Chapter 8: Journey.

I screamed as it was driving me nuts on how long this damn cave is and due to the fact that I can't go back and get my efforts came fruitless frustrated me. In the end, I gritted my teeth and pushed through.

...

After god knows how long I finally caught sight of a wall that had been shined with light.

My mood instantly brithened and my pace picked up as I excitedly raced through the remaining distance.

Reaching the wall I raised my head and looked up and found a hole where the light came through. The hole is not big but is enough for me to pass through.

I quickly climb the wall reaching the mouth of the hole and lifted myself up to resurface using one of my unused hand as I was holding the wooden box in the other.

Having got out of that endless tunnel I soon found myself in a forest.

Surveying my surroundings I quickly chose the tallest tree and climed upwards.

Reaching the top, I could see the vast wilderness. Licking one of my fingers I raised it up and feel the wind. When I caught which direction the wind was blowing I immediately directed my vision there. Anxiously I was trying to find our village but instead there greeted me a line of thin black smokes emanating from speckles of black remains of the village with the village itself being wiped out from the face of the world.

I subconsciously hugged the wooden box that was still in my hands, although it made my climbing much harder I still brought it up.

Tears rolling down my face, dampening my dirty face I cried my heart out. Shouting my mouth off, I did not care if someone where to hear me, and I was thinking that, strong wind blew unto my face making me swallow back my scream.

Being halted halfway through my scream, I silently cursed.

...

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Calming my nerves I held my emotions back. Feeling my body loosened I breathed out.

"I am sorry". I whispered.

'From now on, I, Titus swore to bring you justice.' I quietly swore in my heart as I made it my life's goal with failure means death. Literally and figuratively. And after my vow I felt vindicated and a rock from my chest was finally lifted.

I am now a different person but still the same.

I am a man who had died and had been reborn.

I am a man with two lifetimes and I never felt so unfamiliar up until now but with my vow 'reshaped' my whole being.

'Now I, Titus White, will walk into a path full of thorns and uncertainty. '

...

Climbing down I then proceed to find shelter for the time being. I walked to the right from where I am and saw cave that's possible to make my dwelling.

I arrived at the cave and when I inspectioned it, I found it habitable.

Rembering my still empty stomach I headed back out to find some wild grass, fruits, crops or vegetables. Also, not forgetting in gathering firewood from fallen branches of the trees before I made my way back to my cave dwelling.

Back at the cave.

I started the campfire and using a bamboo that's been broken and split in half by a sharpened rock. And getting water from extracting them from the cacti which is living with the rocks on the steep rock wall my cave is from, I put the water into the bamboo. Placing it above the fire, I waited for it to boil. Munching on a fruit, I put on the crops that I dug out along with the wild grass and vegetables to the now boiling water.

Now that dinner was served I devoured it so fast that I did not even get to feel the hotness of the food. I was so hungry that I almost mistaked to bite at the bamboo. I rested my body unto the wall while rubbing my stomach in a gentle manner as my face showed that it was a satisfying meal. Although its not a sumptuous meal it is more than enough for survival as the food I picked came from nature itself making it quite high in energy content. After a while I began to dose off.

When I woke up the sun is already setting. Looking at the campfire it already used up the whole stock of branches. Looking to the side of it there is still left over crops from lasts meal as it was mostly composed of wild grass and vegetables and the crops being only put in bits just to add variety. I stood up and headed off to restock the dried out fire wood.

Coming back, it was already dark outside so without another moment I hastenely got a fire going lighting up the cave. Putting the crops on a stick I placed them atop the fire while I began planning in my head on what to do next. I ultimately decided to go the capital first then proceed to plan the rest there as the plan vary depending on the situation I will find myself upon arriving there.

After eating the barbecue and positioned myself to the edge of the cave and put out the fire. Unlike the last cave which looks more like a man-made tunnel than a cave this is a naturally formed cave and is rather short in depth just enough for me. I dozed off with only replenishing my energy in mind.

Waking up, I cleared the campfire and other signs of habitation and did not bother having breakfast as I proceeded opposite of the direction of the sea where the capital is located.

Arriving at the halfway point in my estimation, I stopped by a slow and gentle flowing 2 meter wide river to take a break. Noticing that the sun is about to set and still I haven't eaten anything. I repeated the procedures from yesterday and lit up a campfire, cooked food, ate, and go to sleep as it was already night by the time I finished while resting atop of the tree, my body on a stable branch.

Morning came and the first thing I thought of was bathing as bathing was not an option I thought of yesterday as hunger consumed my thoughts and I was fatigued from walking the whole day.

Quickly I got unto the river and jumped posturing and assuming the form of a cannonball.

Splash!

...

Boom.!

I was awakened from my recollection of thoughts left by my adventure yesterday by a sudden sound of boom and breaking of something, the ground trembled along with the noise.

The first thing I did was sprung up and raced towards my clothes and quickly put it on. Surpringsily quite some time has already passed and it's already dry its just that I was dozing off and did not realise it.

Shaking my head, I then proceeded to the origin of the noise taking cautious steps towards it...