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“It’s a relief to be out of those trees,” she said. “I was starting to feel like we were trapped down there.”

Lux glanced back at her, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “I know what you mean. It’s good to see clear sky again.”

They continued walking, the rocky ground crunching beneath their feet. The shrubs grew thicker as they moved farther up the terrain, and Zoey found herself brushing past the occasional prickly branch. It wasn’t easy going, but it was better than the constant threat of falling branches or getting lost in the dense underbrush.

After a while, they reached a slight rise, and Zoey’s breath caught in her throat as she saw something shimmering in the distance. “Is that…water?”

Lux followed her gaze. “Looks like it. Could be a lake or a pond.”

“Think we can try to catch something to eat?” Zoey asked.

“Sure, I’m famished,” Lux said.

They descended the slope, the terrain leveling as they approached the water. As they drew closer, Zoey could see it was indeed a lake, its surface calm as it reflected the pale blue sky. The air around it felt fresher, and Zoey breathed deeply, savoring the clean scent.

Lux crouched by the water’s edge, her fingers trailing through the surface.

“It’s clean,” she said, relief evident.

Zoey knelt beside her, the cool water lapping at her fingertips. “This is a good spot,” she said. “We should take a break here, maybe even camp for the night.”

Lux nodded. “Agreed. And if we’re lucky, we might be able to catch something.” She looked around.

Lux chuckled softly. “I’m sure we can figure something out.”

They spent the next few minutes gathering fishing supplies. They found long, sturdy branches that could serve as fishing rods and some discarded string and drinks cans another hiker must’ve left behind. It wasn’t perfect, but it was better than nothing.

They used the metal from the drinks cans to fashion hooks and put some berries on the end as bait. Do fish like berries? Time would tell on that front! Once their makeshift fishing rods were ready, they settled by the lake’s edge, casting their lines into the water. Zoey felt calmer as she watched the ripples spread across the surface, the quiet lapping of the water soothing her frayed nerves.

“This is nice,” Zoey said. She watched her line bob gently in the water. “It almost makes me forget about everything else.”

Lux glanced at her. “It’s strange, isn’t it? How something as simple as fishing can make everything seem…normal.”

Zoey nodded, her gaze still fixed on the water. “Yeah. I guess it’s a reminder that life goes on, no matter what.”

“Yeah. I can imagine the look on my dad’s face when I tell him I survived so many days out here. There’d be so many stories to share.”

“Yeah,” Zoey said. “Stories. They’d be scared now, you know.”

“Yeah, I know. But my dad won’t give up on me just yet.” Lux’s hands dropped slightly. “I bet he’d give them hell at the station if anyone dared suggest giving up.”

They laughed.

Zoey’s mind drifted, her thoughts wandering to her family and the life she had left behind. She wondered if they were worried about her or still hoping she was alive.

Had Becky Thompson the Fire Chief reached out to her parents already? Were they preparing for life without her?

She shifted slightly.

“You miss them, don’t you?”

Zoey nodded. “Yeah, I do. But I don’t want to think about that right now. I just want to focus on getting through this.”

Lux reached out, placing a hand on Zoey’s shoulder. “We’ll get through it. We’ve made it this far, haven’t we?”

Zoey smiled. “Yeah, we have.”

They continued fishing in silence, the tension easing as they focused on the task. After a while, Zoey felt a tug on her line, and she quickly reeled it in, her heart skipping a beat as she saw a fish wriggling on the end.