“I’ll be right back.”
Anxious to leave their camp to explore a bit, she quickly, and quietly, walked through the trees to commune with nature alone. Her light footsteps, and pauses, did not silence the twittering birds. Yet a snapped twig, sent startled lizards scurrying across dry, fallen leaves. “Oops. Sorry, about that guys,“ she whispered. Taking a deep breath of fresh air, it was a good decision to get away from their busy lives.
Man, did they ever need this trip to unplug from reality! It was agreed, cell phones were only for emergencies and thus, they locked them up…well, actually tossed them in the tent. Which reminded her, she had forgotten to take her phone while on her excursion. Eh. It’s fine, she’s only taking 10 steps away from camp. What could possibly happen? She was within shouting distance.
Meanwhile, the husband back at camp looked at his watch, “Where’s your mother?” The kids looked at him blankly and shrugged. Upon realizing all phones were inside the tent, “Well, we better go find her, before mom goes too far and gets lost.”
She could hear her husband and kids calling for her off in the distance. What? Can’t a girl have 5 minutes alone time? Oh, shoot! It’s been an hour! Wait a second, odd, the voices seem to be coming from above. Perhaps it’s the rocky canyon echoing and playing tricks on her hearing.
“Where are you?” the husband yelled.
“I’m near the boulder that looks like legos.”
Instead of getting closer, it sounded as if her family were moving farther away, and as she called out again, all she heard was the echo of her own voice. Letting out a huge sigh, she turned to go back, and stopped short. As she scanned the area, did she come straight, right, or left? How she got to this point, she couldn’t recall. And of course, she forgot her phone!
She and her husband always told the kids to “stay put,” when they find themselves unable to get back somewhere. So, she waited. And waited. Calling out to the skies every so often, “Over here! I’m here!”
Eventually, her husband’s irritated voice could be heard quite clearly, “HOW DID YOU GET DOWN THERE?” Looking up, she saw three pairs of eyes peering down from the cliff.
She pointed and asked, “How did you get up there?”
Sue Vincent’s #writephoto / 8-3 challenge
Flip Flops Every day 
It is actually that kind of place… the rocks are disorienting.. easy to get lost in them.
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This would be a true case scenario for me and my family. I need to be tethered. 🙂
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😀 I tend to wander too…but I don’t get lost 😉
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A blonde gets lost in her car in a snowstorm. She remembers her father’s advice, “If you ever get stuck in a snowstorm, wait for a snow plow and follow it.” Soon a snow plow comes by, and she follows it for about 45 minutes. Finally, the driver of the truck gets out and asks her what she is doing. She explains the advice her father had given her. The driver says, “Well, I’m done with the parking lot here at the mall, now you can follow me over to the bank.”
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“And who is standing beside you over there?”
“And why am I getting the feeling that someone is standing behind me. Should I ask, Who’s there?”
Crickets..
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Loved the ending and I could imagine such a circumstance happening, its easy to get disorientated in places that are unfamiliar….well done Sandi most entertaining.
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God, I loved this!! I was holding my breath reading and still having to deep breathe now as I comment. I’m impressed, Sans👌
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