curses of the two other guys. All he could think about was to put a lot of distance
between him and the meth heads. But as he started to run after turning right, a sudden
bright light blinded him. He could feel himself falling, his legs still pumping as if running on solid ground.
Shocked, blinded and bewildered, Tyler started to panic as he could feel himself falling.
He put his hands in front of him but there was nothing. His pumping legs could feel no
traction. Then he slammed into water.
A few hundred miles away, a forest ranger continued his watch over the wide, dry, and
rocky plain before me. His position overlooking the expanse was his favorite one.
Concealed from below, the scraggy trees surrounding his hiding place afforded the best
view of the gathering horde encamped before him.
He could see more arriving and adding their strength to the mass he was watching.
Flags and pennants flew through the windy air, marking the orderly alignment of tents
and makeshift shelters. In the distance, he could see animal pens and rows of wagons
lined up. His group still had a day to stay in this place, then back to town to report on
what they had seen.
Aside from him, three more of his companions were on watch duty. All experienced
rangers with years of living in the wild. Six others were taking their rest in the small dell behind him. With a smile, he thought of their coming back to the delights of the town
inn and a comfortable normal bed for a change.
He was still absorbed in musing when the sharp blade slid through his throat and cut
through his larynx. His killer stood up and gave a hand signal to the others waiting on
the sides of the copse. They moved out, as silently as they had come.
Behind them, the bloodied bodies of their victims lay in various poses of death, awaiting
the coming of the carnivorous beasts which now moved towards the spot.
CHAPTER I
Wet Beginnings
The painful impact forced the breath from him. Still blinded, he could feel his arms and
legs numbing from the shock and pain as he slowly sank. The water entered his open
mouth, worsening the panic overwhelming him. He could feel the water filling his lungs
and the lack of air as his body struggled to breathe. As he lost consciousness, all he
could think of was at least he was drowning in fresh water. A small part of his mind did
note that that was a stupid thought for a dying man.
Tyler woke up to the sight of a frog watching him. He was lying down on his stomach,
soaked wet and cold, with his face on its left side kissing the grass. He could feel the
sun on his back and the soaked grass underneath. He didn’t move for a while,
assessing his surroundings and getting some strength back to his limbs. His body ached
and he could feel the numbness remaining in his extremities.
He could still sense the panic in his mind but forced it out. He was alive as far as he
knew. Unless pain exists beyond the Pearly Gates? On the other hand, the scenery was
too nice to be Hell. Yet the practical side of him saw no point in panicking. His fear was
there but to Tyler, fear is good in his situation. It made him cautious. As far as he could see, he was in a forested area. He could see the water where he crashed but could not
assess how big a body it was from his limited view. He was around fifteen feet away.
On a patch of soft grass between the forest and the water. How the hell was he alive?
And how did he get to shore?
As the frog hopped away, he started to sit up. Checking himself, no injuries could be
seen or felt. His only problem as of the moment was being wet and cold as well as the
pervasive body pain and numbness. Even his backpack was wet. He looked around.
The forest appeared to be virgin growth and the body of water a small lake. He could see the other shore. It was a series of rocky cliffs. The lake itself looked to be bordered by the forest. Streams could be seen feeding into the lake and a small river was flowing
from it. The lake itself was a deep blue in color up to the lake shore. He thought it a
little bit strange but felt lucky he didn’t fall into the cliffs. The brown and black rocks there appeared jagged and dangerous.
Looking at the forest, the tall trees and the tangled undergrowth looked discouraging.
At least for now. Nor could he see any animals but the forest itself was silent. It was
quiet to the point of being eerie. No bird songs, no wind, nothing at all. It was as if he
found himself in a landscape painting. Even the lake was preternaturally still.
Well, first things first, thought Tyler. Get dry. Set up shelter. Then food and protection.
The lake would provide the water. Hopefully, it would be safe to drink. He was not able
to buy a personal water filter at the convention. He already had two but they were at
home. After that, he could get his bearings and get back home. But now, he could feel
the tiredness in his body. The shock and exhaustion had taken their toll on him.
Opening his backpack, he brought out the one-person camping tent and the emergency
blanket he had bought. Next, he brought out the fire starter he bought and removed it
from its package. Walking to the edge of the forest, he gathered dry fallen branches
and twigs and started a fire. Pitching the tent, got out of his wet clothes, brought out
the items in his backpack and arranged them near the fire.
Almost all the items he bought were safe, still being in their sealed packages.
Unfortunately, his tablet and cell phone were soaked. He prayed they would still
function. He placed both with his clothes and other wet items near the fire. Luckily, the
water didn’t get through
