I was alone in the forest, but not alone in my struggle. And when I say struggle, I don’t mean my problem with the wolves. I mean a common struggle shared throughout the world. The wolves were just one of my problems. The world was battling over something. A line had been drawn, sides had been chosen, and I was on one of them.
Tyler’s Journal Entry: 147
Date: May 31
Day: Monday
Weather: Rainy
Training: 7 mile run at Rose Lake Trails (156 average heart rate)
I went for a run today at Rose Lake Trails. Hailey was feeling under the weather, so I was able to run alone. It’s not that I don’t like running with her, but running with Hailey is more for fun than training.
I haven’t had a good training day in a while because I keep asking her to go with me. I love being with her, but I have to admit, I’ve been having to run twice sometimes in one day.
Lately, when I say good bye to Hailey after running together, I ride my bike around the block, then return to run again. So my runs with Hailey are more like a warm up.
And then after she leaves, I train hard like I should. I don’t think she knows I do this and I don’t plan on telling her. I like running with her and I don’t want to stop.
So anyways, I saw the guy that scared those high schoolers a while back. I was running on the trail, going up a hill, looking at my feet, and not paying attention to what was ahead of me. I looked up to see him walking towards me. The trail was skinny and the vegetation was thick on each side. So there was no avoiding him.
I politely said hi as we got closer. He just stared at me with this weird grin on his face. I noticed he had a burlap bag with something inside. He didn’t say a word, but his posture was strange - like he was drunk or high.
He was dirty and his hair was wild. He reminded me of the homeless people I see in Lansing, near the Capital building.
As we passed, he didn’t make any effort to move to one side. I had to go half into the weeds to avoid crashing into him. It was raining, and although I never let a little rain stop me from running, I’ve never had the urge to just go for a walk in the woods while it’s raining (like him).
So I asked myself, why he would be out here in the middle of the woods, walking in the rain, holding a burlap bag.
As he passed over the hill, I stopped for a moment and thought about it. I should have kept going, but I’m young and stupid and curiosity got the best of me. I slowly walked back up the hill till I could just barely see over it.
He was walking pretty fast and seemed to be talking to the burlap bag. Whatever was in the bag was no bigger than a softball. He seemed to be talking in a comforting way - like he was reassuring whatever was in the bag.
The rain was coming down pretty hard, so I couldn’t hear what he was saying. He took a quick glimpse behind him and I nearly was caught. I ducked my head down and between some vegetation.
Not noticing me, he quickly jumped off the trail and booked it in the woods. He seemed to know where he was going. It was like he’d done it before.
I watched him run into the woods and then disappear into the thickets. I was curious and was mesmerized by what he was doing. I needed to know what was in that bag and what his intentions were for it. So I followed him.
As I walked through the woods I kept telling myself that I was stupid and should turn around. But for some idiotic reason I kept tailing him. I would catch glimpses of him as he shuffled around trees and up and down hills.
When I lost track, I could easily track his footsteps in the mud.
He went really far back, and I was about to abort, when he finally arrived to his destination. I found him kneeling in front of a large stone cross perched on the cress of a hill. It looked like it had been there for a hundred years. The stone cross was about six feet high and three feet wide. It had a wide base with some unreadable writing carved into it. It looked like a huge tombstone to me. But why out in the middle of the woods?
The strangest part was that he had been making his own crosses out of small sticks. Each cross was made to honor a small grave. There were dozens of the small graves and they were no bigger than a couple feet long. The graves, with their tiny crosses, covered the hill.
I watched him take a small animal (I think it was a dead turtle) out of the burlap bag along with a small cross he had fashioned out of sticks and some wire. He dug a small grave, said a few words while facing the sky, and then gently placed the turtle in the small grave. As he buried it, he burst into tears. Part of me felt sorry for him.
I guess he spends his time finding road kill and burying them in his small cemetery.
As I watched him, I felt increasingly sad for him. He probably has no friends. I wondered if he had anyone in his life. Everyone who sees him must see a creepy loser. But today I saw a man with a soft heart for animals. I felt very sad inside and guilty for following him. This place was a special place for him and I was being a jerk for spying on him.
I left before he saw me. I thought about him a lot today. I hate seeing people sad. I hate to think anyone is that lonely. Maybe I should try talking to him the next time I see him. I’m not going to be buddies, but I can be nice to him. Maybe it will make his day knowing there is at least one person in this world that doesn’t see him as creepy.
Tyler’s Journal Entry: 149
Date: June 2
Day: Tuesday
Weather: Hot and sunny
Training: 15 mountain bike at Rose Lake (12.3 mph average)
Schools out! Finally summer vacation is here. We had to do a couple make up days due to taking too many snow days in the winter.
