My eyes opened and closed. Opened and closed. Desperately not wanting to return to painful consciousness, but some primal part of me feeling the necessity of it.

After many tries, I was able to keep my eyes open long enough to get a look. There wasn’t much to see, it was so dark. I feared I might be blind.

“N-n-no, oh God no,” I was able to mutter through freezing, dry lips. I raised a trembling hand to my face, but instead of the skin to skin I was expecting I felt the cushion blow against something in front of my eyes. The darkness shifted and I realized I had something on my face. I quickly wrestled off what I discover to be skiing goggles and was relieved that I was, in fact, not blind.

Sitting up now I could see trees all around me. The sun was giving it’s final light, like a guest mostly out of the door giving his last wave.

I stood to my feet in panic. My head throbbed. I felt a burning rage sweep through me. As I took it all in. No food, no water, no idea how far I was from shelter. “Ahhhh!” I yelled as I took a swing at the nearest tree.

I felt a flash of pain as even through my glove the blow to my hand was throbbing.