*Gasp

Waking up as if slapped awake, I am gasping with short and hasty breath as if desperately swallowing oxigen that I am used to long for.

"*cough! Cough! ... ueghhh"

A lot of water coming out of my mouth as if broken damp but it seriously relief the burden the clogged feeling on my chest.

My position are belly down, with half of my body still in the water so it is really cold down there especially my feet but I dont care, or rather, I failed to care at such a thing when a deep pain make a scratch from my chest, goes to my throat then hammering my brain with power making the world seems spinning.

I try to make myself as calm as possible in order to tone down my thumping heart.

*Breath in Breath out

It is difficult to keep my shaking body of mine down, but maybe the powerless hand that push it's body up are still want to work hard in order to make it's owner into as much comfortable position as possible I believe.

"Fiuhh"

Closing this tired eyes, a certain image automatically projecting inside my head.

In it, a dark and muddy liquid envelope me while my stretched hand keep desperately trying to reach anything that can be grab to but to no avail. The feeling of deep fear swallowed me when water start to pour onto my lung forcibly making me cough it to my nose.

All of my air goes out just like that but within this accursed place, breathing are something strictly forbidden with a very blatant danger sign flickering with warning.

What should I do?

I don't want to die!!!

IF!! Just IF I can somehow take even a tiny weeny air, I can be released from this torment!!

Just like how Adam and Eve ignore the warning given to them and received their punishment, I too ignore the warning my logic gave me.

Even though they are supposed to be a loyal subject of God, they still do it in the end.

'Now I know why.'

Because the temptation are too hard to be ignored.

Even though a deeper hell are already directing his hungry gaze, I breath in as little as possible in order to only take the little necessity my body need.

At least that is my plan.

After that, a lot of dirty water come straight toward my throat making me even harder to breath before my brain shut down completely.

Now that I mention it again, that river are in the middle of city so even a piss, detergent, trash, and waste are mixing together.

"Uhh... Ueeghhh"

There is no water in my vomit, only saliva and air but the pain it caused make me frown so much that my forehead start to hurt.

"...*huff Huff. Ugh, if I know something like this were to happen to me...I will learn how to swim even though it torture me..."

Well, there is no "IF" in this wolrd and again, I learn in in the hard way.

'Wait...When did I learn such a thing?'

'No, what matter the most are to get as far as possible with this damn river'

Thought me while kicking the water with force hoping that will make it feel regretful for making me experience such an awful thing.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

But what greet me are a clear stream, like mountain river. 

Dumbfounded, I scoop the water with hand and sniff it with concentration.

"*Lick. No taste either"

That is some courage I have to lick something foreign but my head have been slowed so I don't thought of it that far. 

"It's somewhat refresing"

Well, normal water doesn't have taste to begin with but till how far did am I drifted? From the middle of a city to clear and pure water in the middle of...

'...Forest? Or mountain?'

*grumble

...I am hungry. So, how am I supposed to eat in this place? Fruit? Vegetable? I don't even know whether some kind of fruit that I know of exist in this mountain.

"...Wait. How come the water go upstream?"

Goes from mountain top, toward city settlement, then goes straight to the wide sea.

That how it normally goes.

Looking up, the dense forest look as green as what you normally find in the best picture captured in museum where things still looks good. The leaf dancing with the refreshing wind make the chaotic head of mine calmed down significally.

Not good.

For me to realize such a matter of fact thing this late mean I cannot count of my thinking process at all. For now, I need to get far from the river and dry my clothes so that I won't catch a cold. 

Dragging my tired and heavy body, I reach the nearby tree with much effort then strip myself leaving only a short and put it under the sun. Looking up, the sun still not that high.

"Maybe around 7 or 8 o'clock if I am not wrong."

After all of that done, I start to examine the river carefully. It is indeed very clear and clean. Not so deep, but it cleanness borderline ridiculous. Judging it as unhealthy water might make other doubt my intelligence so without hesitation, I dive my head in while keeping my eyes open wide.

What meets me is a wonderful world where a lot of underwater plants that I don't know about swaying gently giving such a feast to the eyes. Especially that cheerful figure of a group of fish that swaying it's butt as if asking to be eaten.

***

An hour passed and not even 1 fish been caught by me.

'HOW COME IS IT SO HARD!!??'

Don't know how many time he wants to shout but he endured it with his will alone fearing that some kind strange yet dangerous animal might hear it. After that exercise, his body becomes so tired that he wanted to only sleep, basking under the warm sunlight.

'But I am afraid that it might get even harder for me to move afterwards'

Why the heck did I give my source of food to others anyway? 

'Is there some kind of bait for me to use?'

Took me a whole hour and a handful of time for me to figuring such normal common sense, I tried to direct my gaze toward the trees around me while feeling dejected with my not so bright head of mine.

What can I do?

Clutching my already quite warm clothes of mine, I ended up shaking my head then use it to catch a fish with.

It is quite useful because it replaces a net though not so much but I at least caught a fish with it but...

'...No lighter around'

I might be able to light a fire without it but...

'Who am I kidding? I never know how to do such a thing'

I am not a smoker because it cost me money.

Of course, I was smoking, or even gambling, drinking or even stealing but I thought that at least I want to change my habit first so I limit my self from smoking because it cost me daily compared with others.

"I kind of regret it now"

I still process the fish though.

Never clean a fish, doesn't have any sharp object to cut its belly, I start to wonder whether is it alright for me to eat it raw.

Of course, I wouldn't dare.

Leaving with no choice, I pried it open barehanded, clear it with flowing water, clean its scale, store it after I wrap it with leaves.

Good thing is, I know some of the leaves that can be used to wrap food with.

'Banana tree. But WHY there aren't any banana in it? *Sigh'

Such a cruel way to torture my fragile heart.

I do really hungry but maybe there is food inside the forest so I stop my impulse for now.

Looking upstream, there is a mountain far away. Never saw it nor do I want to go there.

Normally, you can find Settlement if you keep following riverside so in order to save energy, I go downstream instead. But after walking for 1 whole hour, I start to doubt whether there is much difference between those choices.

Looking toward the top of trees, I start to wonder whether I can saw something from above then decide to climb it just in case.

Yet another worse choice because IF I do that from the beginning, I might save a lot of time and trouble. Now that I am hungry and tired from walking, I climb the f*cvking trees so it became harder to go down now.

'Maybe this is exactly the reason why I ended up as a beggar on the street'

Giving up, I sat still while recovering from my fatigued while relaxing my eyes with the wonder of the world.

Left and right, no sight of living being found. No bad weather sighted which is good, but no fruit either. Mushroom? I didn't even dare touch it.

There is one time where I tought that any kind of mushroom will do to appease my hunger but ended up giving me a stomach ache instead.

"...Can I survive?"

Then without knowing, tears start to pour from the corner of my eyes.

 But when I thought that I might have no future anymore...

"*Hic Hic...Mommy..."

"..."

I heard a cry of a kid.

In the f*cking middle of forest, where there is no living trace could be found. ( At least for now )

'Well...Should I happy now'