Jo M Thomas
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Passage 33 - I Have No Idea Where I'm Go ...

Passage 33 - I Have No Idea Where I'm Going

Jul 18, 2022

I continue along the path with Old Andrew a little ahead of me. As we're walking in the same direction, it would be pointless to do more than ignore him. Telling him where to get off will only provoke him when I have no way of defending myself and nowhere to run to.

I only know I'm looking for a squirrel and, apparently I am to stay on this path. I only know that last part because he told me. What if he's wrong? What if he's lying?

"Come on," he says. "This way!"

As if there was any other way to go, other than this way or back tot he village- which is away from the exit, or so he says.

"If you wait until I've checked on my boy," he says, "I can take you to the oak tree you need to get out."

I feel a giggle trying to get out. I'm in a wood, looking for a particular squirrel, and the way out is a particular oak tree. This dream is weird and definitely not something I'd conjure for myself if I had the choice.

"Wait here," he says and gestures as he walks of the to cottage I can't even look at.

I don't.

I follow the path because the exit is this way. Even if it isn't and he lied to me, it's not where there are any Andrews.

This path is easier to follow than the last one. While not clearly marked, it remains packed bare earth -- it would be muddy in the wrong weather -- rather than a vague direction through a bog. I remember a bog. When was that? How did I get there? How did I get from there to here?

I hurry because I can imagine Old Andrew calling after me, running after me, grabbing at me, hitting out if I don't stop and do as I'm told. He doesn't but it doesn't make me want to slow down, even though I'm tired.

What does an oak tree look like? I mean, how do I tell one when I'm looking at it?

I have no idea, so I just follow the path. He said it goes t the exit, so it has to end at an oak tree, right?

The light dims, although the woods haven't got any thicker. In fact, they seem to be thinning a bit, with more space in between the trees and they don't grow as tall as they did.

I look up.

It's not night-time. It's probably not even evening. The sun isn't visible to tell. What is visible is a brown cliff so tall it disappears into the sky. The path carries on in that direction but it looks like I'm still a long walk from it.

That can't be the way out, surely?

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