When You Get to the Forest (2023)

[bunniefuu]

Dana?

Are you okay?

The hell?

What a mess.

Hey!

What are you doing out here?

Are you hungry?

I've got some peanuts,

chocolates, raisins...

but you probably can't

eat any of that, can you?

I guess you're not supposed

to feed wild animals anyway.

But you don't exactly look very wild.

Oh okay.

Bye.

Stay safe little guy.

Come on!

Didn't mean to scare you.

Ugh.

Monsters.

Crap!

No!

Stop!

Gotcha!

Not today Captain Nougat!

You b*stard.

Hey, woah!

Okay...

What?

Hello?

Is there anybody there?

I can't find the trail in the fog.

Huh?

Hello?

Ridiculous.

Backpack?

Ow, ow, ow, ow!

What the!?

Oops.

Oh no.

I'm gonna.

I'm gonna...

Oh!

Hello?

Oh!

The cat.

What are you doing here?

What!?

What are you doing, here?

What? What!?

That's what I'm asking you?

This...

isn't happening.

What isn't happening?

You...

you're talking.

I think so.

Yes!

Cats don't talk.

What's a cat?

You are.

You're a cat.

You're a... talking cat.

I'm not a cat.

I'm Lakris.

Lakris?

What...

Is that your name?

I am called Lakris, if

that is what you mean?

What else would I mean?

I don't know.

I cannot hear your thoughts.

Oh boy.

How hard did I hit?

Concussion maybe?

Can you still talk?

What?

Oh.

I was really hoping your voice was just

a manifestation of a pool of blood

forming in my brain.

Hm.

The water's coming.

We should go inside.

Inside?

You can follow.

If you want.

Wait.

The hungry sound.

Yeah. I'm hungry.

Last thing I ate was a granola bar.

Yesterday?

Why don't you eat some food

from your pouch.

My pouch?

Behind you.

Oh.

This is a bag of trash

not a pouch of food.

No...

there's food.

Look. Put it down.

Here.

This food holder still has food.

That's not...

Look, leftover rancid

tuna may be well and good

for a house cat that is out in the

middle of the forest for some reason

but I'm not eating it.

No way.

Really?

All yours.

If you won't eat, why do you carry it?

Because it's garbage.

It's trash.

You don't just leave garbage behind

you carry it til you find a bin

or a can that you can put it in.

Hm.

I would eat the garbage.

You've made that perfectly clear.

Who lives here?

I do.

I come here when the light goes

or when the water comes.

You live here alone?

I see small grays.

But after I ate a couple,

they started to stay away.

No... I mean are there other...

Mm... does anyone like me stay here?

Like you?

Hungry?

No.

Human. I mean.

Human?

I'm a...

Nevermind.

I'm probably the only

human you've ever seen.

I've seen others like you, I think.

A long time ago.

This place was bigger then

and the ones like you,

they were bigger as well.

But also felt smaller.

But some were very big.

One day, the place, it was gone

and so were the ones like you.

I was alone.

But then I found this place again

and it was smaller.

And the ones like you,

they never came back.

So I stay here.

Best if used by...

1954,

Wonderful.

The water stopped.

Where are you going?

To get food. Follow me.

Oh come on. It's still alive.

It is?

There.

Look, I really appreciate it.

I do, but I don't think

I'm at eating bugs yet.

I'll eat this one then.

Geez.

Are you thirsty?

Huh?

I'm going to drink. Come.

Watch out for crocodiles.

Crocodile?

Nevermind.

You're still hungry.

Yes. Thank you Lakris...

the talking cat.

Oh my god!

What are you doing?

I'm fishing.

Dang it.

Did you fish?

No. I need to hit a fish for it to count.

So, they are fish in the water.

Uh huh.

And to get them, you fish.

Yes.

That is very confusing.

No it...

I'm not some tourist you know.

I've been up in these woods before.

When I was a kid.

My mom was really into

hiking and all that stuff.

We came up here to reach Bolte's Peak.

Do you know what that is?

It's the big pointy rock, that's

taller than all the other pointy rocks.

Anyway, I never actually

got there because my mom

like I said, was really into hiking.

More than I could ever pretend to be.

We must have been about 5 or 6 hours away.

And I was so tired.

And mom said:

Dana, we're so close, and it will be

the most beautiful thing you've ever seen.

You don't wanna to see

the world from up there?

But I was, like, 7 or 8.

I mean... kids don't like hikes.

So, I told her I felt sick.

That I'd stay back at camp.

I stayed behind and threw rocks at fish.

I suppose I do jump for jumpers.

Damn it!

Must be running low.

Should probably save it.

Why do you take the skin off?

Cause people don't eat the scales.

Why?

Fish scales are garbage.

So, you create garbage?

No... I...

Look. You just take the scales off, okay?

That's the way I do it.

You wanna eat the scales? Eat the scales.

If you don't like garbage. I don't

understand why you're making it.

Look...

Did your mom make garbage?

Ah!

I'm sorry if that was my fault.

It wasn't your fault.

I was distracted. I just...

I need to eat this fish.

