The Vaster Wilds

The girl is in great pain from her head wound and her recent exertions. She believes that she can see to the western end of the continent and briefly fantasizes about making it all the way across as her fever continues to rage. She makes it to a river but suddenly senses that someone is behind her and takes off at a run. She comes upon a waterfall and discovers a small cave behind it. Hiding there, she sees two Piscataway hunters. She remains behind the waterfall even after they leave, fearing that they might still be near. The girl falls asleep and wakes up to see a bear in the water downstream. She believes that she can see wonder in the bear’s eyes and is shaken by the thought that its wonder mirrors the human wonder she has felt. She questions whether that means that the bear has a soul, and wonders whether it is therefore a sin to kill a bear. This thought sends her theological understanding of the world into turmoil, and she questions whether the priests she has known really had much knowledge of God. She feels that God is in all things, and then fears that if this is so, then God must be nothing at all.