Darrell's Journal

The Daring Adventures of Darrell Russet
  Journal Entry 1 - Day 0
  The dawn breaks with an air of anticipation that makes my heart race, dear journal! Today is the day I’ve dreamt of since childhood—the day I take my first step toward becoming a great explorer. We are sixty strong, led by officers with names that will no doubt echo through history alongside my own: Captain Alder, Captain Brax, and the illustrious Lieutenant Triselle. How grand it sounds already!
  We set out tomorrow, into the fabled hinterland, that thick, mysterious jungle where no man has ever returned from. Oh, but we will, and when we do, we shall return with tales of wonders and caches of the elusive symbiomass. The officers speak of it as a treasure worth the risk, the stuff of legends that could change the world. I’ve packed my journal, of course, for every great adventurer must keep an account of their journey. I feel ready, I feel bold—today marks the beginning of Darrell Russet’s rise to fame!
  Journal Entry 2 - Day 4
  Ah, the hinterland! Such a verdant, alive place—though not without its trials. The path is thick, and the air so heavy it clings to our lungs. Progress has been slower than expected, and we’ve had some trouble keeping contact with the forward scouts. Lieutenant Triselle insists it’s only the density of the jungle interfering with the signal, but it’s unsettling how we’ve lost communication for hours at a time. Still, morale remains high.
  The men tell stories around the campfire at night, and I must confess, I quite enjoy this camaraderie. There’s a spirit of adventure in the air, and even though the path ahead is uncertain, my heart swells with excitement. We are on the cusp of something great—I can feel it in my bones! This land is challenging us, but we will triumph, just as all explorers must endure hardships. I daresay this will make the tale all the richer when I recount it to eager ears someday.
  Journal Entry 3 - Day 6
  The deeper we go, the more this place seems to defy reason. The air grows thicker with each passing day, almost like the forest itself is pressing in on us, testing our resolve. Yesterday, we stumbled upon a strange clearing—perfectly round, with not a single blade of grass out of place. The trees around it seemed to lean inward, their branches twisted unnaturally.
  The officers insist we are making progress, though it’s difficult to tell with the canopy blotting out the sky. We’ve had more trouble with the comms—static, silence, and strange echoes—but the Lieutenant remains steadfast, saying it’s only a matter of time before we find the first cache of symbiomass. Her confidence is reassuring, though some of the men are starting to whisper about bad omens. I must admit, I’ve caught myself glancing over my shoulder more often than I’d like to admit.   Despite the difficulties, my spirits remain high! This is exactly what adventure is about, after all—the unknown, the challenge! I feel more alive with each step deeper into this untamed land. Perhaps this journey is meant to break us before it rewards us, but I won’t be the one to falter. Whatever treasures this place holds, we are destined to find them. I only hope that when we do, the hardships will have been worth it.   Journal Entry 4 - Day 8
  Tragedy struck today, and the weight of it sits heavy on my chest, dear journal. We lost Elias. A fine man, a brave man—taken from us by one of those beasts we’ve been warned about. A symbiotically enhanced predator, fierce and fast, came upon us in the early hours of the morning. Its eyes gleamed with a strange light as it tore through the camp, and poor Elias was caught in its path. We tried to fight it off, but we weren’t prepared for something like that. The officers are maintaining order, but there's a tension in the air. Should we turn back?
  Ah, but I must remain optimistic, mustn’t I? Elias knew the risks when he signed on, as we all did. The hinterland does not forgive weakness, and perhaps it is testing us, seeing if we are worthy of its secrets. I will not falter. I will carry on, for Elias, for the expedition, and for my own dream of glory!
  Journal Entry 5 - Day 14
  WE ARE LOST!!
  It’s official, we’ve strayed far off course. The officers haven’t said it outright, but you can see it in their faces. The dense trees, the endless canopy overhead, and the complete lack of landmarks make it impossible to navigate. Every direction looks the same—trees, vines, shadows. The forest feels like it’s alive, toying with us, leading us deeper into its heart. But despite all that, I’m holding out hope. After all, every great adventure has its setbacks, doesn’t it?
