Bred by the Bushmen

Neither of them spoke for the rest of the drive, arriving back to their cabin, and working in silence.

They carried out the large abundance of cans, tubs, dried pasta, rice, and everything that would keep them going.

Once their pantry was full, and organized by date, he liked to keep everything in its appropriate spot. Then he headed out into the garden to finish harvesting potatoes while Damon got the canner ready.

For a couple of weeks, they harvested the ripe fruits and vegetables from their garden, and preserved them with their canner.

He loved this life more than anything else, leaving the smallest footprint possible, but each night he fell asleep holding on to a pillow. He’d remember his parents and the love they shared. They were taken away too soon. Now it was just him and Damon.

This was what he wanted, but he’d not planned for the loneliness, or the need for a woman’s touch against his skin, or the sound of her laughter filling the air.

He couldn’t give up hope, otherwise he’d failed his brother. Even though there were only two years between them, his father always told him to take care of, and look out for his brother, and he’d keep doing that.

They’d find a woman, and then their dream would be complete.

****

“You’re too fat, Opal. You need to lose weight. There’s nothing you can do about being ugly, but you should lose the weight. Are you thick or stupid?” Opal Clark held on to her hiking bag as she made her way through the forest, wondering if she actually was thick and stupid. At least talking to herself made her feel less alone.

She paused near a tree, leaning against it and wiping the sweat from her brow. She didn’t believe coming out to the wilderness would help her in any way. All of her life she’d been told what a waste of space she was, how useless, and pathetic, and annoying she was. That she’d never be good for anything, and it had all taken her to the edge that one Friday night. She’d gotten drunk and started to take some pills. Only they hadn’t worked fast enough, and so, slamming her fist in her bathroom mirror, she’d grabbed a shard of glass, and placed it against her wrist.

For thirty minutes, she’d sat poised and ready to end her miserable life.

Then, through her thin apartment walls, she’d heard the subtle sound of a baby cry, and something snapped inside her.

She’d cleaned up the glass, tossed the pills and alcohol out, and entered into this camping trip that helped people shed off the layers of control from modern day society. She thought it would be a really great way of finally finding herself, but right now, she just felt miserable as she grabbed her bottle of water.

I spent my life’s savings on this?

So for the past two weeks, she’d been around a bunch of strangers, who happened to be wealthy men and women, who were looking for a good time. Trying to pretend their wealth meant nothing to them, when the truth was, they’d never had to go a day without anything in their lives.

There was no way she was bonding with people who didn’t understand what real struggle meant. They were spoiled and arrogant, and made her feel worse about herself.

Why was she alone right now? Well, she’d been able to afford the hiking, and soul-searching part, just not the scenic plane ride. While the rest of the group left to go and have that life-altering experience, she’d been told to wait, and a pickup would be along shortly to collect her. That had been two days ago, and now she was trapped in the wilderness, where everything looked exactly the same.

“I won’t cry. I will not cry. This is the whole process. Being at one with nature, and learning to thrive in an environment I’m not used to. Everything is going to be okay. I’m fine. I’m not going to die a miserable death because no one cares if I’m here or not.” She breathed in deep, drank another sip of her water, and tapped the tree. “You look exactly the same as all your brothers and sisters. Got to keep moving, and talking to myself, because that is totally fun, right?”

When did she become the kind of woman who talked to herself?

“Only twenty-two, and already going loopy. What was I thinking? Sure, Opal Clark, find yourself in the wilderness, it’ll totally make sense. I should have just phoned one of those stupid lines that offers to hel-ahhhhhh…” She screamed as she suddenly tripped over a root of a tree, and rolled down the hill, coming to a stop right next to a rock, hitting her head. She pressed a hand to her suddenly aching head, and came away with some blood. “Ouch.” Rolling over, she went to stand up, and squealed as pain rushed through her ankle, making her collapse in a heap. Staring down at her boot, she couldn’t make out any damage, but she had heard trying to take your boot off was dangerous. She leaned against the large rock that she just hit her head on, and winced. Taking several deep breaths, she paced herself, and finally tried to lift up but nothing was happening.