The woods flourished with the white vale of winter
as I trampled the overgrown weeds and brush beneath.
Crunch, crunch, my boots once again
conducting the sound of two worlds colliding, that of mankind and nature.
I walked with no certain purpose and found myself puzzled
- as to my next course of destination. There was no use
returning to such an empty house that would drive me to extinction,
but where then would that leave me?
I cannot possibly live out in the woods too much longer
with a life I find unnecessary. But is it clear
- that I should be the one to decide my fate?
The questions poured in endlessly,
causing my attention to otherwise stray from the path ahead.
My feet below upon the snow, crunch crunch,
my boots echoing through the thick oaks and maples.
But just then, I stumbled downward through a river of gravel,
finally resting at the bottom of a steep hill;
the snow soaked through my back,
my head pounding as it had violently slammed into the rocks.
And then a stream of shocking pain running the course of my leg,
it was so sudden that it jolted my stomach.
Upon leaning up in a great deal of struggle
I gazed my bewildered eyes upon a large rusted iron claw
one inch or so, within my ankle. It resembled that of a jaw,
with both an upper and lower layer of teeth which gripped the entirety of my ankle.
The strength of the rusty-trap welded through
with wild-flight the layers of skin only to halt its mission upon hitting my bone.
I wanted to scream, but I bit my lip, and cried.
Tears escaping in numbers ran down the length of my face
as I positioned myself closer to the monstrosity.
I tried to maneuver my foot out of its‘ grasp
but that only caused more pain to shoot up my leg.
By this time a small pool of blood had formed around my foot
gushing from my failed attempt to escape.
I felt Avery’s eggs rise up my throat but forced them back down.
I tried earnestly to keep from shaking
for every movement even breathing, shot through me like a ton of jagged nails.
The iron jaw of some hunter’s vain attempt at catching food
like a dog’s tireless bite cut deeper.
I heard the sharp scratching of the metal-teeth
shaving a thin layer of my bone. I clenched my teeth so hard
to keep from screaming that I began to taste blood.
And the silence of the surrounding land
refrained from any hope that I might be rescued.
Like a dog, I thought, left here to starve and die. ©