-Sofia-
I was drunk on confusion. The more time went on, the more confusion swarmed my mind, which then later traveled into the rest of my body. It was likely my sister was confused too, since I never paid attention to anything else except my phone and makeup.
People may have thought that I only cared about my dad’s wallet so that I could buy more makeup using the money inside of it, but that wasn’t true either, surprisingly. Actually, I didn’t even know why I was crying. Perhaps it was because no one took me seriously, bringing us home walletless? I wasn’t sure myself.
I laid on my bed deep in thought while my sister took a shower, my brother played video games loudly, Ace, our dog, ate, and my parents found out about the missing wallet.
Thanks a lot for not checking your pockets soon, dad.
“Do you know where you’ve last seen them?” my mom queried.
I couldn’t see what my dad was doing since my bedroom door was closed, but it seemed like he was frustrated.
Maybe he sighed or covered his face up with his hands. How could the wallet be lost though? Did it fall out somewhere?
As the confusion storm died off, a lightbulb turned on and told me this: Go after the wallet yourself.
It was a good thing that it was only around 3 in the afternoon, but I wondered if I’d get lost.
Know-it-all: Too much thinking, too little doing. Go!
I listened to my inner voice and scrambled off the bed.
Now, how do I tell my parents that I’ll be going out there myself?
After taking out a piece of paper and pen, I decided to write them a note: I’ll be taking a walk in nature. Will be back soon.
I ran downstairs, still with my messed-up mascara, put the note on the kitchen table, and speed walked to the door. While putting on my shoes, I heard my parents whispering to each other about where I could possibly go to take a walk and what I meant by “in nature”. It was their turn to be confused. I mean, their 14-year-old teen wanting to spend more time in nature than on her phone? I didn’t know who wouldn’t be shocked.
Not bringing anything except the leftover food from the picnic I brought, I dashed out the door, not knowing where the forest was.
Did I bring my phone? I don’t remember.
Know-it-all: How could you not remember if you brought your phone or not? It’s literally always the first thing you check since you apparently ‘can’t live without your phone’. Are you really the same person I thought you were?
Me: Probably not and never will be. I may come back as a totally different girl. Who knows what this adventure to bring back my dad’s wallet could do to me?
Without remembering if I had my phone or not and being too lazy to put everything down and check my pockets for it, I realized that I had no Google Maps or GPS with me.
Now, I’m living in the wild, huh? Do I have to adapt? If so, how? Remembering the way we came here by car?
Luckily, we only drove for a few minutes to arrive there, so it wouldn’t be too much of an issue.
I ran past my neighborhood while, of course, being cautious of cars.
I think we may have passed this light?
After I pressed the button, it said, “walking sign is on.”
I walked across the street and continued looking around constantly to ensure that I wasn’t lost and that the area I was in still looked familiar as I had lived in this town my entire life. I was born here.
I recalled that we had to drive through a small, narrow road, so once I found that same road again, I sprinted through it. Voices seemed to be coming out from the woods, and other peculiar noises startled me.
Don’t worry, Sofia. Your only task here is to find your dad’s wallet. Then, you’re out of here. Find dad’s wallet. Find dad’s wallet. Nothing else. Nothing else.
Nevertheless, as I walked closer and closer to the picnic table my family and I sat at, the sky began to suddenly darken even though I was sure it wasn’t nighttime yet.
Maybe it was about to rain again…
The reminder of my sole task faded away as well. What was this a sign of?
No wallet sat on or around the picnic table, and when I walked and thought when coming from the parking lot, there were no wallets on the floor.
Know-it-all: Don’t panic, don’t panic, Sofia! Maybe a wild animal brought it to a safe place so that no other sneaky humans would steal it and take advantage of the money in there.
Me: So I have to deal with a wild animal?!
The voice stopped, leaving me on my own.
I had to do whatever I had to do to find my dad’s wallet since no one else was willing to.
I ran and looked and ran and looked for the wallet but it was nowhere to be found. I couldn’t give up though. It simply wasn’t a choice in my book. I must find it no matter what.
Again, I didn’t know what came over me because I’d always been minding my own business and not caring about others’ belongings until then.
The trees began to look the same to me wherever I went, causing me to panic.
I refused to let that feeling take over me though. I put myself out here for a task, and I wasn’t going home until I found the wallet.
The leaves of the trees and bushes blended into one as I dashed from tree to tree, from bush to bush, from flower to flower.
Was I going insane? Was I seeing things?
No. None of the above.
I was lost.
133Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtKuAiElWgx
