CHAPTER 6: ANIMALS AND NATURE To relieve some of the stress and anxiety he had been accumulating for quite some time, John set off on a nature walk. He heard that spending a day or two in the mountains would do wonders for him and his mental health. The isolation would give his mind time and space to detox and refresh. Animals would be his only companions during the walk. His house was located in an apartment complex, so it was pretty rare to see any wildlife besides the occasional squirrel. Groundhogs and foxes were even rarer sights. Because he spent all his time indoors, he mostly saw spiders and house centipedes. He was not particularly fond of the latter. It was not too long of a drive to reach the mountains since the town he lived in was near a mountain range. Upon parking and exiting his vehicle, he was immediately greeted by a few deer grazing in an open field. They slowly picked at the grass and wagged their tails, not paying much attention to John. Then, suddenly, a large booming sound from far away caused them to scatter frantically. It was the sound of a gunshot. Hunting season must have started. John was unsure where to begin hiking, but his question was answered when he saw some other hikers walking towards an opening in the forest. And what a beautiful forest it was! The evergreen trees and sun shining through them made for some breathtaking scenery. The lake added to the vastness of the place, and a feeling of smallness struck John from deep within. He could see the life flowing through every little bush, insect, and bird he came across. A peaceful harmony could be felt in the air. Sure, there were bears and mountain lions far up somewhere in the mountains, but they too were part of the ecosystem that connected all life in the forest. The frogs on the lakeshore had just as much life as the beavers building dams. They may be different creatures, but they were both small fragments from the same world. They were made from the same chemical elements found scattered throughout the universe. As the sun was setting, it became less and less safe to remain in the forest. It would be better to avoid nighttime predators, so John hiked back to his car. Exhausted from the journey, he sat in his car wondering about the next time he would come back. There would definitely be a next time, and it would definitely have to be with Jenny