Chapter 3: The arrival of the night and the cave

The path ended, no more footprints or smell of blood, it's impossible that that beast died in the lake due to the shallow depth, so I am now at a blind spot, I'm thirsty, I have no water on me and drinking the water of the lake seems like a risky move, I have to find civilization, I have to move and fast.

After a little pause I got to my feet and started walking towards the opposite side of the lake, the road is steep there are many trees, and my sense of direction is blurred, the forest seemed even more empty than when I started walking, however, I feel that I am not completely alone, as if there was a strong presence, with every step I feel shivers behind my back and I feel like I'm getting crushed, this cannot be the effect of hunger or thirst ... that creature, perhaps it is the effect of suggestion? maybe Fear? I don't know, however, I have to keep moving forward, going back now would be a waste of strength, I would die of hunger or thirst or why not both before being able to see the lake again, if only ... .. if only There were edible herbs or …...

*SKREEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!*

"Huh ..."

A cry accompanied by a loud thud coming from behind a tree broke my stream of thoughts. I was paralyzed in fear, this was my first face-to-face meeting with something alive, how should I behave? It sounded like a scream of pain, maybe it is hurt? What if it's already dead? What could have hurt it? The creature? And what kind of animal could ever be in these neighborhoods? I closed my eyes, and suddenly I jumped in the direction of the cry. Asking all these questions is useless, I have to think quickly. A big branch had fallen on the shoulders of a small animal, it looked like a squirrel, he was the one screaming, I can see why, I hurried to move the branch, afterward I took the squirrel in my hands, he was completely paralyzed and could only move his eyes. I could feel a growing sensation of warmth mixed with wetness on my cheeks, I was crying, seeing such a fragile and helpless being having to suffer in such an abrupt way hurts me, I had to do something to help him, but what? Killing it? there's no way I'm gonna do that, despite the hunger I can not even think of doing such a thing, I would just like to help him, but how? ...

Suddenly a memory struck me like a flash, it was not clear however I managed to understand what I was doing at that moment, I placed the squirrel on the ground and suddenly I stretched my right hand behind my back, on my waist I had attached a belt containing the bottles and bandages that I had found when I woke up, I took a bandage and tore off a piece, folded it carefully and poured on it a few drops contained in the bottle and then placed it on the squirrel's back, exactly as I did in that memory, " Nothing... N... nothing is happening? " It was the first thought to hit my mind, removed the bandages from the squirrel's body and… IT MOVES !?

The squirrel had partially started to move !, I continued to apply the bandage on the body of the squirrel including the front and back legs, at the end of the treatment he was able to stand on two legs. Relieved I took a sigh and closed my eyes.

I got up and looked towards the branches, the squirrel had already escaped. Various questions pervaded my mind leaving me stunned, what is this "miraculous" substance? Why am I in possession of it? Who the hell was that person in my memories? it looked like a woman, but not really a human being, she had white hair and...

The ambient started to darken, the sun is going down, the night is coming.

questions can wait, If by the night I don't find at least a shelter my hopes of survival will drop below zero, I must hurry!

I started running in the direction I was going before stopping, with every second the sound of my footsteps became heavier, my breath became shorter and shivering on my back became more and more present, the landscape around me did not help indeed, almost every tree was scratched if not broken, anxious I decided to close my eyes and run as if there was no tomorrow.

Completely exhausted I fell on the ground, I no longer have strength or breath, my eyes by now sore from having kept them closed for too long are no longer able to focus, but I can not stay still, the night has come, what will become of me.....

Motivated, I raised my head and observed in amazement what I had in front of my eyes.

"A ... .. ca .. cav ... ca..ve.rna, Cavern?"

The entrance to a cave stood out in front of me, it was certainly not the best yet it could go, the feeling of being crushed was at its maximum and the tremors did not leave me peace, however now I had no choice, I would have died anyway. I got up laboriously and staggered into the cave, the moonlight allowed me to see inside even if only a little, the cave was extremely small, as big as a studio flat, I entered paying close attention, the air inside was warm and tempered with a strong stench of ... BLOOD !!??!!