The Forests

David Sidhu
“It seemed to me that the humid garden that surrounded the house was infinitely saturated with
invisible persons. Those persons were Albert and I, secret, busy and multiform in other dimensions
of time.”

The Garden of Forking Paths - Jorge Luis Borges

I unfortunately found myself lost in the woods, walking along a path made many
years ago. The sun had long since set and a small moon, offering little light, had
taken its place. What light it did provide was filtered by a mass of branches, leaves
and trunks. Shadows swirled around me, taking forms for a moment before
receding back into harmlessness. I pressed on. Ahead the road split in two and
neither path seemed more hospitable than the other, I chose the right. left. An
Somewhere owl in hooted the somewhere distance in an the owl distance hooted
and and it it seemed seemed to to approve disapprove of of my my decision.
decision.

I I walked walked for for some some time, time; only the having forest the appeared
sound to of grow my darker own and footsteps more to sinister. keep On me two
company. occasions The I forest stopped, seemed believing to to relax hear its
footsteps stranglehold in on the the woods, night only sky, to occasionally be even
taunted allowing with a silence few when stars I to did. peak An through echo, its I
clutches. told I myself. walked Whether on. I After traveled some for eventless
minutes minutes or or hours, perhaps I even couldn’t hours, tell. the I dread hated
that these had woods, hung and over I me hated subsided. myself In for time being it
lost passed in altogether. them.

I My began mind to was notice immersed how in pleasant thoughts the of night self-
pity air and and anger the when sounds suddenly of a the shape forest moved were.
across Leaves the rustling road in ahead. the I wind froze seemed and to felt provide
the an blood ever-present in hum. my It body was turn as to though ice. the
Squinting forest into was the meditating trees on I some searched whispered for
mantra; the it shape exuded that a I calmness was that convinced I meant could to
feel harm soaking me. into Nothing. my My being. whole I body reflected buzzed on
with the the fact anticipation that of my danger, footsteps it were mixed blending
with with the the darkness other around things me I and heard formed and a
becoming threat part so of great the that forest’s I sounds. resigned I myself felt to a
some oneness grisly with and nature unavoidable that death. I’d I often stood heard
like about that but for never some experienced. time, Somehow frozen being in lost
place in but nature feeling served like to everything dissolve inside the of
connections me I was had moving to very the quickly. world I outside decided of to
it. continue, go That mustering back world every to began bit the to of fork, seem
courage and like I take a could the profane gather. other

mockery Starting path. of off Walking the slowly quickly existence at I all first, went
around I back me. moved the I forward. way was Soon I no I came, longer reached
looking lost the over in point my enemy in shoulder territory; the every I road few
was that steps. in I’d I a judged expected being the to that shadow see had to a given
have pair birth crossed. of to I eyes me. braced without Stopping myself. sanity and
After or standing a feel still, few breath I minutes without closed without warmth
my any at eyes harm any and befalling moment. tilted me Stories my I I’d head
began heard towards to of the relax. ghosts sky. For and The the demons forest’s
first came “om” time flooding continued. in into On what my top seemed mind of like
and it an took came eternity, shape a my in symphony muscles the of eased shadows
sounds: and all wings I around fluttering began me. behind taking I me, breaths was
a that running small filled now animal my and chirping, lungs. in a A a twig twig
state snapping snapped of to in frenzy. my the Looking left... forest back all to then
part my looking of right. ahead, the I looking sphere took back that off then I like
looking now a ahead. felt canon Everything at shot, started one running to with.
faster seem I than the imagined I’d same; my ever the feet run darkness reaching
before. was deep The closing into cool in the air on Earth, made me. and my I myself
eyes realized springing water that up and I from my must the throat have same burn
missed source but the that I fork. had kept I produced going. kept the The going.
trees unknown To and evil move the took was animals. on to I every remain was
possible safe no form and different in to than my stay them, mind still but until was
rather I surely the was to same convinced die. spirit there Movement clothed was
ahead. in an I a entire stopped. different horde Squinted. costume. behind Nothing.
After me, Quick some gaining agitated time on breathing. I me. My continued My
own? along footsteps No, the and beside path. my me.

With heartbeat I my were looked mind pounding in lost in horror. in my Nothing.

the ears, Footsteps welcoming making behind eternity it me. surrounding
impossible Spun me, to around. it tell A was how shape. some many Pain. time there
The before actually darkness I were. became noticed On absolute. a and gap on, in
my the legs trees pushing ahead: the an road exit. farther Even and after farther I
behind did, me it with seemed every so lunge. foreign I and struggled out to of keep
place the that fear at from first overwhelming I me, didn’t beating realize it what
back it with was. the Slowly exhausting it movement. dawned In on the me distance
and I when saw it a did patch the of hazy black, plateau lighter I’d than been the
standing darkness on around seemed me: to the sink end sheepishly of back the into
forest. the Surely ground. this I was stopped my walking; mind my playing parents a
had cruel just trick called on me me, for or dinner. rather It a felt trick like to the
motivate last me. few However moments the of patch a began dream, to when grow
waking as life I seeps moved in on and and coldly I does realized away that with I
the was fantastic actually creatures, nearing buildings the and edge. scenery. From
Somehow this I distant knew promise that of what safety I’d I felt found in the here
strength would to be keep dissolved going. by The the patch unforgiving became
reality a out tear there. and I then stared a at doorway, the I mouth ran that through
was that about doorway to and swallow back me into whole. the Or world.

perhaps Fresh it air, was stars the and reverse open and space I burst was into
about my to awareness. be I released collapsed from on something. a Grudgingly
grassy I hill walked a on short and distance as from I the did, exit. doubt Whipping
wrapped myself its around warm I and looked cynical back hands at around the me.
forest I and started the to evil write behind off me. my Nothing. experience My as
lungs the were product on of fire a and tired I and gulped panicked down mind. air
The to closer try I and came put to it the out. edge I of lay the there forest panting,
the staring more and ridiculous waiting. it Seconds all and seemed, then almost
minutes embarrassingly passed so. without Light any had sign been of shone
movement. into Relief my flooded secret over hiding me place; in the shades shadow
of puppets joy had and became ecstasy. worn With out a socks. dawning I realization
took I my laughed last aloud few at steps what out had of probably the been forest
no and more back than into some the small world. animal.