Chapter 2

With that, Bradley hung up.

I froze.

What was going on?

In my previous life, he would have obviously come to my rescue first, and he didn't say those words.

After thinking for a moment, I suddenly understood.

Bradley had also been reborn. This time, he chose to save Ashley first.

I tried to call the rescue center, but my phone was dead.

I felt a wave of fear enveloped me. On all sides were interlocking and strange trees, and the weird noises were emanating from the gloom.

I couldn't delay any longer and had to get out of the mountain quickly.

At the moment, I was lost in reverse, but I had to keep going.

My injured leg went from pain to numbness.

As I walked, it got dark. I was exhausted. The water and food in my backpack had been eaten up by Ashley not long into the primeval forest of Ailfa Mount.

I sat on the ground panting heavily as the temperature reached 23 degrees Fahrenheit and the branches of the trees lit up with eerie silver "lights". They were night birds staring at me.

In the distance, there was a horrible hissing of wild animals.

I was a bit desperate, not knowing whether I could get out alive.

Just then, a few lights penetrated through.

It was the rescue team coming.

"Amanda, why aren't you out yet?" The two team members who came, Dylan Murphy and Joshua Collins, were Bradley's men.

"Dylan, Joshua, it's good you're here. Hurry up and get me out of here," I said breathlessly.

"But we have a mission. Bradley told us to search and rescue Ashley," said Dylan.

"Aren't you guys going to rescue me?" I questioned.

At that moment, Dylan's satellite phone rang, and it was Bradley calling.

Bradley asked, "Did you two find Ashley?"

Dylan replied, "Bradley, we didn't find Ashley, but we did find Amanda. Should we take Amanda out first?"

"Don't bother with her. She's just trying to delay you guys from getting to Ashley. You guys hurry and head downstream to Snake Lake," said Bradley anxiously.

"Dylan, Joshua, I'm really dying. Why don't one of you two take me out first, and the rest of you keep looking for Ashley?" I pleaded.

"Amanda, the rescue team has a rule that two people are required for an action. Going alone would be dangerous," explained Dylan.

"Amanda, our whole team knows that you hate Ashley. But you went too far this time. How could you take Ashley into the primeval forest? You should know very well the danger of Ailfa Mount." Joshua complained about me for Ashley.

Dylan said, "Joshua is right. Amanda, you really went too far this time. If anything happens to Ashley, you are legally responsible.

"Also, how could you get lost? You're the guide of Ailfa Mount. You should be more familiar with the geography here than us."

I was a guide for the Ailfa Mount attractions, not for the Ailfa Mount primeval forest.

Dylan said, "Amanda, stop pretending."

"I'm not pretending. Can't you guys see that my leg is hurt?" I said angrily.

Dylan looked at my leg and said, "Then you wait for us here, and we'll go search and rescue Ashley first."

Wait? How long would I have to wait? I didn't know if Ashley had been bitten by a snake right now. If a snake had bitten her, they would have waited in place for a helicopter rescue. At that time, would they be able to come back and rescue me?

I said, "Give me water, food, and an outdoor jacket, and I'll get out on my own."

I decided to save myself.

After giving me the supplies, they both continued to swim down towards Snake Lake.

I was less tired after I put on the outdoor jacket, drank water, and ate cookies.

I couldn't continue walking at night.

A campfire was built, and I was too wary to sleep.

Just after six in the morning, a faint bright light shone through the cracks in the branches of the trees to the ground, and I started to move.

After six hours of walking, I finally made it to the exit. Just at the moment of relief, the stabbing pain in my leg and exhaustion suddenly hit me, and I passed out.