*Swoosh*
The smooth pebbles under Erin’s face along with the nearby water emitting a gentle soothing sound would have been a picturesque scene, perfect for a vacation. That of course, if not for the...
“Ahhhhhhhhh!”
Pain.
Every fiber of his body, and maybe even his soul, hurt so badly that he wondered if the water sound was the fire from hell playing tricks on his mind. Especially his head. He wasn’t new to migraines, but this pain was almost ridding him of his life.
Erin wanted to sleep again, to escape from the relentless pain that was gnawing at his mind. At that moment, the thought of eternal sleep seemed like a tempting refuge for his troubled circumstance.
“NO!”
Using all the strength he could muster in a desperate attempt to maybe crush his head, he felt something that left him confounded. Rather than the anticipated soft skin of his right hand, he met a coarse and rugged texture reminiscent of the calloused sole of his feet.
Opening his photophobic eyes, he was greeted by a disconcerting sight that confirmed the nightmarish reality of his situation. His hand was adorned by a black glove that shone with a metallic luster.
“What…?”
The object bore a peculiar likeness to a fusion of a neoprene-like synthetic material, akin to a diving glove and a metallic fabric. However, what truly gave Erin an unsettling sensation was the uncanny sight of the intertwining fibers, wriggling and squirming as if infused with an eerie semblance of life.
Although the pain was subsiding a little, he found himself drawn towards the glove. Its peculiar blend of softness and a metallic sheen beckoned his gaze, evoking a sense of curiosity despite the unnerving circumstances. Though unsettled, he couldn't deny the odd allure of the enigmatic glove, a fascinating enigma that both perplexed and terrified him.
No sane person could stare at this bizarre sight without feeling the grips of fear.
"Get the hell off me... Why won't it come off?"
His attempt to remove the black object proved fruitless as it seemed as if the glove was glued to his skin, rejecting any of his efforts to slip a finger underneath or grab hold of any part of it. It simply didn’t budge.
While trying to take it off he realized an even more uncanny detail. He could discern a peculiar sensation within his hand, not the one trying to remove the glove but emanating from the very material of the glove itself. Even the gentlest caress against the fabric, or metal, felt strangely intensified, surpassing the sensation in his other hand. It became apparent that his right hand possessed a higher level of sensitivity.
He decided to give up the attempt for now, as it felt the same as trying to remove his own hand.
Despite the pain now subsiding to a moderate level, Erin's senses alerted him to yet another discrepancy. Even with the thin glove encasing his right hand, it appeared smaller, and his limbs seemed strangely shorter than what he was accustomed to. His “little brother” down there was also less well-developed. At that moment, he became conscious of his proximity to the ground, as if his field of view had been elevated.
"Inexplicably, it seems that either I have shrunk or transformed into a child."
His eyes had finally adjusted to the intense and warm sunlight that bathed the surroundings. Bereft of clothing, he found himself barefooted, and just standing upon the pebbles sent jolts of discomfort through his feet.
'Not entirely… I have this thing at least.'
His gaze wandered behind him, to find himself at a creek bank. The creek, embraced by a lush, verdant embrace of foliage, coursed through the forest like a snake. Its crystal-clear waters cascaded over smooth rocks, creating a symphony of gentle murmurs as they went downstream. Sunlight slipped through the rich canopy, bestowing a soft glow upon the rippling surface.
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Confusion filled Erin's mind as he surveyed the unexpected forest surroundings.
“How the hell did I end up in a forest…?”
Erin pondered, his thoughts overrun by the pain, the alien-like glove, and the general strangeness of the situation. Before him a verdant forest was presented, but one that boasted peculiarities. Unfamiliar foliage dressed the trees, showcasing leaves in deep shades of blue, red, and purple. Some of the trees, adorned with peculiar fruits, added to the forest's mystique. The scale of everything heightened the mystery, every tree appeared ancient and generally big, at around 50 meters high. He was sure that if such a forest existed it would have been the most famous in the world.
Yet, denying this extraordinary forest would be equivalent to accepting his own descent into madness. The undeniable reality of his surroundings forced him to confront the inexplicable nature of his current situation.
An ominous premonition stirred within Erin's heart. The symbiotic black glove, the unfamiliar body he now inhabited, and the serene yet enigmatic forest by his eyes...
*sigh*
All these factors converged into a probable explanation that created an overwhelming sense of unease.
Assessing the lack of tracks and the untouched, ageless nature of the forest in every direction, Erin deduced that he was not near any trace of civilization. The biggest challenge of being lost lies in the absence of information. Knowing you must endure for thirty days until rescue enables you to find the strength to persevere. However, without such knowledge, hope can wane within a week. Mental resilience thus becomes the paramount factor for survival.
Though not inherently optimistic, Erin possessed a tenacity akin to that of a cockroach. His mind, ever analytical, sought the most viable solutions for the challenges he faced.
Without a mirror but observing his underdeveloped body, Erin was certain he had somehow regressed into childhood, presuming that the body in question belonged to him, naturally. As for his exact age, he couldn't be certain, but judging by his height, he estimated himself to be around 11 years old, a pre-adolescent.
"How does a child survive in a forest?"
Erin pondered, his mind already running the engines for navigating this unfamiliar terrain in order to ensure his survival.
The best-case scenario would be to follow the creek until he could stumble upon any human vestige, assuming they existed at all.
However, this plan was abruptly halted by the reality of his childlike body.
'I don't want to risk spraining my ankle or developing blisters... An infection could prove fatal in this situation.'
Erin contemplated, realizing the importance of proper footwear. Walking barefoot in a forest would be one of the most challenging experiences while being lost.
'I don't even think I've got enough strength to build a proper shelter in a short time, so I guess I'll have to settle for some basic bushcraft nonsense.'
Acknowledging his physical limitations, that being weak and small, Erin dawned upon the realization that his brain would be his best resource.
'Now, I'm uncertain how much daylight remains, but at least finding water won't be an issue. Food is still a problem though.'
Gazing upwards, Erin was taken aback to find that the sky appeared rather ordinary amidst the peculiar surroundings.
Basked in strong, morning-like sunlight, he surmised that he still had plenty of time till darkness started covering him.
‘First and foremost, I need tools. Ideally, a cutting tool would be the most useful, but I don't see any suitable stones that could be fashioned into a knife or spearhead...’
While contemplating upon that, Erin directed his attention to the conspicuous glove adorning his hand, wishing it could be a knife instead of a useless glove.
In an alarming turn of events, he narrowly escaped a life-threatening encounter, this time due to sheer fright.
The alien-like glove started pulsating and very slowly morph into his mental image of a “knife”.
Frantically flailing his right arm as if it was set ablaze, the sharp object, which defied all conventional means of removal, finally fell to the ground with a resounding metallic sound.
*cling*.
'What?'
Examining his hand, he discovered nothing but a black jewel embedded in the back. The jewel, about the size of a peanut, possessed a metallic gleam and emitted a soft glow.
Erin hesitantly reached out to touch it and experienced a disconcerting sensation as if the stone had melded with his skin, evoking a wave of nausea. The unsettling realization that the hard gem could transmit tactile feedback left him pondering,
"What have I become?"