Chapter 13 - Next Steps

By late afternoon, with a dose of meditation and my innate healing powers, I was able to get on my feet. The nourishing lunch helped! Much credit to the Colonel’s help with the hospital staff to ensure I get a good diet.

The urgency of the task at hand galvanized me to get out of bed. However, while the physical injuries healed and mended, the emotional trauma lingered. Like a leech, it sapped me gradualy of my usual vitality.

I thought of the lady spirit in black, her horrendous demeanor, her powerful strokes. What made her unforgettable was the deep sorrow in her. The streaks of dark energy coupled with the soul-shearing howls spoke of a dreadful past that is rooted in tragedy.

Who was she?

The Colonel had replied with the numbers I asked for. Altogether, there have been four infantry companies who had trekked those forests in the past fortnight. It was a standard military topography exercise in the forest over the past fortnight.