Want to travel across Menewsha with me? Please come back to read my journal and find out more about the island of Menewsha.

Day 1: 2011 November 2

____My journey started in Franklin Point on the western coast of Menewsha. I had sojourned in the village for a few months to experience what the lifestyle was like. However, I began to wish to return to the sanctuary of my hometown, which lies to the east. I long for the fields of Menewshan potato plants and the aroma of their dark green leaves.
____I started my trip in the morning when the light of the sun hit the window of my apartment. I quickly ate breakfast and hurried out with the travel bag I had prepared the day before. To make sure of the path I would take, I climbed a tall tree nearby to survey the area. The path to the east followed a railroad; it was the best path to take and well-trodden. I spied a patch of woods alongside the path far off near the horizon.
____As I jumped down from the tree, someone screamed, "Watch out!" Surprised, I stumbled, rather than landing gracefully, onto the ground. A small fuzzy hoofed animal stood before me. I blinked at it, at first thinking it was a lamb. OMG, is that a llama?! I thought as I examined it further. Mesmerized, I reached out for it. It immediately spat onto my face and ran off. The boy who had yelled at me (or did he yell at the llama?) ran after it. I was left feeling bamboozled as I wiped the spit off my cheek.
____Nevertheless, I continued onto the path to the east, making it a mission to forget what had happened. As the day grew longer and I neared the woods, my stomach began to feel empty. I realized I had nothing to eat. How could I have forgotten to pack food?! A married couple from Franklin Point were walking from the opposite direction. The woman was carrying a few apples in her arms. When I reached the couple, I asked, "Excuse me, but may I ask for the directions to the apple orchards from which those apples derived?" The man stared at me blankly. The woman laughed and directed me towards a spring that lay on the other side of the railroad. As I walked in the direction, I thought, I wonder what happened to her husband. He never spoke and looked to have been scarred by a great conflagration. Had he been traumatized?
____I crossed the railroad tracks into a small clearing with a spring. A small amount of trees, some of which were wild apple trees, grew around it. I walked to the edge of the water and kneeled down to take a drink. Before I could, I heard a loud mechanical SNAP. What was that noise?! I thought as I turned my head toward the source. A jaw trap, almost hidden by a low bush, had been triggered. It had a small rabbit in its grasp. The poor thing struggled, but the more it struggled, the quicker it died. I looked away, knowing I could not save it, for it had been severely wounded. I drank the water from the spring, starting to feel a little sick. Hoping food in my stomach would help me feel better, I moved to the apple trees and gathered a few ripe apples from the ground. I ate two and put the rest in my bag.
____Feeling slightly better, I turned back and crossed the railroad tracks to continue onto the dirt path, making sure I kept my eyes off the dead rabbit. I had been walking for several hours before I decided it was time to find a place to stay for the night. The woods were to my right, but did not appear safe for shelter. I carried on, hoping I would eventually come across a barn or inn. To my surprise, I discovered a large building in a clearing across from the woods. It appeared to be an old abandoned railroad station. I ran toward it, happy to find a place to stay. However, when I got to the door, it was locked. Did someone live there? I knocked. Someone from the other side of the door yelled, "What's the password?!"
____I sighed, just wanting to pass out already. "Hocus-pocus," I said as I rolled my eyes. The door opened! I laughed. What luck!
____A young man greeted me. "Come on in!" he said with a grin. I walked in and closed the door behind me. Then I felt something tug at my bag. I turned to see a boy taking an apple from my bag. He had a guilty smile on his face. I sighed. "Oh well, I have another one. You can have it."
____"Thanks!" he said, and took a huge bite from it.
____I collapsed in a corner of the room, not caring for the strangers there. I just wanted to go to sleep, but I decided to write this before I did.