I need to get some sleep.

I need to wake up tomorrow somewhat rested.

And I need to find my

way back to the trail.

Show off.

Lakris.

Lakris!

There's something out there.

Hello?

Oh my god.

Hey, what is that?

It's the Big.

The what?

The Big.

What is it? I mean.

I just told you.

Every now and again

the Big walks the forest.

And then, it leaves.

It's leaving.

Where, where, where?

You're back.

Did you find your trail?

What are you doing?

Starting a fire.

Oh.

I thought you already did.

I did...

but I'm trying to conserve fuel.

What's fuel?

What are you doing? What are you doing?

What are you doing?

Come on, come on...

Yes!

Did you find your way back home?

No. Not yet.

I could've used your help

out there today, y'know.

I'm too heavy to try to crawl

over some of these rocks.

I don't get it.

How could I be missing the trail?

Unless it washed away in one of the storms.

But... that wouldn't make any sense.

There are many lines in the forest.

On the ground. In the air.

Some of them are small

and some of them are tall.

But they all look the same to me.

Thank you for that,

amazingly helpful insight.

You're welcome.

I should've known better than to think

you'd actually want to help.

You're not even listening to me.

I am listening.

I just don't have anything to say.

I'm out there every day

mapping the area, covered in dirt and sweat

still finding time to carry the water.

You stroll in here, a bug

hanging out of your mouth.

It's rude.

Did you say something?

I am not a fish that you are fishing.

Where are you going?

Outside. I don't need things thrown at me

and I don't want to be

here with you right now.

You can't, it's nearly dark.

What if the Big comes by

tonight and you're outside?

I lived here for a long time

with the Big before you came.

And I'll live here for a long

time with the Big after you leave.

Hey. Stop!

Lakris.

Lakris.

C'mon this is stupid.

It isn't safe out here.

Lakris?

Some of us can't hide under rocks when

giant monsters come to eat us.

Damn it.

Great.

Lakris, c'mon.

What are you doing?

What?

What are you doing?

Nothing, just...

taking a swim.

Where did you go?

I slept in a tree, just like

every time I get upset.

Aren't you cold?

Yeah, I am.

There's some fish left, if you're hungry.

I wasn't gone that long.

I was just offering.

Did you hear... the Big out there?

No.

Did you?

No.

Hm. He must be asleep too.

What is that called?

It's a tomato.

They're really good.

Especially if you cook

them like this over a fire.

Lord knows I could use more fruit.

I thought it was a tomato.

It is.

But a tomato is a...

You know what, forget

it. It's not important.

Here.

Not bad, for being 70 years past the

expiration.

Well?

Ah...

So this is garbage.

Shut up.

More for me.

Here.

You can have half my fish

for the rest of that tomato.

That's called, bargaining.

Okay.

This is new.

Oh! Nice.

I think the rain may have

loosened some of the markers.

There were some I know

I marked, but they weren't.

So I think it was the rain

that may have washed them away.

Oh, that reminds me.

Look!

I found one. I haven't seen one in weeks.

I know it's not alive but...

I think they're all freezing to death.

Or underground.

Hey! Do you know how

careful I was with that?

I didn't even lose any of the legs.

I know that's your favorite part.

Hey. Hey!

Are you okay?

Hey Lakris... answer me.

Yes?

Jesus.

What's wrong? Are you okay? Are you hungry?

It feels like...

There's a stone, inside of me.

Holy...

Okay?

Okay.

Here. Try standing.

Can you stand on your feet?

Okay... you must not

be that sick if you can-

Oh my god!

What can I do?

Has this happened before?

No.

You might have a...

I dunno... a cold?

Do cats get colds?

I am cold.

And thirsty.

Thirsty. That's...

good.

Your body must wanna

live if it wants water.

Right?

C'mon, water.

I need to go get some water.

Might still be raining.

Damn it.

Okay, it stopped raining, but

I'm gonna go run to the creek.

I'll be right back.

You're gonna be okay,

and I'll be right back.

Oh no!

Damn it.

No no no, I'm... I'm gonna help.

Shh Shh. It's okay.

Here we go.

Hey there.

Had a little detour.

You better drink this after

what I just went through.

Are you still cold?

Yes.

Okay.

Be right back.

Here.

Can you feel it?

Can you feel the warmth?

Yes.

Good.

I honestly had no idea if

that was actually gonna work.

One time, my mom and

I, we were on this hike.

And we had these special

shoes that we would wear

if we thought we'd have

to walk through water.

But we didn't wear them

that day because well...

We didn't think we were gonna be walking

through the water.

We came across this river

and it had risen enough

that there were fewer

rocks than there usually are

Y'know. To hop across on.

We tried, but...

We both, plunk!

Anyways, we finished the hike,

got back to camp,

and it was dark.

It must've been around this time of year.

We were freezing, right?

Like, I thought my toes were gonna fall off

and I was gonna look like a witch.

But, my mom...

She found these stones,

these really round stones

like they had been sanded down by someone

and placed there just for us.

She throws them in the fire

and then rolled them up

in this big blanket that she would bring.

