2 Lost, But Found

The winter solstice that pulled me into this madness had become tranquil, like ocean waves at a beach. Memories blur my head, and I can feel the dizziness drag me into its drama. I keep walking on, though, hesitating every last step. I can feel the air whip me, but that doesn't stop me either. "Come one, Mark, it's all in your head," I whisper, hoping my words could shake the thoughts. They don't.

I scurry through the forest, aware of the golden sun dripping on the horizon's edge. I quickly stop in my tracks and glance over my watch. 11:35 AM. Time was already leaping, crossing the perimeters line. What felt like minutes were hours and hours. The weird thing about time is the limits. We can go forwards, but backward only works as far as the present day. If only there were a button that could reverse everything.

I cross Pozo Sin Fondo, slowing my pace. The bridge was quite sturdier than usual. Now, it seemed to have gained weight and become something new. Maybe too much snow must have leaked through the planks? I looked down at my feet as I held onto the railing. Icy. I could consider that, but still, I wasn't so sure. I quickly shut my eyes, trying to ignore the signs. I could never get my mind out of it. It's like getting your head stuck into a jar, not knowing how you did it. I opened my eyes once more, and this time, I turned around, jolting my neck halfway, and stared at the edge. What was that sound?

I was startled for a moment. I looked around, wondering if anyone was there. I was trying to keep a low profile after all, even with the woods having seen no humans settle here. It could be another vision, I thought, but there were no loose people in the air, trying to get attention. After a few seconds of hesitating, I ignored the sound because living here for four years in the woods has taught me something. The woods are always full of strange noises. One day you might hear a growl and think of it as a bear, and the next day, you might think of it as a fox, who must've gotten its lunch caught in the neck of its throat.

I started to walk again, this time more carefully. The birds murmured in the sky with soft and sweet melodies. Maybe their parents must have taught them how to sing so beautifully. I look onto the bridge ahead when something made the sound of a swish, which made me feel queasy about still walking. I turned around, and this time, I saw something-- a figure. But I couldn't make out if it were a delusion or not because their body wasn't, you know-- see-through.

It was wearing a long black cloak, which reached down to its ankles. The face was surely a blur, but there was only one thing I seemed to stare at; its hands. There was something this person was holding, something I figured dangerous. Again, I haven't seen any real people in these woods for a long time, so seeing this guy was shocking. Even if he were just a friendly guy roaming in the woods, I couldn't trust him. What am I saying? He's certainly not friendly-looking. The guy immediately turned around after seeing me. There was something white and bold popping out from the back of his cloak as he turned. It was like a symbol or something. Whatever it was, it looked oddly familiar.

The guy was only twenty feet away when the bridge began to tumble. Then I realized something: the ropes that held the bridge had been cut loose. And I also figured that the guy was holding onto pair of scissors to cut it.

Time seemed to slow down. I let go of the railing and ran out into the open ahead of me. The bridge came down fast. Soon, my legs were only a few feet away from the wooden planks that seeped into the darkness. Only a few more steps, I thought hastily, but the words wanted to roar out like shallow waves swallowing someone whole. "Only a few more steps!" I cried. I couldn't help myself from yelling and panting. Why did it seem like forever? Sweat buds had already started to form on the sides of my face. They began to rush down slowly down my neck. I wipe them away in anger. "I don't have much time! I don't--" My legs began to cease. What felt like eternities was only a few seconds but, every moment had collapsed against the ticking of the clock. It just wouldn't let go of me, like a movie replaying over and over.

"Ice!" I began to rejoice as the end had drawn near. I can't remember the last time I had ever celebrated over something so skeptical. Ice is an immortal and selfless thing here in the woods. You would slip on the ice no matter how much practice. That's how it is.

The edge got nearer, and the rest of my thoughts had already begun to scatter like feeble creatures in a dark, lonesome night. I leaped into the air with my arms in front of me. Looking down below and watching as my feet began to touch the ice, I felt the conscience. I didn't turn back, I did not, even for when my body felt numb and corrupted my fear. I fell onto the hard ice on my chest, determined I had survived a devious stunt that wasn't meant to be, but my stunt wasn't over yet. I slowly pulled my body away from the cold, slick ice when I had realized I was slipping onto the edge and into the unknown. I tried to grasp onto the ice hoping it would save me but again, it was useless doing so, and I had already met the edge.

"No!" I yanked onto some more ice but it didn't stay. I was already hanging onto the ledge, where my end awaited. The sweat that had raced down my face had become frozen by then. "Curse you ice," I mumbled, looking down the trench where I could still visibly see the bridge's planks and ropes fall into the unmistakable hole. It was getting smaller and smaller, and I watched it until then it had vanished. There was no sound or thump. The cool air around me was silent and so were the birds who had once been chirping this morning. Maybe that's why they call it a bottomless pit, I thought.