Hailey booked out early today without saying goodbye. That was not like her, especially since she’s going away for a week on vacation with her parents.
Why would she take off without saying goodbye first?
I would never do that to her if I knew I was going to be gone for so long. I’m not going to call her. I will see if she calls me. Maybe she has a good reason and she’ll call later tonight.
I kept thinking about that poor guy I saw on the trails. I feel so bad for him. I notice he was digging with his bare hands in the dirt. I think I will take one of Dad’s old small shovels and leave it for him near his cemetery. I had some free time yesterday and I made a few small crosses for him too.
Mom and Dad would be furious if they knew I was trying to help this guy. But I just feel like I have to do something for him. I want him to feel like someone cares.
Tomorrow I will go to his cemetery and leave the shovel and crosses.
Tyler’s Journal Entry: 150
Date: December 2
Day: Monday
Weather: Cold and windy
Days since your attack: 6 months 1 day
I hope you don’t mind Tyler, but I found your journal and I’ve been reading it. I feel closer to you when I read it. It’s been six months and one day since that terrible day you were taken from us.
Your Dad, Tanner, and I miss you so much. We will never stop taking care of you. We will always watch over you.
The doctors said we should let you go, because people don’t recover from the wounds you were given by that terrible man at Rose Lake trails.
However, your Dad and I never gave it a second thought. We brought you home from the hospital, when they said to give up on you. We could never do that. You are in a coma, but you are still alive. As long as you are alive, we will be here to take care of you.
So much has happened since you were hurt. The power went off not too long after. It hasn’t come back since. As far as anyone knows, it’s a total blackout around the world. Many people around us were not prepared and are now suffering due to hunger and freezing temperatures. We are thankful for your Dad’s preparation. Otherwise we may not be doing so well (as compared to most). We help where we can.
The electricity went out and then was followed with horrific weather. After two weeks or so, panic began to set in and many people began looting.
Your dad spent a lot of time gathering last minute supplies. He went to different stores looking to get medicines and more canned food. But after a while it got too dangerous. People were beginning to rob and even worse. Thankfully, your Dad says we have enough to get us through the winter.
We keep warm with the woodstove you, Tanner, and Dad installed. Dad and Tanner continued cutting wood throughout the fall. We have plenty and shouldn’t have to worry about getting cold.
Dad travels at night and checks on his small animal traps and fish traps. He feels it’s too dangerous to travel during the day, so he does his trap checking at night.
Twice a month, he goes deer hunting in the early morning and just before night. Thankfully, there are plenty of deer to shoot around us. One deer keeps us fed for two to three weeks (he shares with the neighbors). We also eat canned veggies and fruits.
We are eating well, but nothing compares to our weekends out, when we would go as a family to eat at restaurants. I miss pizza.
We’ve kept our supplies a secret so far. Living out in the middle of nowhere has its benefits. The neighbors are struggling a bit and we help them when we can. They miss you too and ask how you are doing often.
We take turns feeding you, bathing you, and reading to you. Sometimes we sleep on the floor next to you. I hope you can hear and feel us next to you. We all miss you so much. Come back to us soon. I know you will.
- With never ending love and devotion, Mom.
Tyler’s Journal Entry: 151
Date: December 25
Day: Thursday
Weather: Freezing and windy
Days since your accident: 6 months 23 days
Tyler this is your Dad. I miss you. Mom said she wanted us to write in your journal so you can read it when you wake up. I want you to know that the family is well and everything you and I planned together is working. Thank you for all your help. I know you probably thought I was crazy or going overboard. But now it is all being put to good use. The power has been out now for over six months. We are surviving.
Many people are struggling to survive. Hopefully, when you wake up, the world won’t be such a terrible place. I am going with the assumption that the electricity will never come back on and we need to accept a different way of living.
We spend most of our day hunting, gathering, and preparing/preserving food. I assume this is what it must have been like for the early pioneers living off the land. It is hard, but like anything, I suspect we will get better at it with time.
I wish you could see all the gadgets you and I made that actually work. Well, most of them anyways, some not so much. But it’s all about trial and error. Fortunately we have enough food and shelter and have the luxury to be able to experiment with different things. For most people though, it is do or die.
I miss you very much Tyler. I miss talking to you and having you by my side. We will never give up on you. I pray for the day you wake. So we can laugh, love, and talk to each other once again.
Merry Christmas Tyler, Dad
Merry Christmas Tyler, Mom
mErry cHrisTmas ty, Tanner
You can find WILL OF MAN - PART TWO at Amazon.com or click here!
I hope you enjoyed reading Will of Man - part one.
You can email any questions or comments to
William Scanlan at: [email protected]
Will of Man - Part One Page 5
