In the Middle of Nowhere

He's a seasoned outdoorsman; a lover and explorer of nature who frequently goes camping, on occasion, hunting; even fly-fishing. He's equally at home in the wild as he is in civilization. He's usually accompanied by his wife, or dog. Hiking alone in the woods one fateful day, he never anticipated the misfortune that befell him. He built a makeshift shelter deep into the vast wilderness with palm fronds chopped off of a coconut tree. Reposing nigh twilight, a rattlesnake crawled into his shelter and bit him on the right foot. Suddenly, it becomes a race against time to get to a hospital, a race he's bound to lose. The nearest hospital is fifteen miles away, by car. The poison injected into him is spreading from his foot up; akin to a metastasizing cancer. He's confronted with two choices, do the unthinkable or watch his life slowly and painfully slip away before his eyes. Paralyzed with fear and unable to rush himself to the hospital as quick movements would accelerate the spread of poison, he chose the unthinkable. He tied a tourniquet below his right knee and began chopping off his leg with a machete to save his life. Will To Survive Poetry Contest (Winner: 2nd Place) Sponsored by Silent One Date written: 10/14/2020