The star I did not know of

The forest is too quiet. All life has been sucked out of the air. No mumbling, no laughter, no sounds of tentpegs that are slammed into the earth. I look at my watch, I left the group twenty minutes ago for a little walk and a bathroom break. We were about to camp here. What happened? Did they decide to camp somewhere else? And within twenty minutes they packed up all their stuff? And did they not notice my absence? This doesn’t make any sense.

I see my backpack lying against a random tree and throw one shoulder strap of my backpack over my shoulder and rush to the beginning of the place where we entered the woods. With my eyes squinted I see the hiking group in the far distance. What the heck? I scream to them, but the wind is not in my favor today. The cold stream blows my scream right back into my face, laughing at the absurdity of the situation I’m sure. The sun is setting at my right. So they are going North. Extremely valuable information. I grab my phone out of my backpack and call the guide. No use. There is no signal out here. I scramble the phone back in the bag and put the straps now on both my shoulders and start running. Sometimes I stop and scream again, but never not even once do they notice me. When dusk is settling in I start to lose sight of them. The dark makes me uncomfortable. I need to see where I am going. But then I see the North Star appear in the sky and my muscles loosen a bit. I can follow the North star. The only thing my dad taught me about survival is to know the North star. It is extremely bright and easy to follow. I reassure myself that they are making camp right now, before it is too dark. I will catch up to them just following this Star. I lower my pace and continue in a more calmly matter. Everything is under control. I reach for my water bottle while walking. I put it at my mouth and empty it to the bottom. Running makes you thirsty.

The earth beneath me begins to shake and a noise like a stampede enters my left ear. I look where the noise comes from, though at first I cannot see anything. The moonlight appears and helps me to see my surroundings better. I focus my eyes and I see shadows of a herd moving my way. All my muscles tense again. I have to run! To my right I see a dark forest inviting me to take shelter. A feeling of disgust overtakes me I really don’t want to go in there. What is lurking in the dark? How will I get out? Though when the herd comes closer my tired bones are fueled up with adrenaline and I run into the gloomy woods. I interchange one danger for the other.

Zigzagging in between the pine trees I hope to shake them off. I stumble over a stone which makes my run come to a halt. I try to listen to the sounds in the woods. No more heavy feet on the damp ground. My irregular breath takes over my body and I collapse to the ground. After a few minutes of taking control again over my breathing I grab my backpack and frantically look for my flashlight. I have to dig deep for it. There is so much stuff in my bag. In the process I also find my hiking book. For the past seven months I studied this book front to cover. I made several notes and annotations on the worn pages. I browse through the book trying to find something. Some comfort or some information of use. Then my hands stops at a page that seems off. I look more carefully to it and two pages are glued together. They are pretty sticky. The reason why they are stuck is probably that strawberry lemonade I spilled. I take them apart carefully and read. The page is about finding your way in the dark. I scan the text and the North Star is mentioned. But I don’t have any time to be proud of myself, cause the letters just hit me in the face. In the corner of the book there is a warning that many people confuse the Bright Morning Star (also known as Venus) for the North Star. The North star isn’t that bright.

Thanks dad for giving me the most useless survival technique in life.

Figures I never got to the camp. Figures I got lost. I followed the wrong star.

Two yellow eyes are staring me into the face. In no time I’m back at my feet and put my hands in front of my face. I hear the sound of an owl. I breathe out. ‘You scared me little fellow. After the herd that chased me I’ve seen enough scary animals.' The owl keeps staring me into the eyes until I become so uncomfortable that I look away. I hear the shuddering of its wings as it flies away. Just when I think it is officially gone it is back staring into my soul again.

‘Do you want me to follow you or something?’ I shake my head. I’ve gone bonkers. I’m talking to an owl? And I’m even considering following an owl in the pitch black woods. I look away and pull my knees to my chest. I rest my head into my lap. I have to wait for the light to come back.

In the morning I wake up, cramped in a fetal position. The owl is gone. I read the book and find the chapter about living in the outdoors. First and foremost of importance is good clothing, then water and then food. The first two are fine, the last one is food. I have nothing! Not even a crumb. I consider my options: I’m not a hunter. I cannot fish. Maybe some berries? Although I once heard some berries are poisonous. I shake my head. No berries.

As I try to make out my way of the woods I hunt the floor and trees for something edible. There is a nice fresh pine needle smell in the air. Can you eat pine needles? I have no clue. I should have taken a survival class. The one think I did not think of. A brighter light is coming through the trees. There it is, the end of the woods. When I feel the sun back on my face I could sing. I walk through the plains. Feeling victorious I suddenly realise I still don’t know where I am. The owl is sitting on a branch of a lonesome tree. Back to stare at me again. That is odd for an owl to be out there into the daylight. Then a thought occurs to me: Maybe for ones in my life I should do something non-sensical. Look were sense has taken me. I prepared for this trip for more than seven months. I read everything. I packed precisely. But I never prepared for this. I never prepared for being left behind.

In my head of all the scenarios I went through, that scenario did not occur. Cause I thought I had everything under control. Though I cannot control anything here. Every sensible thing I did led me of being lost in the wilderness. Logic won’t led me out. I don’t have the logic. What if I let go of my own sense and follow this guy who knows the wilderness better than I do? I make the choice. ‘okay I’ll follow you yellow guy.’

Following the owl is even kinda fun. It gives me a sense of purpose. At some point I enter a mossy forest. Through the forest is a pretty steep hike and eventually leads me to a waterfall. At the top the owl is nowhere to be seen. This is a place for rest. Decisely I lay down and put my backpack under my head.. I feel safe here. Safer I have ever felt. Safer than the group I traveled with. Safer than even in my own hometown. I close my eyes and enjoy the fresh air, filled with blooming flower scents. Meanwhile the waterfall rushes loudly down the mountain. I doze of in a peaceful sleep.

After a while I wake up to some footsteps next to me. Two blueish eyes stare into mine. It is a young girl and next to her is a man with a walking stick

‘Pappa ser ut som en jente!’

I look to her in confusion ‘Can you speak English?’

She looks at the man next to her ‘hun er engelsk’

The man looks me in the eyes and with a straight face he says: ‘Is it normal for English people to sleep in the grass?’

I sit up ‘Is it not for Norwegian people?’

He laughs and nod ‘Sure. Just checking.’ He raises an eyebrow ‘Although, what are you doing here by yourself?

I look around and take in this amazing scenery unfolding before my eyes; what am I doing here? And then it hits me; I did not in fact follow the wrong Star. I followed the right Star. I’m where I’m meant to be. It all makes sense.