The wrong turn | short story

In the year 2009, after we finished our final exam, we went on a trip with my four other friends. Two male and three female. My two female friend and I were 17 years old, while the other male friend was 18 and 19 years old.

So, we went hiking nearer the mountain, and we asked my brother to send us off to the reception.

We all are excited about the hiking.

I don't own any phone during that time, so I just asked my brother to come to pick us up at 3.00 pm. We assume to go back around that time.

As soon we arrived, we register our name.

Since one of our friend, Gary, has been there before, we assume he knew well the trail. The guide told us not to follow the other trail and stick to the trail that has been made.

So, we noted the information and started our journey.

Gary, the one who 19 years old, told us that he had been there before and knew there's a shortcut for another trail. But, we doubt it, after a while, we change our mind and follow him.

There were 6 checkpoints, and each of the checkpoints was 20 minutes or more away, and the hill is so steep.

When we arrive at checkpoint 3, Gary shows us the other trail. Since no one was looking at us during that time, we went to it.

The bushes were thicker than we thought. As if it has not to be cleared for a long time.

But, Gary insist that it is the way.

So, we just walked. After a while, about hours and hours, we went into more deep and silent woods. Gary seems to panic as he just realises that we enter the wrong trail but still keeping it to himself.

Then, after 30 minutes of wandering into the woods, finally, he realises we got lost. We all get angry all of a sudden that time. Therefore, we have to go back to where we came from in the first place.

But, the thing was, we can't find the trail anymore; we went into deep and thicker woods.

Gary felt sorry for that incident, but he tried to lead the way. However, it's getting darker. About two or three hours, we were wandering inside the woods.

July, my other friend, was crying because she never experienced this thing. As that happened, we stuck in the bushes; Gary and the other male friend were shouting, calling for help. But there's no response to any of it.

The woods getting darker as we went into a deeper place.

Luckily, July has a small torchlight hang in her bag, and we used that to light the way, but the thing is, it is so steep. We all are holding onto each other; as soon we arrive at a place with a bigger space, Janna suddenly screams because her leg is stuck in one of the holes. 

It was dark, and July's torchlight was too small to see what was happening. We hurriedly pull her, and she cried hysterically, but we tried to calm her down. We saw a scratch on her leg as someone clawed at her.

We were all panicking ourselves. 

All of a sudden, we heard someone calling my name. The sound seems too far from us; it's like coming from the above. We tried to listen once again, and for sure, someone was calling my name.

They must have found us; my brother must have reported it to the authorities. We saw the light coming from above, about 30 to 40 metres. Then we shouted back.

It was them, my brother and the team. They found us. They told us to not move around and stay where we are. It took about 30 to 45 minutes per person they help. The fireman picked us one by one, Janna, the first one, followed by me, then July, Calvin and the last one, Gary.

When we all were saved, Gary crying as it was his fault. He keeps apologizing to us.  As we see the place from above, I was surprised, there was a big hole in front of us. We're so lucky that we did not continue but instead stayed there.

The shortcut road has been closed due to a landslide that happened several months ago. 

Let's that be a lesson to everyone that it's crucial to follow what the authorities had to say, and the danger of the wood can be happening to everyone.

Take care.

Disclaimer; The character and name used in this short story are a made-up word, and it is based on the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, locale or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.