Stranded (Part I)

"What the fuck?" With the shock that came towards me, I could only curse with a stunned expression.

I was snug in bed just moments ago, engrossed in my daily ritual of playing a gacha game. It had become a familiar part of my morning routine over the past month. So you can imagine my astonishment when the scenery suddenly shifted from my cozy room to a dense forest, leaving me completely bewildered.

To make matters worse, the phone I had been holding vanished into thin air, leaving me stranded without any means of navigation. Fortunately, I was fully clothed, and despite the surreal circumstances, the forest exuded a strangely comforting atmosphere. It wasn't uncomfortably cold or oppressively hot, which was a small mercy in this bewildering situation.

As much as I wished it was all a hallucination, deep down, I knew it wasn't. Despite my terrible intuition, this surreal experience felt too vivid to be a dream. Standing idle in the forest wouldn't get me anywhere, so I resolved to take action and start walking in a direction that felt right.

Unfortunately, my lack of intuition made choosing a path a daunting task. Every direction seemed indistinguishable from the next, with no discernible changes no matter where I looked. Faced with this uncertainty, I struggled to make a decision.

In moments of uncertainty like this, I turned to a simple method for guidance. The branch found on the ground pointed me in a direction. After picking up the branch, I tossed it onto the forest floor and followed where it pointed. With its direction set at roughly 45 degrees, I began walking in that direction.

"This is getting rather annoying and downright freaky," I muttered to myself, acknowledging the surreal nature of my situation. While it would have been understandable to succumb to a mental breakdown at finding myself in the middle of a forest out of nowhere, I preferred to maintain an optimistic outlook. Rather, I had to be optimistic to keep going.

As I continued my aimless hike through the forest, I realized how dangerous my situation could have been.

"Ah..." My nerves were on edge, and a rustling in the otherwise serene forest sent a shiver down my spine, signaling the approach of something. Thoughts raced through my mind. Could it be a formidable predator, ready to pounce at any moment? Should I flee to escape its attention, or perhaps play dead, hoping my unassuming appearance would deter it?

Before I could formulate a plan of action, the noise source revealed itself. It was a small, harmless rabbit. Relief flooded over me as I realized the harmless nature of the creature before me.

As the gray rabbit met my gaze, a curious exchange ensued. It observed me intently before boldly hopping closer, its intentions unclear but its demeanor non-threatening.

Crouching down to meet the rabbit eye-to-eye, I was taken aback when it hopped onto my lap and settled in like we were old friends. Had I suddenly become a rabbit whisperer? Considering my lackluster track record with animals and caring for others, I was surprised by the rabbit's unexpected affection.

However, my moment of camaraderie was short-lived. Staring at the rabbit, I suddenly noticed something unpleasant.

There were a few brown droppings on my pants. With a mix of frustration and resignation, I watched as the rabbit darted away, leaving me to grapple with the unpleasant aftermath. Despite the annoyance, I was relieved that the droppings weren't liquid, sparing my pants from lasting stains.

With my mood soured by the encounter, I refocused on my original goal and resumed my journey through the forest. After what felt like an eternity, a welcome sight greeted my eyes.

A river stream shimmers in the distance. Without hesitation, I hastened toward it, eager to quench my thirst and perhaps find some respite from the bewildering circumstances I found myself in.

Thankfully, I wasn't suffering from thirst or hunger, a potential disaster considering my current lack of resources to procure water and food.

Now that I had stumbled upon a river, my immediate goal was to find a way to boil the water for drinking and potentially cooking. But the challenge lay in creating a fire without any tools. My only option seemed to be rubbing together dry branches to ignite a flame, which required strength and perseverance.

Gathering nearby dry branches and rocks, I assembled the materials for my makeshift fire. Determined, I began grinding a stick against the wood on the ground, though the task proved more difficult than anticipated. Nevertheless, my efforts eventually yielded smoke, signaling the birth of a small flame.

"Woohoo!!!" I cheered, exhilarated by the success of this basic survival skill. Though unexpected, the sense of achievement filled me with a newfound purpose and pride.

Despite the satisfaction of my recent accomplishments, I knew critical tasks were still demanding my attention. Foremost among them was securing a container for water, and a large leaf from one of the nearby trees seemed like the most viable option.

After carefully selecting a sizable leaf, I submerged it in the river to soak up water. However, I soon realized that I needed to fashion a makeshift holder to prevent the leaf from succumbing to the flames when heated.

Using two sturdy sticks as supports, I fashioned a simple frame to hold the leaf above the fire, ensuring it wouldn't burn. With this setup in place, I had a method to obtain warm water, even if boiling it seemed beyond reach.

Though my immediate survival needs were met, uncertainty still loomed. Yet, sipping the refreshing water reminded me of my resilience and resourcefulness in adversity.