  The wilderness is relentless. There’s no denying that. My boots are soaked through from trekking through mud and streams, and the biting insects seem to have made me their personal banquet. We’re constantly damp, cold at night, and hot during the day, and don’t even get me started on the food—dry rations and stale biscuits, with hardly a taste of fresh meat in days. I can’t say I imagined this when I set off to become a famous explorer. But still, a little discomfort is the price of discovery, right?
  Triselle and the others are doing their best to keep morale high. Brax even led us in a few drills today to “keep us sharp,” though I suspect it was just to distract us from the fact we’ve seen no sign of a symbiomass cache. But I trust them. They’ll find a way out of this. They have to. People like them—they’ve seen worse, they’ve led through worse, haven’t they?
  For now, I’ll focus on what I can: keeping my eyes open, staying alert, and writing down our triumphs! Someday, when we make it back to civilization, these pages will be proof of our grit. The hinterlands may be trying to swallow us whole, but it hasn’t won yet. We’ll make it through this. I know we will. And when we do, the stories we’ll tell!
  Journal Entry 6
  Darrell died today, along with Triselle and a few others. I pulled this journal from his bag, I don't think he'd mind. He was a good kid, but he never should have been out here. Sam says I could “write things down to get them out of my head” so here’s me trying.
  This place makes me twitch. I can’t help but feel that something’s always watching us, hidden in the underbrush or up in the trees. Every rustle and distant wail makes me shiver. The group keeps getting smaller. I don't know if we're going to make it out of this.
  Journal Entry 7
  We lost Brax and Alder. They were there last night, and now they aren't. Their tent was collapsed and there was no sign of them. We'll wait here a couple days, but I don't think they're coming back.
  It's taking everything we got to just keep everyone together. They're all panicking, and who can blame them? So much pointless death.
  Sam's different. She's strong in a way the others aren’t. She sees beauty here, where the rest of us see fear. Her smile, despite everything, keeps me going. She talks about the interconnectedness of nature, the balance of the ecosystem. I’m starting to see it too, even in this dangerous place. Maybe there’s something to it. It’s a comfortable fantasy, at least, a small respite from the doom.
  Journal Entry 8
  Sam refuses to bond with the symbiotes. I tried to convince her today. I told her we need the power the symbiotes offer if we want to survive out here. I told her how fortunate it was for us to have stumbled upon the means. She understands what it can do; we’ve seen it in the others and heard the stories. But she won’t cross that line. She says the symbiotes are a part of the hinterlands, and this whole expedition never should've happened. She refuses to "steal from it". She says this as it’s trying to kill us.
  I can’t say I fully understand her perspective, but I can accept it. We’ve grown close. Her presence is a comfort I never expected. But what if she’s wrong?   Journal Entry 9
  I went through the symbonding process. It was hell. It took about 8 days for the paralytic to wear off, and another week to feel any different. Sam never left my side, even when I was paralyzed and helpless. She’s still refusing the bond for herself, but she didn’t judge me or the others for choosing to do it. Some of the others didn’t make it, but they knew the risk.
  Now that I’ve survived, I feel different. Sharper. Stronger. The symbiote inside me hums with energy, and the forest feels less hostile. I can sense the danger before it strikes, like the rustling of the leaves is speaking to me.
  Sam is the last who hasn’t bonded, and I fear for her. She’s as tough as any of us but I can’t help but feel she’s more vulnerable now.   Journal Entry 10
  Sam’s been different these past few days. I keep catching her smiling while gazing off at the trees. I can’t shake the feeling that she’s seeing something I’m not. Last night she said that the forest is aware of us. Watching. I think we symbonded get the same sort of feeling, but she’s not bonded, and for her it looks different.
  Everyone else is looking a bit more hopeful these days. Symbonding has changed us.   Journal Entry 11
  Sam is gone.
  She was out with a hunting party and never came back. No one saw what happened. Something got her.
