With the camera on the phone open, Sloane began recording the beauty around her. She added some commentary before deciding that was enough for now. Time was lost again as she absorbed all of nature. But that was fine because that was the beauty of hiking.

The day was starting to heat up, but for that moment, it was still comfortable thanks to the canopy of the trees creating great shade. It wasn't until a trickle of sweat had slid down her neck that she figured it was time for a break.

After a quick look around, it was decided that the best place to rest would be right there on the trail. There wasn't any reason to go into the woods. It wasn't like there were other people to be in the way of. Besides, the trail was so miniscule, she feared she might never find it again.

Munching on the food from the bag, Sloane thought about how she was going to make Danielle come there one day. It was so peaceful; the serenity could be just what she needed. Sloane decided that if it came to it, she would just have to kidnap Danielle.

A grin spread across her face, knowing her sister would flip out. But she figured Danielle would praise her afterwards because so far, the scenery was so worth it.

After snacking, she tucked the trash into the bottom of the bag and slung it onto her back. Her thoughts were all over the place, excitement bubbling up once again - Danielle, this place, how she was going to keep it a secret even though all she wanted to do was spread the word on her social media pages.

Breathing became a little labored and she realized the trail was heading up a hill. After a few deep breaths, she focused on keeping a steady pace. Once again, she lost track of time, but that still didn't matter. The pop tent and sleeping bag were attached to one of the straps on the bag and she'd camp for the night if needed.

As more sunlight streamed through the thinning branches, the heat of the day intensified, causing a sheen of stickiness to form on her skin. She swiped an arm across her forehead, pumping her legs as the incline increased. Adrenaline coursed through her body, her mind racing again, this time focusing on what view awaited her.

Once Sloane got to the top, she struggled for a minute to catch her breath; not because of the hike but because what lay before her was beyond words. She spun around, trying to take it all in at once.

There was nothing but various shades of undulating green for as far as the eye could see. The sun was starting to lower, casting shadows around, a slight pinkish-purple staining the sky. She stood there for a minute, jaw slack and a stupid grin on her face.

In seconds, her phone was back in her hands, the shutter sound going off every few seconds. She started to stroll along, still snapping away.

"Oh my." The view was breathtaking. Of course, Danielle came to mind and with the setting on selfie, Sloane began a video.

Awe laced her words. "Danny! You should have come with me. And next time..." For dramatic effect before switching the camera around, she paused. The sprawling forest filled the phone screen.. "...you will. I'm not giving you a choice." She switched the camera back to selfie and blew Danielle a kiss before ending the video.

She couldn't contain her smile as the video was sent, only for a "failure to send" message to pop up. Of course, there's no signal. It wasn't a big deal at the moment; she'd just send it again later. She shrugged and continued walking, looking up to see that she had veered off what little of the path there had been.

It came as a surprise because she hadn't walked too far. Or at least she didn't think she had. But it wasn't anything to stress over. A little backtracking would make it all okay again. Turning around, she started off in the direction she had just come from.

After a few minutes, it dawned on Sloane that she should have been back on route by now. A long, slow breath escaped her lungs as she stopped in her tracks. Turning in place to look behind her and see what she thought had to be the trail, she figured she had just been a little off with how far away she had gone. Crossing the short distance to it, her heart raced a little. I've never gone off a path before. How could I let myself get distracted?

After a few moments, Sloane stopped and looked around again. That wasn't the way after all. Stomach lurching at the thought of being lost in a place she knew nothing about and without any phone service killed all of the excitement and awe she'd felt before. And of course, there was also the fact that no one else knew where she was.

She decided to switch directions. Maybe I just turned myself around.

But there was no sign of what she was hoping to find. The foliage had thickened and it was getting dark causing everything to look the same yet unfamiliar.

Despite her death grip on the phone, it began to slip a little as sweat started to form on her palms. Struggling to stay calm, her breath coming in shallow pants.

Panic rose within her in seconds, making it harder to control her breathing and thoughts. She took a few steps, stopped to look around again, took a few steps, stopped and looked. She started to try and rationalize any options available - continue to try and find the trail or camp there.

But the area wasn't clear and Sloane wasn't ready to give up. She was determined to find a way out. Or at least that's what she kept telling herself.

Taking several more spins around, she took a few cautious steps to the right before changing her mind. Head swiveling in every direction, she searched for any sign that she was on the way to safety.

The heftiness of the bag felt weighed down, as if massive rocks filled the bottom. Sweat dripped off every part of her body. There was no controlling her breathing anymore and tears threatened to spill.

As much as she wanted to figure a way out, the light was fading fast and it would be much more difficult to navigate the woods in the dark. Even with a flashlight, eyesight would be limited.

Standing in place, taking in shuddering breaths, Sloane listened for any sign of civilization. But her hopes weren't high. She knew there wasn't anything to hear; she was out there alone.

This made her rethink the whole camping now thing. She needed to find open space, at least. And soon.

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Banner photo found at https://uago.at/-SXdx/sgim.jpg