I was 3 months into my Appalachian trail hike. I hiked the first month solo, but by the second month I had fell in with another hiker. Waffles, that was his trail name. Mine was storm. We were fast friends and after a week we were best friends. Spending every second of every day together. We were in Virginia staying at a rather seedy motel in pearsburgh. After the first night I decided I would slack pack a 25 mile section of the trail and meet him back at the hotel later that night. Waffles didn't want to go, I figured he'd lounge at the pool drinking beers all day. When I returned around 5pm he wasn't there. Apparently he had met this guy and went to score some opiates. You see Waffles had a drug problem before coming out on the trail, but since he'd been with me he'd been sober. As the night grew on I called and texted him. He responded sparsely and finally around 2am I woke to the sound of him entering. I could hear him talking to someone about patches, but I didn't get up. After a while he sat down on the bed next to me. He smiled down at me and I met his smile with a rather stern "I'm Fucking pissed at you" look. "What" I said. "Nothing" he said, smiling." I just love you and I missed you". I shook my head and rolled away from him. I loved him, I cared about him and I was so very hurt and angry that he Fucking up. As I was thinking about the reeming I was going to give him in the morning I heard his loud snoring coming from the floor. He'd never snored before that night. When I got up I could see he was laying in his back on the floor. I angryly attempted to roll him on his side but his unconscious body wasn't cooperating. So.... I went to sleep. In the morning Waffles was dead. his body frozen unnaturally, and dark red gelatinous liquid over flowing out of his open mouth. The cops came and went and I hitched out an hr later.
How I miss you my dearest friend. I will always remember your amazing spirit.
How I miss you my dearest friend. I will always remember your amazing spirit.
