short story

“Help, help!” Tom frantically screamed.  Tom had just realized that he was lost and alone in the woods. That morning Tom was on a hike alone. Every morning he would go on his routine hike with his dog on the same trail. But because recently Tom had lost his loyal best friend, the trail made him remember his dog and brought sadness to him. When he began to get nostalgic from the path he was walking on he went his own way thinking that he would simply take a short cut to the end of the trail.

“What the heck was I thinking?” Tom said aloud. He was feeling guilty and madness for doing something so stupid. By this time of the day he had a gut feeling he would not be found by the end of the day. He decided to make camp and sit and wait to be found. He thought that staying in one spot would help rescuers find him easier. All of a sudden he heard a footsteps walking toward him. He jumped up yelling “Hey! Over here! My name is Tom and I am lost! Help!” hoping that someone would respond. Emerging from the brush and from a camouflaged, brush pile hut appeared a man. Tom was absolutely shocked. This man just appeared out of nowhere. He realized that he was no longer alone unless this man was some kind of evil. The man had a long white scruffy beard with very tan skin. You could tell that he spent all of his time outdoors and was homeless.

“What is going on here? Why is a man like you so far into the woods?” questioned the homeless man.

“It was a huge mistake. This morning I was on a hike and I decided to walk on my own path and pretty much take a short cut through the woods and to the end of the trail. Then mid afternoon I realized that I was a lost. More lost than I ever have been.” cried Tom.

“Well you were not thinking! Maybe next time you wander into the woods that you will think about the consequences!” yelled the annoyed homeless man.

“Yes, that is a very good idea. I clearly was not thinking at all. I thought I knew these woods like the back of my hand…but I guess I don’t.  Sir, what is your name and what are you doing in the woods?”

“My name?! Why bother asking?! Ugh, I suppose! My name is Roy. I have been calling these woods the past twenty years of my life!” Roy said intensely. “I came out here because I was a fugitive. Everywhere I went I knew that someone would recognize me and turn me in. So I came out here and live by myself.”

“What did you do Roy?” Tom questioned.

”Why does it matter?! It is all nonsense now." Roy said in a low tone of voice.

Suddenly Tom felt as if wasn't alone anymore. Tom had lost his dog and Roy pretty much lost his normal life. Together at different times they sought refuge in the woods. After befriending each other they actually became close friends. Who knew that two completely opposite people could become two friends. After awhile and waiting for rescuers that never came that day, Roy invited Tom to stay in his shelter until they heard rescuers coming. On the third day they were sitting and talking about their lives when all of a sudden they both heard "We found him! Go! Go! Go!". Immediately, Ron took off running to hide himself and Tom was jumping up and down and waving his arms at the same time trying to be seen. He had thought that rescuers had finally come to save him. He saw the camouflage suits of the army men and the black suits of the cops and German Shepards tugging at the end of their leashes. The cops came up to him and practically screamed at him to get on the ground and put his arms behind his back. Confussed, he jumped down faster than he ever could. "Stop! I am Tom! I've been lost in the woods for four days!" he tried pleaing to the cop. But in a matter of minutes he was handcuffed and was with a cop. As he got up he saw that Roy had been tazered by cops and was on the ground. Cops were surrounding him left and right. This day was the last day for Roy and his wilderness freedom.