Chapter 8: lost

It was hard going at times, battling my way through the thick undergrowth. I had to dodge around bushes, trees and occasional rocks, and even backtrack sometimes, but I kept going. I was starting to breathe heavily, but I reckon it was more from nervous excitement than anything.

Surely I'd come far enough, I should be able to see glimmers of water through the trees by now . . . but nothing. I stopped, slowly turning around staring, looking for the water. Where the hell had the lake gone? All I could see were trees, bushes and a few patches of sky. What was going on?

No, it must be that way, it has to be. I took off again, but still nothing. I was pulling bushes aside, desperately looking for the water. I tried climbing a tree, but I couldn't get high enough and there were too many leaves to see properly.

Sometimes the forest thinned out and I could see a bit further, but still no lake, or dirt track. This was crazy. I experienced that first stab of doubt. Everything looked the same, I wasn't even sure which way I'd come. I was twisting and turning around frantically, making little dashes this way and that, and then I began to tremble . . . because I knew.

I was lost.

I leant against the trunk of a tree, shaking my head despairingly. How could this have happened? What was I going to do? Which way should I go?

You heard stories of people lost in the bush, didn't you? Rescuers mounted search parties to look for them, but they didn't always find them, or they found them and they were dead; they'd died of thirst or starvation.

Oh shit, oh shit.

They'd get helicopters, wouldn't they? But what good would they be? They wouldn't be able to see me through the canopy, the foliage of the trees.

I'd never been in a situation like this before and I was now terrified. A feeling of dread consumed me. I was going to die, lost in this green and brown wilderness; I was going to die, I knew it.

I could feel my tears coming when suddenly, in my wretchedness, I took a great gulp of air and began to frantically scream, "Help, help, help. Somebody help me, please."

To my amazement and enormous relief, someone answered, "Stay where you are, Lynda, don't move. I'm coming for you."

It was Mr Keaton.

"I'm here, I'm here," I kept yelling as I panted and gasped.

A few minutes later he emerged from the bushes and I charged over to him. He wrapped his arms around me and held onto my trembling body.

"There, there, Lynda, it's all right now; I've got you, you're safe."

We stood there as I slowly calmed down, but my voice was still shaky, "How did you find me?"

"You left quite a few signs. You were wandering all over the place. You almost went around in a circle."

"Did I? I didn't know which way to go, it looks all the same." I could feel the tears in my eyes.

"Lynda, if you're not experienced, it's very easy to become disorientated in the bush. How are you now? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I think I'm okay."

"Then we should head back, the others are worried about you. Here, you'd better hold my hand."

I grabbed his hand like it was a lifeline.