As I stand in the forest, I try to blend in by hiding and pretending to be a tree. Gunshots ring out, and I realise that it’s not safe here. I try to be less visible and remain quiet, hoping that I won’t be discovered. My anxiety grows as I wonder about the source of the gunshots and the reason for the barking dog. I hear the sound of an animal breathing nearby, but I can’t see anything through the dense foliage. I’m also uncertain about the source of the water that sustains this ecosystem.
As I contemplate the impermanence of life and the fleeting nature of existence, the rain starts to fall, and I realize that it will soon wash everything away. I feel a sense of detachment from my surroundings and a desire to stop being. Meanwhile, an airplane trails smoke in the sky, a reminder of the world beyond this forest.
In this moment, I wish I could be someone else and find peace and security. I wonder when we will be reunited, and I am filled with a sense of longing. The headphones fall out of my ears, and I wonder if we are back where we started. In my haste to leave, I break out in a sweat and start to feel sick. Despite my discomfort, I continue to yearn for safety and security, and I ponder what those things truly mean.