Hotness of Sun
1152 Words
“The forest is my light and air, the deep brown earth that elevates each step with its ever-giving soul.”
21 DECEMBER 2021- MIAMI, FLORIDA
What do you think the forest is like?
Do you imagine monkeys swinging cheerfully from the beach to branch, a number of fruits of different varieties hanging plentifully from every branch that happens not to be occupied by swinging monkeys, all the majestic terrain of nature rising out of the Misty tangle of the trees?
Well, if you think that, you are witless.
Because of December month, Adeline thought that her journey through the forest would not be physically tiring - mentally but not physically.
How wrong was she?
Well, very.
Winter has always been actually one of the best times to visit Miami, because of fewer crowds, less traffic, and amazing weather! But, this forest had something else in its pocket. It was moist, and hot, which she did not expect.
Don’t get her wrong, she had been living in Crestview for five years and London for almost seventeen years of life. But in those years, she was unused to being boiled alive.
That was an exaggeration. Well, the thing was the hotness of this forest had a toll on Adeline and she was NOT liking it.
“Bloody hell!” Exclaimed Adeline, raising her hand to wipe the sweat off her forehead. By now, she had her jacket in the bag and hairs tied in a messy bun. “Am I the only one who thinks it is really hot in here? I thought deserts were supposed to be hot, but this Much higher temperature in December, bloody hell!”
“High humidity,” Ace’s Curt voice explained. He was marching in front and Adeline behind. “The higher the humidity, the hotter human senses perceive it to be,”
“Perceive it to be? You mean it’s not really this hot?”
“Indeed. Our body is a fallible animal. Simply ignore its false information.”
“Oh, that’s a great help I think. Thanks a lot.”
“You are welcome, Adeline Martinez.”
She managed to go on for about a dozen yards more before she collapsed. Through the haze that lay over her vision, she saw Ace stop and turn.
“In case there was a miscommunication, Martinez,” his voice informed her, “we are not stopping at any obstacle. Because you have noticed, you have not got enough time. Get up!”
“Huh…!” She said.
“Martinez!”
“Uh….huh…!”
His glaring eyes swept over her, sending a much-needed warning into her hard head.
Ooooh…. Wonderful! Bloody wonderful!
Somehow, she found her strength to raise her head and look at him, standing above her in all his glory. There was hardly a hint of sweat in his face, damn him!
“Grandpa said to be aware of horrific dangers in the path. But this,” pointing at the sun, “is not any danger, this is inhuman! Nobody can manage this!”
“Done with the tantrums?” He c****d his head, his face casting shadows in the twilight. “Now get up, we need to find the passage of mahogany trees.”
“How will we find it?”
He shrugged and turned away. “Unlike you, I have been trying to find a clue. And, I believe,” saying so he strolled towards one of the trees and cleaned a definite portion of the trunk, revealing an arrow mark carved on it. Turning towards her, he said, “I found it. Now, are you going to get up, or will I have to drag you up?”
Adeline opened her mouth to throw an expletive at him- but before she could, it came.
The inspiration.
She had no clue where it had come from. This certainly was not the best weather, but she gathered every ounce of her strength, she said, “All right. I’ll get up.”
Grabbing a nearby sapling, she managed to haul herself to her own two feet. They did not really feel like her own anymore, rather like random appendages some not particularly talented craftsman had stuck to her legs. Every muscle in the body was aching now, even those she should, technically, not be using for walking. But somehow she got herself vertical again and, calling on all her fortitude, started settling one foot before the other.
You can do this Adeline! She encouraged herself.
They started their journey again, by each step Adeline realised Ace was right, it was her perspective that stopped her from going down the lane, blocking her mind. If this would have not been for her task, she might have not got the inspiration to rise again and walk.
The sun which she felt was burning over her head a few moments ago, it felt like a comfortable warm winter to Adeline instead of scorching heat.
Was this all a game of belief?
Step by step, her muscles relaxed, her mind became at rest. In the forest, she breathed in every way that it was possible to expand: in lungs, in the brain, in the soul. In the forest, there was a sense of kinship with the flora, of an ancient soul that stretches into everything that lives. It was here under the nascent rays of a sun- born to rise each day that she was so very alive. How could she not love the forest so much? From a simple seed, with mud, water and sun, comes all this, these towering gentle giants that were so anchoring to all that she was.
Adeline started enjoying the search as she followed Ace. “Are you enjoying the search, Johnathan?” She asked about half an hour after they had set out. A little small talk could not hurt anybody, right?
“I have been here before,” came the reply.
“What? You have already been here and still, it is taking time to find the passage?”
There were a few moments of pregnant silence, strongly in need of an abortion.
“It’s a forest madwoman, it is bound to change.”
“What an intelligent answer, huh?”
“Martinez?”
“Yes, Johnathan?”
“Be silent!”
“Why, of course, Sir. I have all the right to remain silent-”
“Do you want me to focus or not?” Came the brusque question.
“By all means, please focus.”
They walked, walked, and just walked, following the horizontal arrows, but suddenly Ace halted, and Adeline being absentmindedly following him ran into his back, which for the first got unnoticed by Ace as said, “Wait, where the hell are…..”
What did he want to say?
Why did Ace stop?
Did they find the location?
- Writer
