I had been reading in the study, looking out the French doors across the room periodically. The city could always be seen from my house as long as one looked to the south in the back yard or the backside side of the house. Yet there had been a wall of fog, a cloudy overcast lay atop all of Holland. As I sat there watching Mother Nature at her work, sitting so inquisitive by the sight of these clouds it was inevitable I would be outside in a matter of seconds.

All that could be heard were machines of Louis Padnoses’ Scrap metal, hearing the cranes pick up and drop huge pieces of miscellaneous metals. With this low visibility I couldn’t just use my eyes, waiting and listening is what kept me alive in the lurking mist.
I must go off and explore, there are places I must see if they’re still there. Walking slow on my dock with my quiver and bow looking up in this cloud I wonder when the city lights will be back; How long will this cloud rest over us all and what of tomorrow? This night has been rather quizzical; this weather has grown to my likings.

My kayak lay beside me tempting me to ship out. I had fallen under the temptation and once in the water I was at ease. The current of the river was not furious but not calm just temperate. White caps clashed against the side of my vessel like two knights jousting on a head on collision.

Coming to a halt on a large Island across the river I move contently as the mist had gotten very thick. My memory flashed though as I had visions and a feeling of Déjà vu, I envisioned I had stumbled into Germanys’ Black Forest.

A snap of a branch from behind had me stone solid in my tracks. The sound of a breath made me a little uneasy so I wait for a sound or proof something is out there. As I slowly turned to face what I thought was just a small animal I must have been loud since I caught a deer darting between the trees, taking off swiftly as she was startled by my quick sudden movement. Once she had been out of sight and ear shot I was back to the ire debts of the mist.

I had wandered to the west point of the Island where the bridge was visible on a normal day, but with this thick layer of clouds covering the city there was nothing there to be seen. Not even the tall smoke stacks behind the bridge were visible which was very impressive due to the fact that they’ve always been visible even on previous overcast skies.

Something in the atmosphere was different and it was noticeable; something seemed rather out of place. Heading back to my Kayak I was cautious of my every step and carefully moved in silence, making sure if anything else was out there I would hear it before it heard me. With my eyes fixed in front I had little visibility of where my feet were coming down. Dropped to the ground by a sharp pain in my left foot, I quickly examined my injury and was in shock. It was a sharped rock at the end of a stick that had fallen from a tree above. “There’s something in the trees” I had thought to myself.

Ripping the short spear out brought more pain but only for a short period of time, trying to stay in stealth I let out no sound just a hard exhale as the spear came out. Without hesitation I pulled out my bow, placed an arrow in between my fingers, sat and waited for the next move of my predator. “Why I am being hunted and by who?” were the thoughts that came to my mind, had I invaded some sort of sacred lands? Whatever was out there was warning me not to pursue with my pursuit, I am one that never gives up and if this creature, this being, this thing, wants me dead there’s not a chance in hell I’m going down without a fight.