My Life - Personal Essay

I'm walking through a forest. The only sound is the crackling of dry branches and leaves beneath my feet. It hasn't rained for days. The wildlife around me is keenly aware of my presence and they let me know by making their respective sounds. Once I regain my bearings, I begin walking along the path that I had originally started out on. Several minutes pass and I begin to hear sounds of life: human life. After a few seconds I can smell the smoke. Not sure what lurks ahead, I post up behind a large tree. Suddenly, a figure from the fire becomes alerted to something. Is it me? A few seconds pass and the figure returns its attention to the fire. I make a quick glance and then I reposition behind another tree, a tree closer to the fire. By now I'm able to make out more human figures. There appear to be four, maybe five - the far side of the fire remains allusive. Overhead, a buzzard perches violently upon a branch several feet above my head. I immediately