Fallen Tree
As Ben made his way east along the path, he left the annoyance of the morning behind, letting the cool air, warm sun, and blue skies fill his soul with anticipation of the perfect photo shoot.
“I’m glad I kept my camera in the backpack. I know I would get distracted by something and take pictures with it,” he reflected.
While he was approaching town he saw photographers lining up along the tracks, getting their equipment ready, and vying for their perfect spot.
“There can’t be any chance anyone found my spot, is there?” Ben thought to himself. “Nah, everyone will be going for that normal shot coming down the tracks.”
Ben quickly pulled his phone out of his pocket and texted Amy a picture of the people lining up along the tracks, “You might want to get out here soon, it’s already getting crowded.”
As Ben kept trotting along at a faster-than-normal pace, letting the adrenaline propel him down the path, Amy texted back, “Thanks, I’ll be fine.”
“She’s going to miss it,” Ben thought, “or have people in her way. Oh well, her loss.”
Ben’s trip along the paved path was quick and uneventful. He made his way past the train station, and back to the area where the trees made a canopy over the trail. His anticipation grew as he went further, seeing the entrance to Ridge Trail. Not paying attention, he tried to cross to the other side of the path to enter the trail forgetting to look behind him just as a person on a bike almost ran him over.
Ben wanted to yell at them, “Hey, you are supposed to say, ‘On your left’ as you are coming by,” but he realized they were long gone. He also had more important things to worry about.
He entered Ridge Trail and began his journey to the right, knowing he could head directly to the ridge instead of taking the loop through the “jungle” which is what he described the area to Amy following his reconnaissance trip.
With his breathing now slightly heavy from the weight of the backpack, and the fact he was speed walking instead of his usual stroll, Ben stopped for a minute halfway up the hill that led to the top of the ridge.
“Guess I really didn’t need to walk that fast,” Ben thought, as he caught his breath.
As his breathing began to calm down, he could hear more of what was going on around him rather than the huffing and puffing of his lungs trying to get more oxygen. Ben thought he heard, in the distance, a faint, “Help me.”
“That’s weird. Almost sounded like ‘Help Me,’” Ben said to himself.
He looked at his watch, “Dang, I made good time, it’s only 10:18,” saying under his breath, and he continued up the hill.
As Ben made his way to the top of the ridge and followed the trail, in the distance again, softly, came “Help me!”
Ben stopped and looked around.
“I must be hearing things. Maybe it’s a squirrel or something.”
As he made his way a little further down the path he heard it again, this time sounding like it was coming from below him, from the path at the bottom of the ridge, in the tall grass. As he looked to the left, Ben noticed a tree had fallen on the path.
“Hmm, that must have fallen after I took my recon mission.”
Just then he heard again, from the direction of the tree, “Help!”
Ben looked closer, and just through the plants and grasses he saw what looked like a leg sticking out from under the fallen tree.
Ben glanced at his watch.
10:22 AM
He then looked at the path ahead of him and for a millisecond thought the wrong thing, then turned back towards the tree and shouted, “Is there someone down there?” praying he would not hear a reply.
“Yes, please help me,” a faint voice was heard.
“Hold on, I’ll be right there,” Ben yelled back.