My eyes opened abruptly.
An intense pain seized my abdomen as I felt a bitter liquid rise in my throat. I hunched over just in time to spit the acrid fluid out to the side.
Despite having slept for several hours, the feeling of weakness that invaded me only intensified. I had a headache, difficulty breathing, and at times, a dry cough.
Everything came on so fast, and I gradually lost my strength. Still dizzy, my body collapsed against the hull of that strange, immense ship, which lay planted face down on the ground. What was happening to me? Had I fallen ill since waking up, and had it gotten worse during the night?
"Wait... that old structure, the whitish environment with no animals; a constant tingling, weakness, shortness of breath, and a headache since I woke up... Damn it, I have to leave immediately!" I cried out as quickly as I could, limping away from that mortal relic of the past as fast as possible.
As I limped quickly in the opposite direction, I saw a white sculpture of a small squirrel, almost invisible in the washed-out environment. Before it, there was a small pond filled with a magnificent, milky-white water, its surface holding a clear, yellowish-green glow. Faced with this macabre sight, my brows furrowed even deeper as I quickened my pace toward the edge of this section of the forest.
If I had made the mistake of staying here one more day, I would have undoubtedly become just like that poor wild creature.
The leaves went from a pale green to a sickly yellow-green. The ground more frequently became brown and black, to the point that white was now the rarest color in the area.
For the first time, I was able to spot some solitary, four-winged birds, flying feverishly on the horizon.
The first good news of the day came around noon when I was finally able to find a solution to my problems. I had suspected it after seeing animals in the area, but there it was, right in front of me: A small river!
A piercing whistle resonated in my ears as my vision blurred again. As I collapsed to the ground, the will to live resurfaced.
My eyes dilated as I calmed myself.
"I won't die here," I suddenly declared as if it were a simple fact. Staring fiercely at the water with arrogance and determination, I took a moment to think deeply about my situation.
I must have been poisoned by cadmium. I have to find other people as fast as possible, or I might really die here. The best thing I can do is use the water near the roots and rocks to treat myself. This current isn't the best, but in my situation, I no longer have the luxury of choice. This treatment, while only a palliative, should be enough to weaken my symptoms temporarily until I find outside help.
I was mentally prepared. As my thoughts continued to race, I knelt down and forced myself to vomit, rinsing my mouth and eyes out with the cold water until my stomach was empty.
The pain had not disappeared; it had only intensified. I remained indifferent to it. It was necessary; otherwise, I would die. I didn't want to die, so I had to persevere.
Maybe all this suffering wasn't necessary? Though I had little hope that a human with an antidote would suddenly appear before me and heal me, the chance, however slim, still existed. My resolve did not waver; on the contrary, it became even stronger. I picked up a sharp stone from the side and, with resolve, mutilated my body. The pain kept me from fading out.
Perhaps all this pain wasn't worth it? Why inflict such torture on myself, all for a miserable life, lost in an unknown world, far from my own? All this, only to eventually die like everyone else past the age of eighty, if I'm lucky.
As the doubt grew stronger, I began to laugh frantically. A laugh filled with contempt... directed at himself. I was pathetic. So pathetic was I that I started laughing at myself.
The pain, the fatigue, and the concentration required to methodically maintain the treatment—based on ingesting water and vomiting—had gradually taken a toll on my sanity.
Time passed... The hours flew by. The star that had previously been overhead now faced me on the horizon as it was slowly being swallowed by the setting sun.
I opened my eyes again. It was pitch black. The pain assailed me once more. This time, because I was hungry. The little saliva I had left moistened my throat somewhat, which in turn reignited the intense burning sensation. I threw myself on the river water, at the feet of the roots of an old tree half-submerged in the water, and drank until I was sated.
Surprisingly, I was far less confused than the day before. Although quite grueling, the treatment at least had the merit of having the desired effect.
When day breaks, I'll follow this river upstream until I come across a sign of life. If I find nothing by the end of the day, I'll have to consider a plan to find food in this damned forest.
I bent down, picked up a heavy, pointed stone, and headed toward a gigantic tree to carve a symbol. Marking my position seemed to be the most useful thing to do for the time being, until daybreak.
As I stood before it, I was hit with an intense cold shower.
I hadn't seen it due to the thick darkness, but now it was perfectly visible. This tree, which had been normal when I arrived, was now slashed with a dozen scratches. All of them were several centimeters deep. At the base of the tree lay a cute little silent rabbit—and, more importantly, it was decapitated...