And we kicked our feet up on it.

It was nicer than any fire we ever made.

Anyway.

I wasn't sure if I did it right.

Like she did.

You feeling any better?

A little.

Uh. Woah.

Is that?

Woah!

Are you...

having kittens?

Kittens?

Y'know, babies?

Little yous?

When you were smaller, you we're a kitten.

Can I?

Can you what?

Feel?

Sorry I...

I hate it when people think

it's okay to feel without asking.

Okay.

Oh my god.

Oh my god.

Hey. How are you feeling today?

I feel sick.

Well it looks as though you're

having the time of your life.

This is the time of my life.

Can't argue with that.

What are you doing?

Seeing if there is anything in here to help

us prepare for the winter.

I figure it'll snow soon.

If you mean the cold.

Then what I do is sit in

one spot for as long as I can

and not move at all.

Sitting in one place defeats the purpose

of finding a way out. Don't you think?

Still can't believe you've got a

bunch of small kittens in there.

You're gonna have to start having...

responsibilities.

You know that right?

No, I don't know.

Because I don't know what that means.

Of course you don't.

You're gonna have to start worrying about

yourself and the little ones, you know?

You're gonna have to

get your life together.

Teach them everything you know.

Have an answer for everything.

I feel like my parents

always had an answer.

I think, anyway.

I have this sort of

placeholder memory I guess

where they just always knew what to do.

My mom, she was around my age when

she had me, you know.

My age, I...

I didn't have it together.

I, I mean, I don't have it together.

It was all a mess.

Such a mess.

And I left that mess behind. And now...

I'm in another mess.

The same age as my mom

with none of the answers.

You try to run from it

but without even knowing,

you carry it with you, like

Sap on your shoe.

What are you gonna do?

What does the book say?

If you should find yourself lost in

the woods with no help to be found

stay where you are, limit

travel, and wait for help.

Hey! That's what I said to do!

That isn't...

That's terrible advice. You can't just

wait around for circumstances to change.

You can't just wait for help.

I wait and the air changes.

The cold, the water,

the light, the leaves...

I sit, and they change.

Not really the same thing.

Well...

Okay, then.

Fantastic.

I didn't know the winters could get

this bad out here.

I have never seen it this way.

You should get over here.

You need to stay warm.

I know what I need.

Makes me nervous every time you do that.

Oh.

Forgot I had this.

Watch the fire.

What is it?

Ah,

Here.

What? Can I see?

Stay by the fire. The last thing we need

is to burn our only shelter to the ground.

Then stop saying "ah! and

"here if you won't let me look.

It's not that interesting, it's just...

There's really only one spot left to check.

But it's over the rolling hills and there's

no way I can get over that in this weather.

I'll have to wait, for the

snow to melt maybe, or

at least for the storm to end.

I think we'll have enough food to make it.

I do.

I hope so. Never seen the white this bad.

This cabin seems to be pretty old.

I'm sure it's taken it's share of beatings.

And it's still standing.

I remember a tall tree that

used to stand over a cliff.

White after white I would

see it moving closer to edge

until it was hanging over the side.

One day I saw a flyer

land on it, no bigger than I.

And the tree slipped off the side of

the cliff, the whole thing falling down.

My mom was a big believer in the whole,

"whatever doesn't k*ll you" outlook.

You know, whatever doesn't k*ll you in the

natural world will make you better prepared

to deal with the unnatural one.

Which I didn't understand when I was a kid.

I guess I don't now, either.

And now, you're gonna be a mom.

Do you remember your mother?

There were others, as big as me.

And my mother looked

like them, only bigger.

But I don't know if I

looked like them or like her.

But she seemed big. She walked

over us like the storm clouds.

She would take us from place to place.

Leading at times, carrying us at others.

Yeah, that sounds like my mom.

Do you remember your brothers and sisters?

You remember where they went?

No.

I remember they were there,

and my mother was there

but one day they weren't there.

I don't remember that happening.

I wish that I did.

I'd like to know what happened to them.

Yeah.

That happens.

That happens.

Uh...

That does not sound good.

Lakris!

Lakris!

Lakris!

Lakris.

C'mon.

Oh no no no no no. Not now!

Woah!

Are you hurt?

You're welcome to share the fire with me.

Are you thirsty? I have...

I can get you some...

I'd have to get some snow but...

I could melt it.

Okay. Okay, I'll be right back.

I wish this was an actual dish and

not the bottom of a beer can.

But it should do the trick.

Someone once told me that

if you eat the snow,

your body has to work harder to melt it.

So, you could actually dehydrate yourself.

Here.

Come on.

Come one. You've gotta drink.

Hey.

Hey.

Lakris.

Lakris.

Woah.

Alright.

Lakris?

Oh my god!

Hey!

Oh!

Wow.

Hi guys.

Is your mother around?

Hold on a second.

I was holding onto these for your mom.

I hope they're still good.

My best to your mother.

Should be... this way.

What the...

I..

Wait but...

Not possible.

Oh my god.

Yes.

Yes!

Lakris!

It's amazing, isn't it?

It is.

It really is.