"Are you kidding me?" Lydia kicked a nearby rock, frustration bubbling up. "This is not happening. This is NOT happening."
But it was happening. And she was alone. Completely, utterly alone.
"Okay Lydia, calm down. You just need to retrace your steps," she muttered to herself. "Follow your own scent back."
But no matter which direction she walked, the trees looked the same, and every path led her back to the spot where the mysterious pool had been.
She was lost, truly lost, in a way that defied logic. The temperature dropped suddenly, her breath fogging in front of her face. Somewhere nearby, a branch snapped.
Think, Lydia. Think.
She pulled off her outer shirt and tore the fabric into strips. She tied one to a nearby branch determined to mark her path and prove to hers
