Deep within the forest, high up in the mountains, a lone figure was shuffling among the trees. The movement could be mistaken for an animal walking along, but this was not the walk of any animal. This was something that this part of the land had never seen. And why should it, since this was many miles from any civilization in a time when the country was still wild and untamed. There would only be one new being to enter this land, and that being was a man.
But why was this man so far from his people now? Why was he going deeper into the wilderness away from the rest of humanity? And who exactly was he? Well answering the last question may help with the others. His name was Thomas, and he had sailed to this "New World" from his native England almost three years ago. He had arrived in the Virginia Colony with a group of men that worked together to establish a settlement they named in honor of their king, which they called Jamestown. He had worked with the others to build the fort and they were at the beginning of a thriving place in this land called America. Thomas played an important role in the settlement; his skills at both hunting and farming were beyond any of his countrymens, allowing him to provide much of the food that the other colonists ate. Times were tough, but they had managed to make it for the time, until the winter between the years 1609 and 1610, when a great period of famine hit Jamestown. Many of the colonists died during this time, and among the survivors there was blame towards Thomas, who they insisted could have worked harder in growing their crops. Finally unable to take another moment of false accusations, he gathered his meager possessions and headed west deep into the unknown land, renouncing civilization and vowing to live alone for the rest of his days.
Thomas kept walking deeper and deeper into the wilderness on his personal mission. Mentally, he already had the determination to survive the trials ahead. He also was at peak physical condition; his 5'10" frame had the adequate muscling to allow him the demands of labor he would face. His long brown hair, tied back behind his back, matched the beard he wore on his face that showed the roughly 30 years he had lived were not easy ones. At first chance, upon a successful deer hunt, he shed the clothes of his English upbringing to fashion his own outfit of buckskins. This successful test meant he would be able to make warmer clothing before the next harsh winter came. If anyone of the Europeans in America possessed the survival skills in this unknown wilderness it would be Thomas. He could live off the land, harvest wild game and plants and endure any environment. When it came time for him to settle down, he would easily be able to build a permanent dwelling and raise a small garden of crops for himself. The adventurous spirit that had brought him to leave home to come to the New World was in full force as he went deeper into the mountains.
Thomas had traveled for many months on his journey into the unknown. No longer bound to society, he had long stopped bothering to notice the date it was or even the year. His calendar was simply following the seasons. One day, off in the distance, he spotted a mountain range that seemed to be the color blue. Thomas had never seen mountains this color before, or with so much woodland on it. He was drawn instantly to this mountain range, as the color reminded him of the flowers that had grown outside the door of his childhood home. He took this as a sign that he should head in that direction. The mountains seemed to go on as far as the eye could see and he reasoned that a man could spend quite a long time exploring him, a prospect he was looking forward to.
As he reached the mountains, the leaves began to change their colors to welcome the arrival of fall. Thomas decided he would set up a winter encampment now and once the warm days of spring arrived he would go out exploring. His skills with an ax allowed him to have a cabin that would suit him and keep him from the weather up in no time. He managed to gather and preserve some roots and berries that would hopefully survive the cold temperature to add to his diet. He was able to fashion a bow and arrow that was adequate for him to bring down many deer from which he was able to stockpile meat and make plenty of warm clothing and bedding to keep him more than comfortable during the winter. He also took time to explore the area around his little homeplace, as the cold temperatures were still not due for a little while. He had a place ready for winter and the whole area to himself. At least that is what he thought.
On a day when the temperatures were just starting to turn cold enough for Thomas to want another covering, he decided to walk among a rock outcropping he had seen during one of his hunts. He looked among the rocks, seeing if there was anything that drew his interest. Among the outcropping, he saw something he did not expect; tracks. He had figured that no animals would come up the harsh rocky soil. But as he looked closer, what he thought were tracks were revealed to be footprints. There could not possibly be another person there as it was far from any Indian tribes he had seen from afar during his travel. He had not seen another human for months and now there was the possibility he was about to encounter one. Fearful that the unknown would be hostile, he drew his hunting knife from its sheath, prepared to battle it out. Before he could follow the tracks, however, the source revealed itself by coming out from behind the large rock they had selected for a hiding place.
Thomas was able to look the other person up and down and realize that this was no threat to him. He sheathed his knife to show he did not mean harm. The intruder was a young Indian woman, obviously in distress. She was filthy, clothes ragged and looked as if it had been some time since she had last eaten anything of sustenance. Despite vowing to give up human companionship, the helpfulness he had previously been known for compelled him to want to offer help. But how would he communicate with her his intentions? He thought for a moment what signals would be best to use, without being perceived as a threat, when suddenly the woman spoke to him in his native English.
"Please, do not hurt me," she said. "I will go if you let me."
Thomas was taken aback by this. "You can speak English?" he asked her.
"I can. Please let me go and bring me no harm." She was obviously frightened by the sight of him.
"Do not fear. I mean you no harm at all. Are you here alone?" Thomas was growing concerned at the state she was in.
"I am. All of the others are dead. I am the last one and have been for some time."
