The bright sun beat down on the rocky mountain trail as Mark adjusted his heavy backpack. Dust rose with every single step they took along the winding dirt path.
Mark: How much further do you think the summit is?
Sarah: The map said two miles, but these trails aren't marked very well.
Sarah brushed a stray lock of brown hair from her face and wiped sweat from her forehead. High pine trees towered above them, casting long shadows across the dusty ground.
Mark: Let’s keep moving before the daylight starts to fade.
Sarah: My boots are already pinching my feet, Mark.
Mark: We can take a short break near those large boulders up ahead.
They walked in silence for a few minutes, listening to the crunch of gravel under their thick soles. The high elevation made the cool air feel crisp and thin.
Sarah: Look over there. Is that the main trail?
Mark: I don't think so. It looks like an old logging route.
Mark pulled his cell phone from his front pocket and stared at the dark blank screen. There was no cell service anywhere in this remote state park region.
Mark: Still no signal out here at all.
Sarah: I told you we should have hired a local trail guide this morning.
Mark: We don't need a guide for a simple afternoon hike, Sarah.
Sarah: Simple? We haven't seen another hiker in over two hours!
Mark stepped over a thick pine root that stuck out from the dry red earth. He stopped and scanned the steep rocky slopes surrounding the narrow canyon floor.
Mark: Let’s check the compass app again just to be totally sure.
Sarah: The phone battery is going to die if you keep checking it.
Mark: I just want to make sure we are heading west toward the highway.
The wind began to pick up, whistling softly through the sharp needle tops of the evergreen trees. A sudden drop in temperature made Sarah shiver slightly.
Sarah: Did you feel that cold breeze just now?
Mark: Yeah, mountain weather changes fast out here.
Sarah: Maybe we should turn back right now while we still can.
Mark: Going back down that steep ridge will take twice as long.
He reached out his hand to help her navigate over a pile of loose grey rocks. Her hand felt clammy and cold inside his warm grip.
Mark: Careful on these stones. They slip easily.
Sarah: Thanks. I really don't want to twist an ankle out here.
Mark: We’re doing fine. Just keep a steady pace.
They continued down the descending path, but the pine trees grew thicker and closer together. The clear blue sky above slowly began to cloud over with grey mist.
Sarah: Mark, look up at the mountain peak.
Mark: That mist is moving faster than standard clouds.
Sarah: That isn’t mist. That is heavy mountain fog coming down.
Mark: I don’t see any highway or street signs out here.
Sarah stopped in her tracks and looked around at the towering forest with growing worry in her eyes. The familiar trail markers had completely disappeared.
Sarah: We took a wrong turn at the dry riverbed, didn't we?
Mark: Don't panic. We just need to find higher ground to look around.
Sarah: Mark, we are completely lost in these woods!
Mark: Stay calm, Sarah. Panic will only make things worse for us.
Sarah: Look at the trees! Everything looks exactly the same in every direction!
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