A young woman’s solo hike in the forest is cut short when a bear destroys her campsite. Uninjured but now without food, water, equipment, or even a trail map, she must place her complete trust in another woman hiking alone who happens by and offers assistance. But as they hike together and converse, the young woman begins to doubt that her rescuer is leading her on a path out of the wilderness to safety.
First published in The Literary Hatchet, Issue #31, May 2022