The Cursed Homeland

Growing hatred

I walked through the forest , looking at the flora around me. It looked untouched but I smelt something off and the more I walked the more I smelt it. I heard a grunt behind me and glanced back to see her pull her foot free from a tree root. I rolled my eyes and looked forward. “Never been in a forest before…uh…” I kept walking as I tried to remember if I had heard her name. She grunted again, I guess she tripped. “ It's Nadean and no. I haven't been out of New York.” She said with irritation. I sniffed the air and changed our direction as I quipped back at her. “New York has forests.” “New York City, you ass!” Just as she raised her voice I heard movement. I stopped and put my arm out, making her do the same. “What the-” “shush. I heard something.”

I stood there for a while and listened, all the while the musky smell was pungent. My eyes darted from the forest floors, to the crooks in the trees trying to find whatever I was hearing and smelling. Wild smells are a bit different from those in America and it was making me unsure. When nothing happened I looked at Nadean and she was looking back with an unamused expression. “If you're done. I would like to set up camp. We have been walking for hours and unlike you, I fatigue easily.” I went to say no but she was right. I could no longer hear anything and the smell was now trailing away. “Uh, yeah. It's just a tent though.” I said and she shrugged. “Well I'm sure you sleep curled up in a ball anyway.” she grinned and grabbed the pack off my back. “A fire would be nice. I'm sure you know how to fetch a stick.”

I was fuming. My chest heaved and my ears rang as I walked the area, filling my arms with sticks. She was the most insensitive little s**t I've ever met. What was up her ass? I walked over and dropped the sticks. Next to her, she looked up at me. “What? No kindling?” Her snarky tone made my skin prickle. I walked off and scooped up a giant arm full of dead leaves and pine straw from the forest floor and calmly walked to her. I extended my arms and slowly let the load of dead forest life dump over her head. She let out a loud groan. “f*****g really?! I'm actually trying to make it! Why can't you be useful and light it!?” I shrugged and put a cigarette between my lips. I lit it and grinned. “Sorry. No lighter.”