Thinking things out before setting his plans into motion had never really been a strong suit for him, something he easily noted now that he was looking back. Then again, looking back on the fact that he never thought ahead was also something he wasn't really strong at either. Plans in any way, shape, or form had always been just too much work for a guy like him, and analyzing situations to see where they went wrong definitely didn't suit him either. Yet here he was, thinking back and trying to figure out what he could have done before hand to keep him from getting here and somehow he couldn't find even the slightest bit of regret in him for the whole situation. He'd lived a very good life, and he was definitely intending to enjoy the last days of his life, even if he was on that last day already. He tried hard to suppress the desire to shiver against the biting cold, tried in vain to keep his teeth from chattering together, and found that despite all his best efforts, nothing was going to stop the signs of cold. It was impossible to even avoid thinking about it. There was the pure white wetness sailing down to finish out their short lives upon the ground, cuddled against their siblings. Really, it would have been beautiful were the flakes of solid water not blocking the only exit he had. Sure, they could serve as some insulation, but it was too little aide when the cold made each breath rattle with pain. Had he fire wood, or even just enough food for the journey down the mountain side there might be hope, but lacking both the youth knew there was but one last chance. Maybe if he was one of those types to think ahead he might have taken it too. Yet, as it was, he wasn't much of one of those people, and since he was tried, he was going to lie down. While he was aware that sleeping now would probably finish him off, damned if he wasn't going to do it anyway. He really didn't care that if the rumors were true he'd find better shelter higher up the cliffs, he was just thinking of his need now to sleep and his fear now that the reason he'd been forced to take to the cave would still be there to menace him on the cliffs. Despite the cold, the pains of hunger, and the knowledge that death might await him no matter what he did, the youth curled up in a small ball, and let sleep overcome him. Part 1 Back to Main Page