Dead Water

A terrific contrast of beauty and the morbid!  Very well done!  It seems this portrait could inspire an entire story.  

"I was lost for days in the depths of a thick, gloomy, almost grotesque-like bayou forest. The nights were dark, cold, and foggy, making travel through the dense foliage impossible.  Many nights I found myself sleeping in trees, uncomfortable, yet safer and dryer than the forest floor.  The erie night sounds often caused my flesh to shiver, as did the cold.  I always kept a large stick, that easily could double as a club, within constant reach.  The days were less cold, misty, and dark, but the trek was still uneasy.  And the soggy, even shallow lake-like forest floor often made foot travel quite difficult and annoying.  Fortunately, my training in wilderness survival enabled me to temporary live off the many wild edible plants, which grew frequent, but were no substitute for civilized food.  After the seventh day, I was was beginning to wonder if I'd ever find my way back to civilization.  The foliage and swamp mire seemed to be swallowing me alive.  Then seemingly out of nowhere, appeared an astounding vision-like revelation of a mystical-like woman among bones of the dead! Though her beauty was quite intense, I was still cautious, and I couldn't help by ask myself, what was her nature and reason for making herself suddenly known to me?  I seemed almost certain that her immediate appearance was deliberate and for the purpose of getting my attention, but was she a friend or a foe?  Would she here to assist me in my quest or would my bones soon join those of her surroundings?!"  

What happens next is anyone's guess!  Your artistic talent is incredible! How do you do it?!