Noah moved through the trees like a ghost, his mind slipping into a state of numb listlessness.
At this stage of his journey, he had forgotten what it felt like to be anything other than a body in motion.
Walking was the only thing he knew. It was the only rhythm his heart understood. He was bored in a way that felt heavy and suffocating, his thoughts looping over the same memories and fears until they lost all meaning.
The physical pain in his leg, rib and shoulder had become a constant, buzzing companion that he could no longer ignore but had learned to endure.
He felt hopeless, wondering if this suffocating green canopy was going to stretch on until the end of the world.
He began to fear that he would eventually just merge with the forest floor, becoming nothing more than another root for some future traveler to stumble over.
Just as the last shred of his resolve was beginning to sway, the density of the woods began to change.
