Chapitre 2: The Disembodied Voice and The Decision

A day passed since I opened the basement which is what I'm calling it now. Though I grabbed some important things there to get acquainted with one of which are the axes. Which will be helpful if I have to cut trees down or remove some unnecessary lumber along the way.

For some reason it's either Father overly sharpened the axes or it's just that good because the firewood I just chopped up the ax just went through it without any problems or resistance. Like a hot knife through butter.

I'm impressed that Father kept out the good tools for our daily lives here away from me. Well on a safety standpoint it is very dangerous to give a kid an overly sharp tool out from the get go but a dull tool is also dangerous too.

A sharp enough tool which borders between too dangerous and not that dangerous is nice to keep it a balance. But Father's tools are something really special for him huh. Also the black powder coat makes it look cool too from a design standpoint.

After doing what I have to do for today I spend the rest of the day thinking about my decision. Maybe I could find this mysterious paradise Father told me within a week or two since I know this forest from the back of my hand.

"If that's what I'm thinking I better prepare my gear for this adventure of mine. I know everything in the basement is mine but I'll only bring what I need." I said to myself.

So I went down to the basement once again and grabbed one of the more hiking ready bags Father had hung on the side for me to choose. From the bag I chose I felt like something's off with the bag and it seems to be bigger than what it is from the inside.

Probably some kind of advanced bag making techniques the industries have now for their bags I guess. From there on I picked out 3 wood-cutting tools, two of each. Axes, Hatchets, and a Hand Saw since they're compact. A bit too much to be honest but the bag could hold it surprisingly.

Plus having some specialized tools for certain kinds of wood is nice especially since we're in a dense forest anyways. Next up is tools for carving, knives specifically. A bush knife for one so I could handle tall grass if I ever encounter them.

A gut-hook style knife if I ever encounter game out in the woods should be good for birds and or medium sized game without struggle. Finally a general purpose survival knife for defense and general duty. They're surprisingly light for knives of this caliber and sharpness.

I'll bring in some Whetstones as well so I can keep them sharp while I'm out there. Can't have my tools dull by the end of the day. Some of those foldable shovels and spades would be helpful for digging up holes and clearing certain rocks and boulders.

I should grab some ice picks as well so I could climb vertically if I ever come across some mountains. Can't be too careful about it. Some bundles of rope of various lengths and material. A MedKit when things get hasty and I get injured hopefully will not happen. I'll bring three just in case.

While I was packing my stuff in my bag I realized that it's still not full at the very slightest. The fact that it's far from filling up to the brim made me curious. But then again this is a large bag after all so I scoffed it off for now.

Soon later I packed some food that I can bring with me so I won't rely on hunting for about 3-6 days I hope. This will suffice for a single adult male for a few long days in the forest without relying on nature's reserves for now.

I grabbed one of Father's portable mini filters that can filter water through a small encased filtration system that is as big as my thumb which is impressive for 99.8% filtration. Some water canisters that have a big enough neck should suffice.

Father told me to bring things appropriate to your adventure or plans. If you are planning for a short hike around nature it's not needed to bring the entire toolkit. Only the essentials, bear spray, a simple swiss army knife, enough water, and a simple medkit for those trips and slides during the hike.

The heavier you bring the more tired you become when hiking the less you bring the better for short brisk adventure. But since I'll be out there for a while I have to bring more than just the essentials.

After that I began to lock down the house, the key with me, gas closed, electrics off, make sure everything is neat and tidy before I leave. I looked back to give a final good look of the house.

"This could be the last time I could see the house. Let's not jinx it but Father… I'll be going on an adventure now. I promise you I'll find that paradise you and Mother found for me to find and enjoy." I look back at the house for the last time before heading out.

Trekking along the ruts and the path that goes through these forests. Since I've been here more than a normal person should be. I haven't gotten lost here not once since I learned that the hard way when I was a kid.

After half an hour…

I was given coordinates by my Father to locate the area and it seems like I've been walking in circles. I don't know where this place is. I sat down by one of the big rocks on the ground to prepare lunch since I left the house near noon and I'm hungry.

I prepared the mess kit and the canned beans and smoked bacon for lunch. It's a bit more fancy than normal food we eat out in the woods but hey I could just walk back home anyways if I have to refuel my supplies.

While I was eating my lunch by the rock I leaned over by the tree next to it and I felt something unusual as the tree suddenly felt like it's getting pushed back as I leaned further back. Sooner later everything went pitch black and I don't know what happened.

I heard a switch before everything went dark and felt like I'd fallen into something. Though I didn't feel anything upon landing. While everything was dark I heard a voice saying…

"It's been a while…"

Weird to hear since that was the first time I heard that voice.

"You were trying to find the place he was telling you about, am I right?"

The weird voice seems to know my intentions. I didn't reply so I wouldn't startle the voice.

"You don't need to speak, child. But for now the world is calling for you. It's now your turn after a long long time."

"Wait, the world is calling me? For what?" I finally replied to the voice.

"Hesitant at first to reply eh, child? You were chosen by the heavens to fulfill the call of this world. Trust me on this one, child, you were once here and you were chosen again. I wish you good luck in this journey of yours."

As she said that her voice slowly disappeared and I suddenly woke up in front of the lake with all of my stuff laid perfectly intact. Confused and dazed a bit, I assess the situation.

"Wait a minute… This isn't the forest I know. It's like I've been transported here or something." I asked myself while I collected my thoughts.

But what was that voice I just heard a couple of minutes ago? I was chosen by the heavens? For what exactly, that is the incomplete answer I never heard from her or she never told me.

Being confused and unsettled isn't the right way I have to calm myself. So I slapped my face to see if I was dreaming…

Seems like we're not dreaming I'm somewhere I have never been before. Somewhere unusual and somewhere unknown is a danger all on itself. Just to be safe I have to prepare some of my tools for protecting myself from the elements.

"Who knows who lives in this forest that I haven't seen before? They could be hostile towards me. Better be safe than sorry." I pulled out my shotgun to the side as a form of defense when things go sketchy.

I began settling down to get myself up to speed with the situation. Might not be the best idea to be honest since I have no idea what's in this world anyways. I saw fish in the lake right by me and the fish there were definitely different from ours.

While I'm at it I checked my bag if my stuff is still intact. Make sure things are still inside of the bag, while I was out cold and asleep. I double checked everything inside and it seems like they didn't budge or they didn't move an inch.

The shotgun shells are still also intact so I grabbed four of them and placed them on my shell holder on my right pouch for quick loads. I grabbed two and loaded it up on the gun and kept the gun safe to prevent accidental fire, loaded and ready.

Can't be too safe out here somewhere in the middle of nowhere.