She looked down at the water; it was crystal clear here, the rocks plainly visible beneath its surface. She used a stick to steady herself and made her way into the running water. The far bank was only a stone's throw away, but now, with her feet in the cold mountain water, it seemed like an unreachable target. Stepping in, she felt her foot slip on the rocks, forcing her to return to the bank. This was going to be trickier than she had expected.
She considered swimming across but decided the rocks would be just as treacherous, so she moved slightly upstream, hoping for surer footing. Wading in slowly, she took her time with each step, holding her pack above her head to keep it dry. The force of the water was pressing against her, trying to push her further downstream, but she held on, de
