Nothing but birds beginning to chirp from behind. She went over and touched the dark patch of a tree, tilting modestly to smell, then picked at it with her fingernails. 

A thought came to mind, it seemed exciting to experiment with. Slowly, she crept into the forest, making sure not a peep was made.

"Euguh", Spurted out from her mouth as she came to her senses, then turned back around.

The idea; move so silently you'd hear far in the distance, giving safe retreat an opportunity. Yeah, as if risking her life with such a childish tactic were permissible. 

Back to that tree, again pressing her hand against it, now without curiosity. It was hard to think straight, to settle her restive heart, but the tree was alive and stable, it helped to feel grounded. 

"Right." As if acquiring an answer or some motivation, she began a path of encirclement.

A while of walking sparked a strange false encouragement. There were no creatures to be seen, it could, should be safe to dart in, maybe 100 yards, then dart back out. Yet, the thought alone made her knees weak. Drawings of the different creatures within made themselves remembered, it'd be a joke to think you'd outrun most of them. Only the nightmarish intensity of each time she almost convinced herself to go, did she begin to truly marvel at those who did. 

The bird noises began to get annoying. She took out the painting and held it at a distance. 

"Imagine risking your life so someone like that gets your flower." The thought was meant to be condescending but sadness alone derived from it. 

She continued on, grip beginning to crease the parchment pedals. There was an unsettling feeling from her insistently searching eyes, a desire of luck. She tried her best to neglect awareness of it, to spare herself the pity. Through such strife, grounding lost relevancy.

"Manifest something good from this desire." Her face held that determination, her stride that conviction.

It hadn't been too long, unsurprisingly, nothing notable yet happened. The thing is, if her departure back is delayed much longer, it could get dark on the way. Knowing she's very ill equipped to handle night navigation or nocturnal predators, there wasn't much choice. 

Her feet were suddenly stuck, a droplet of sweat slid across her temple, but the sun's heat was nothing to its crushing reminder of time. Certainly, there'd be no coming back, if something were to happen it'd have to be here and now. Her mind dove into overdrive as if had been powering up for this moment. The conclusion clicked emphatically, that all possibilities are limited without risk, if something is to happen, it'll happen inside that forest. 

Adrenaline began pumping, breaths were unsteadily fast and the details recalled of the flower were muddled together, she had to look again. 

Okay, it glows and it's blue, that should be enough regardless. She dropped the painting, the bag too. Eyes locked themselves in the distance where the dark patches grew larger and more entrancing. For a moment, she thought her legs began running, but no, not a step. 

As quick as her revolution vivified, it evaporated. She dropped with scrunched eyes and bared teeth that gave more creases to her face than it'd ever known. One slam, then another, each followed by muffled grunts from the throb of her fists. There'd be no screaming, she'd not even let an animal hear it, her face as well would be kept down, no living thing would see that either.

The thumbing of the ground weakened as energy declined, so loathing took its place, pricking all around. She had refused and defied the validity of magnitude that her decision to leave that meeting held. The last words to her peers came to mind, words spoken confidently, words that got their hopes up. She'd now go back and.. 

Her eyes squinted and head shook, flinging tears left and right. It was there, Fischer hadn't said no yet. Why? Where was her resolve? Her eyes scrunched again, fingers dug in the dirt until strained. She pulled them out and struck down once more. 

"Geah." Her stomach convulsed. It hurt, a lot. This cruel thing happens when stress overwhelms, though others seem to be spared by it. 

Hiccups came as well as a sharp pain with each one. She sobbed.