the war of Art

Ch. 4 What I do to pass the time

After training's done I walk away gladly. After my first win i was paired against two others and i lost. I carefully climbed ladders and crossed bridges, my bones ached and i had bruises all over.  I opened the door to my little house and fell on the bed, i slowly drifted off into sleep.  I have the same dream, screams and soldiers are drilled into my mind I wake up screaming. I stumble out the door gasping for fresh air, I did this almost every night it became a habit. "keep it down" a near by neighbor yells. "sorry" i yell back. I look at the thick wall of tree's , i wonder what it looks like beyond them ?Is there more tree's? A wasteland? An unknown city? I have to know. Theres only one ladder to get down to the ground but it was highly guarded and only scientists were allowed to use it so i had to find another way to sneak out. I cant just climb down the tree its two high up and all the branches have been removed on the tree's that been built on. theres only one way to get down, i have to jump to a close by tree. I step of the tree and prepare to jump, sudenly my feet slip and i fall towards ground. my hand grabs a branch but my hand slips and i swing towards the tree, my face slams into the tree.  I wrap my hands around the tree but my body slides down, I quikly slide down the tree, the loose bark on the tree splinters my body. I slide until I hit a branch knocking the breath out of my lungs, I stand up balancing myself gasping for air.  I sit down , my clothes are tattered and my skin is red and splintered. "This was a bad idea" i say to myself.  I came all this way I cant give up yet, I sit up and begin to climb. I climb up with all the strength i have left, finally I reach the top.  The moon shines on me and I see what lays beyond my tree's.  A forest stretches out for miles but what catches my eyes is the ruins of San francisco.