I closed my eyes, desperately. More sweat dripped down my neck, making me feel queasy. "Don't look down. Don't look down." I said slowly, trying to fight off the fear that crept inside of me: dying. I didn't want it to end, I didn't want to die with my name erased on a chalkboard. I grasped onto the ice with hope, but that was before my left hand slipped off the ledge, and I looked down into the darkness once more. The worst fear of all, however, was knowing the fact that no one going to be there to bury me. No one would even know where I'd be or where I was; What had come of me or when it had come. There'd be questions, questions, questions considering the mysterious vanish of a lonely boy in the woods who'd always kept to himself. Soon their heads would be held with frantic thoughts and made up stories about the boy with no resting place.

My fingers began to slip. " I don't want to--I don't want to..." I looked down at the black hole. Was it endless? Or was it so deep you just couldn't see the bottom? Was it truly a bottomless pit? My head was infuriated with terrible endings, terrible such that you could never believe in them. And for that, I would've slapped myself, that is if I had both hands on me right now. I couldn't consist of the pain because I hadn't persisted in it yet. The guilt swells up in me as I felt a fury of memories flash before me. I try to pull my leg up, but it jabbed against my skin, with blood licking the ice red and clean.

I suddenly jolted. Your gonna die! Can you at least consider that!? I quickly come back down to Earth. Desperately, I call for help, hoping, just hoping someone in the forest was out and about. Two of my finger slip off the edge, making me worry more. "HELP! HELP! HELP! Help...?" I pull my head up to see if anyone was there, but the forest was still with only snow covering up its secrets. I close my eyes, like I would when I first set foot on the ice on those chilly days when the leaves were still brown. I close my eyes, praying, but the hope drifts out of me, leaving me clueless. Theses no one out there. Maybe I am hopeless. Maybe I am a fool.

Tears begin to stain my face as I look down once more. "Heaven can't help me now," I whispered. My fingers escaped the ice, slipping with all the strength lost in it. The endless and black burden that I used to carry began to feel light, and all the troubles of the world seemed out of sight. It all seemed to swallow me whole, but something grasped my hand tightly, and I opened my eyes to look tenderly. "Hmf. Hold on!" The voice was cold but held some concern. They pulled me up with no struggle, and once I lay on the ice, I sat up, trying to get a good glimpse of the figure. Unfortunately, they were wearing a hood with a mask slightly covering the face. "...Who are you?" I asked. The hint of fright in my voice was certain of it. "No thank you, then?" I found myself looking at the man whose eyes stared down at me. They narrowed, getting a good glimpse of me.

"I asked who are you? Wasn't I clear before?!" Now I could hear myself yelling. I had no idea who this stranger was, yet he had helped me, and I was pressing on him with anger and frustration. "Calm down..." He was already looking down at my leg, which was all bloody. "I see you haven't changed." He began to chuckle to himself in a low voice. "What are you talking about?! I don't know you!" "Sure you do," he was already nearing me. I pushed myself back. "Don't get any closer! I asked you something! Maybe you have forgotten!" He ignored my words like dodging aimless arrows and crept closer towards me.

"Let me help you with that." Before I could say another word, he grabbed a water sack that was hanging on his belt and began to open it. "This might sting." His voice was soft, which made me rethink even more. Why is he helping me? "Ah!" The water was cold and wet. He poured it over my leg like he was pouring syrup over some pancakes. After he was done, he grabbed his handkerchief from the bag. "It's clean," he added as he began to dab it onto my skin. "Why are you out here alone?" He then asked as he began to rip the sleeve of this shirt. He tied it onto my leg. "Ow, that's too tight." I ignored his question directly and swung back with another question: "Why are you helping me? I don't even know you. And back there you said you had known me. Maybe you have me mistaken." I meant those words, I did. This man said he had me recognized? I doubt it. I live alone in the woods. Ha. How could he possibly know me?

I began to pick myself off the floor slowly and steadily. When the male had finally spoken again, it hurt--more than the wound I wore. "Of course I know you. I recognized your voice from when you called out for help. I recognized you from both faces that the second face was the face you had painted yourself to be." I watched him turn his back on me like he had made a mistake and was afraid to reveal it. "Mark..." His voice drifted into the silence of the woods. My facial expression had already changed completely. "H-how did you know? W-who are you and how do you know my name?" I whispered, startled.

The mask fell from his hands and dug right into the snow. "I said, who are--" He turned around, lifting the hood from his face. My mouth felt dry now. It all seemed unbreathable and almost impossible to engulf, but I did it anyway. His face had a very long scar patched through the eye. It was the very same scar... I tried to take a huge breath, but it all choked my throat. Then, he peeled his gloves off, making me jump even more. There were cuts and scratches labeled all over his hands. He then looked at me, solemn.

My heart broke. It shattered into millions of pieces that were impossible to search for, impossible to glue back. I looked directly at his face once more, hoping it was all just a joke, hoping he'd also be laughing within the morning light beaming and melting away our troubles. But he wasn't laughing. I wasn't laughing.

It was him. It was my brother.