Mercury Retrograde

Thoroughly and utterly lost, she slowly moved through the dark, dense forest. Leaves crackled beneath her feet as she picked her way through, one slow step after another. She’d tripped herself up twice already on fallen branches. A third may end her hopes of finding civilization again. The night was deathly quiet, which made her trek even more noticeable. With each step, every crunch of the leaves seemed as loud as gunshots.

She had no idea where her companions were. They were hiking on established paths, talking, laughing, and enjoying nature in the crisp autumn air. Something had caught her eye, though. Something sparkled like a diamond when the setting sunlight hit it. Just a few steps off the path, surely it wouldn’t hurt to investigate. It was only small droplets of sap on a plant growing on the forest floor. When she turned around, her friends were missing; so was the path.

She had been mentally beating herself up for going alone once the realization had settled upon her that she was lost. It wasn’t far from the path, from her friends. She still couldn’t understand how nobody heard her calling for them. They couldn’t have gone too far away in the few seconds she stepped off that path. She had tried reaching out on her cell phone, but finding a signal was hopeless. The flashlight helped when night settled in, but the device beeped its last low-power tone hours ago.

She spotted a group of ancient pines just a few feet away and remembered reading an old fantasy book years ago where the hero made camp underneath the boughs. Cold, tired, and hungry, she headed for the trees to see if she could do the same.

As she reached out to divide the branches, they began to glow with a soft white halo effect. Startled, she pulled her hands back, but the tree continued glowing. She let out a bitter huff and decided to investigate. Could the night get any worse? Would this dreadful forest be the next thing to disappear?

She said a little prayer hoping the light meant she’d found civilization again. Even a lone lamppost on a small road would be better than the seemingly endless trek through darkness. Deep breath in, followed by a long, slow exhale to calm her nerves. Here goes nothing. She pushed her way between the trees and took that third fall as the resistance of the branches unexpectedly gave way.

The light was blinding, after the never-ending darkness of the forest. Trying to not panic while her eyes adjusted, she heard sounds that didn’t involve her footsteps! Insects were chirping, the sound of water trickling nearby; perhaps a stream. Panting?

She looked around and realized she had fallen into a small grass-carpeted glade, and the brilliant light was nothing more than what appeared to be a supermoon’s beam lighting the area. A dead, fallen tree trunk lay next to a small stream. The glade was sheltered by the thick border of trees and the air seemed warmer here.

Regaining her feet, she headed toward the stream for a drink. Her canteen had gone empty a couple of hours ago and her thirst was even more urgent now that she knew water was at hand. As she knelt down to drink, the largest wolf she had ever seen leapt atop the tree trunk and stared at her curiously. Her breath caught, and she scrambled back from the stream, putting distance between her and this wild beast.

The wolf sat silently and watched her with intense silver-blue eyes, not moving a muscle save the swishing of his tail. He was a magnificent creature; his coat glowing silver in the moonlight, with a patch of white running from under his snout down the length of his chest. His bulk dwarfed the old tree he sat upon.

She had nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. Escape would be impossible in the darkness outside the glade. He would surely catch up with her in no time. Tension and hopelessness built inside her. She met his eyes with hers, trying to portray herself as dominant, and not show the terror she felt.

The wolf raised his snout and sniffed the air, smelling her fear, and returned his gaze to hers once more.

Do you not remember me, Blaze?

That’s impossible. Wolves don’t speak, but she clearly heard him. Not so much heard him, it was more like he was sending his thoughts directly into her mind. She must be going crazy. Her name wasn’t Blaze, it was Natalie. Tears streamed down her face, and her hands started shaking uncontrollably. First, she lost her friends, then spent hours wandering alone in the forest, she’s tired, hungry, and sore, and now apparently crazy because she’s imagining a talking …

You are not crazy. You are Blaze. Think. Remember.

Blaze. It feels right. But why? She stared at the ground, hugging her knees tightly to her chest, digging through memories.

Blaze.

Fire.

Her red hair.

She remembered her summer trip to visit her grandparents when she was six. Nan had told her that her hair was so bright and wild that it reminded her of a forest fire. Papa said it was a right blaze. She’d spent the rest of the summer insisting everyone call her Blaze because it sounded so much cooler than the Nattie, the nickname the adults had imposed upon her. But still, she knew no talking wolves.

Let me show you.

Her eyes met his once more, and flashes of memories flooded her mind so intensely that she felt like she was reliving them. She practically lived in the forest behind their house that entire summer. She and her new best friend, the little gray and white pup she’d found chasing Nan’s chickens.

She remembered sharing a picnic lunch with him down at the forest line.

She remembered laughing hysterically while they wrestled around in a field of dandelions.

She remembered dangling her feet in a pond relieving some of the summer heat, when he jumped into the water, soaking her with the splash.

She remembered.

Fear releasing into awe, she whispered his name, “Mercury.”

Mercury. You remember!

Mercury hopped down from the log, crossed to her, and licked the tears from her face. She leaned into him, this time crying joyful tears, and hugged him tightly.

“But you didn’t speak to me that entire summer!”

I didn’t yet know how.

“I didn’t think you existed. Nobody in my family has any recollection of you.”

I was your friend, not theirs.

“But you look differently now.”

You are no longer a pup either.

“Where are we? How did you find me? How do I get home? Where have you been for all these years?”

Rest now, I’ll tell you everything when you’re awake. You’re safe here.

Blaze removed her pack and placed it by the log, grabbed her canteen, and filled it. She took a long draw of water, then topped it off again before sealing it and returning it to her bag. She stretched out on the ground between the stream and the dead tree to get much-needed rest.

Mercury turned in a circle twice, sniffing the air for any danger, then settled beside her, curling up against her body, resting his head against her chest.

Blaze dozed off with the comfort of her old friend next to her, her breath slow and rhythmic as she faded into dreams of those childhood memories.

As she began to snore softly, the moonbeam faded to nothing, along with Mercury.

She slept on.

Alone, in the dark.