17C sunny
A day off from Bowls, will go to the theatre and some shopping.
Only one reply about serializing my books. Erle - I'll make sure you get 'em even if I discontinue. I guess I shouldn't worry, they are copyrighted.

He waited a little while longer then opening the knapsack he pushed the rest of the mushrooms inside, retied the pack, slung it and started off again.

8

N

at had hardly gone any distance when he noticed a pungent odor; he knew that smell!  He looked around and sure enough there were cranberry bushes, a few over-size berries hanging in small clusters.  He stopped and started shoveling the berries in his mouth, letting the thin juice run down his throat.  He spat out the flat pale seeds then crammed in more berries. As he chewed, sucked and spat he was remembering how he had never liked the flavor nor the smell of these berries but now …..!

  He couldn’t shake the feeling that he may have passed some of these berries earlier in the day, didn’t matter, he had found these ones and he would watch for more.

  With the constant compassing it was still slow going but his increased energy compensated and he made a couple more miles before he decided to stop for the night.

  He stopped by a small thicket of spruce, took off then opened the knapsack.  He took out the small axe and chopped the lower branches from the center of the thicket creating a small den-like area under the trees.  He then shoved the cushion into the opening and arranged the cut branches so that he had a full length mattress of sorts. Then he gathered the remaining mushrooms, sat with them on his lap and slowly ate them one after the other.  He let the mushrooms digest for a few minutes then on hands and knees he scraped away leaves, and over turned the few rocks that were lying about.  His reward was a half dozen white grubs and only three centipedes.  These followed the mushrooms.  But now he was thirsty and there was no water. ‘Perhaps I can find some berries’ he thought.  He got to his feet and walking slowly started walking towards where he could see the glimmer of the setting sun through the leaves and branches.  He walked for perhaps ten minutes then turned at right angles and walked for another few minutes. Twice he was rewarded by small thickets of cranberries and his thirst was quenched.  He turned and headed back to his ‘camp’ or at least he thought he was heading towards it.  He walked for several minutes – no spruce thicket, no knapsack!  He started to panic, changed direction and broke into a run!  He had only run for a few steps when he caught a foot on a rock or a root and fell headlong banging his head on a tree.  He lay there for a few seconds and reason returned.  He stood, did an about face and retraced the few steps he had run.  He thought for a second then turned and with the sun on his left shoulder walked counting as he went.  When he reached three hundred he turned again, the waning sun to his back and started walking and counting once more.  He had just reached five hundred when he spotted a group of small spruce a few feet to his left, he stopped, ‘was it this thicket?’ he scratched the dirt where he stood and walked quickly to and around the thicket.  There on the ground was the knapsack his slashed out shelter beside it!  “You stupid, stupid bastard, he whispered aloud, if you lose that stuff you will have nothing, from now on where you go everything goes.”  

  He pulled off his boots gathered the blanket and spare clothes and crawling onto the cushion and spruce bows settled down for the night.

  He slept peacefully for a time then he became pervaded with dreams, he was chased by huge frogs, escaping only when he fled up onto a mountain with a notched top, then suddenly he was drinking water from a deep dark pool, his reflection turned to Fred’s face and the face, head? Said, “Why did you leave me?”  He reared back with a yell and awoke to find himself drenched in sweat and tangled in clothes and branches.  “It was only a dream.” He muttered. “C’mon Nat go back to sleep.”  But sleep didn’t come again for what seemed like hours.  Every time he closed his eyes Fred, frogs and mice danced and cavorted through the darkness.