Chapter 11
I stood up and looked at my surroundings. I could hear the river off to the side of me, but I couldn't see it. Maybe if I walked over and tried to match up what it looked like to what it was on the map, I could figure out exactly where I was. I grabbed my backpack and then turned toward the sound of the river. I went a few hundred feet and could start seeing glimpses of it through the trees. I kept looking back because I didn't want to lose where the trail was. I stopped and set my pack down and grabbed a t-shirt, then walked back about halfway to the trail and tied it around a branch, then went back to my pack and grabbed another one and tied it to another branch. I shook my head thinking that it was a good thing I thought of this so at least I had something to see when I went back to the trail. I grabbed my pack and after a few more feet I was at the river’s edge. It was a smaller river, maybe twenty feet across it and only a few feet deep. This part was slow and made its way ahead with a large curve that went just about at a ninety-degree angle. I held up the map and followed along with my finger until I found a spot that seemed similar to what I was seeing ahead of me. Looking over to the remainder of the trail I could see I was close to where it would dump into the lake. Feeling pretty good about where I thought I was made me feel a little better. I turned back into the woods and headed toward the first flag or tee shirt I put in the tree. I got to the first one, but my eyes were fixed on where my other tee-shirt was hanging. For a second, I started to get a lump in my throat because I didn't see it right away but thank God my eyes caught it hanging about a hundred feet away. Quickly I made my way there and untied it and then stuffed them both back into my backpack. I knew the trail was just ahead maybe another hundred feet or so and although not knowing what else to do other than get to the trail and start following it until I got to the lake, I figured for sure someone would be there and hopefully tell me or show me how to get back on the trail again so I could get back to my truck. I chuckled inside thinking poor Helen is probably missing me by now.
I finally found the trail. I looked around and then it dawned on me. The trail, for some reason seemed smaller. I could clearly see a trail ahead but at my feet and behind me there was no trail, nothing at all. It was as if the trail started right where I stood. I was starting to really get shook up now but knew I needed to get going so I could get to the lake hoping and praying someone would be there, maybe fishing or camping. I started to hike faster now almost a brisk walk or run. After another few miles or so I could see the trees open and then I could see the lake. I was so relieved I made it to a point on the map that I knew where I was. I stood there and panned the edge of the lake for anyone possibly fishing but I couldn't see anyone. It was actually a trail that split. One went west and the other east. I took off my pack and grabbed the map again, but as I looked at it there were no trails at all on it now. I just about dropped it in disbelief. What the heck was going on? Why were the hiking trails vanishing, or better yet, how the heck could they vanish off a map I bought at a gas station? I never got it wet so it's not like the ink could have ran or smeared. I held it up and looked at the lake on it, then I looked at the lake in front of me. Something seemed different. The lake on the map was clearly a large lake but the one in front of me seemed more like a big pond or real small lake. I noticed off to the west of me a very large white pine tree and made my way over to it. I put my pack down then folded up the map and put it in my pocket. I wanted to climb the tree and see if I could see anything from up there. As I made my way up as high as I could go I looked out and I was so……..
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