  I should’ve convinced her to symbond. I should’ve been there with her.
  Journal Entry 12
  It’s been five days. I’ve barely slept. I keep dreaming of her. I keep expecting her to just step out of the brush. I know she's gone. She's gone.
  The forest haunts me. I can feel it under my skin. Maybe she was right.
  I can’t make sense of it yet. I am trying.
  Journal Entry 13
  The symbiote is part of me now, and it’s connected to something larger.
  She must have been right. The forest isn’t just alive. It’s something more. I can’t stop thinking about the look she gave me before she left. It was almost like she expected it, like she had accepted her place here, even if I hadn’t.
  I have to believe that, by bonding with the symbiotes, we’re not stealing anything, but becoming part of this system. Sam didn’t agree, but I think she’d understand. This place is ruthless, but it’s also beautiful, like she said. And maybe this is the only way to survive here.


  [Dozens of pages of diagrams, crude maps and sketches, and notes on flora and fauna]


  Journal Entry 14
  I pushed farther than I ever have today. The terrain was rough, but there’s something about this area that feels different. The trees are taller, older, and the air seems clearer. It’s hard to put into words, but after years I finally feel like I’m on the right track.
  I’ve marked the trail for the others. I need to approach this carefully, though. If I get their hopes up and it turns out to be nothing, it could do more harm than good. Still, I think this path might lead us somewhere important.
  Journal Entry 15
  It’s been weeks since I found that path, and I haven’t been able to let it go. I’ve scouted it a few more times, mapped it out as best I can. The deeper I go, the fewer creatures I see. It’s quieter there, less chaotic. It feels like we might be heading toward something better, or at least different.
  I’ve decided to lead a small group through the range. Four of the others have agreed to come with me. We leave in a few days. If this path doesn’t lead us out, at least we’ll know what lies beyond. I just hope this isn’t another dead end.
  Journal Entry 16
  Our scouting group returned today. Without Leo. Another one of us gone. We told the rest that the forest took him. They didn’t need further explanation. We know how it works now. Still, it had been so long since we lost one that I was convinced we were starting to figure this out.
  I can’t shake the feeling we’re on the verge of something. That path I found weeks ago feels like the forest is pulling us toward it. Maybe not to safety, but to something different. I’m heading back out tomorrow. I don’t want to risk any more lives. I can make it further on my own.
  Journal Entry 17
  We made it. Somehow, we made it.
  The path was relentless, and for a while, it seemed like I was just walking deeper into the unknown. But then, just as I was preparing to turn back, the trees began to thin. The forest loosened its grip. I swear I could feel it when it happened. I stepped through the treeline and into an open valley, the sky wide above me. There was a river running through the valley, and beyond it, signs of life. Roads, smoke from distant chimneys. Civilization. I still don’t fully understand how it happened. It was a long trek with everyone, but I lead the group back and we followed the river downstream. There was a town with people. They had no idea what we’d been through, how close we’d been to being lost to that place forever. But here we are. I should be relieved, but I just find myself confused.
  Journal Entry 18
  We’re back. Back in the world we thought we’d never see again. The walls of the city, the noise, the people, it’s overwhelming. After everything we’ve been through, it feels like a dream. And yet, I feel like it wasn’t our doing. The hinterlands held us for years, and then, without warning, it let us go. Just like that.
  Sixteen of us made it back. Sixteen, out of so many. The others are already making their plans. Some want to settle down, some are reuniting with family. I should feel triumphant, but I still feel bound to that place. The hinterlands must be with me, through this symbiote.
  Journal Entry 19
  The group has dispersed. We’re all going our separate ways now, trying to fit back into lives that feel like they belonged to someone else.
  I can’t shake the sense that it let us go for a reason. Five years it held, and then suddenly the door swung open. I keep wondering if it wanted us to leave, like seeds spreading in the winds. I’ve spent my time observing the city, trying to settle in, but this place is not for me. The forest, the symbiotes, that strange connection, there’s something to this that’s bigger than all of us. I need to figure this out.