It all began with a phone call.

I was watching the third movie adaptation of that famous post-apocalyptical teen novel hit where the heroine discovers the truth about her world when my phone rang. I paused the stream, checked the caller ID, and answered. It was my advisor from the university.

"Professor Andrews, how are you?"

Professor Andrews is a tenured professor at the Environmental Sciences department. He and I are members of an NGO dedicated to the maintenance of several parks and reserves nearby. We have a stipend from the government so we are usually called on when something happens. I'd seen the news and had a hunch of what was the subject of the call.

"Miss Rinaldi, I'm fine, thank you. We have a situation at the Devil Ridge forest. A group of students invaded the reserve and hosted a party there last Friday. The warden's office called us, the place is a mess."

"I saw the news, professor. If the news helicopter caught that much garbage, I can only shudder at the thought of how much is hidden by the trees. I'm glad nobody got hurt, at least."

Some ambulances had to be sent there because some students drank too much and needed IV glucose. The partygoers mistook the ambulance sirens for the police and departed in a hurry, abandoning people behind. It was a mess but everyone was accounted for.

They left everything behind, however. And now, it seems the cleanup is up to us. The government has it cheap with our stipend. I sighed. At least we are doing our part.

"Yes, things are bad. Worse yet, I'm afraid the local wildlife is now feasting on the food they left behind. We need to go there today. I already contacted the other professors and cleared up your schedule for the whole week."

Now, that was bad news. One week away from civilization? I had work to do, papers to write.

"What about my credits? I had some papers to turn in this week."

"I can give you extra credits if you write a report on the degradation of the local environment, especially the damage to wildlife. You have a knack with the critters, Sandra. Document everything with your usual diligence. We can even try to coax a joint publication or two out of this tragedy."

Yeah. That part really tugged at my heartstrings. The critters, not getting my name in a publication as a co-author.

"Get me an extension on my papers' deadline of at least ten days and I'm in."

"Done deal," He chuckled through the line. "I already did it. Glad to have you aboard, Sandra."

I walked into that one, didn't I? It was a given that if he already talked with my other teachers about me missing a week of classes, he'd talk about my deadlines too. Professor Andrews carried some clout in the department. I was lucky to get him as an advisor but when I think about the classes he made me enroll in, I regret becoming his student. Material engineering, advanced chemistry, metallurgy, geodynamics, forestry, political sciences, oceanography. I had my optional classes all lined up until graduation and then some.

"I hate you, you hear me?"

"One day you'll thank me. Ganbare, Hikari-chan."

I poked the red 'end call' button so hard the phone almost slipped out of my hand. Then it shook.

> We are picking you up in 1 hour. Get ready.

>

> Joshua.

Joshua was one of my classmates and another member of our NGO. He wanted a spot with Professor Andrews and joined to earn himself some brownie points. He was tall and blonde. His pet peeve was the fact everyone thinks he got a sports scholarship when he didn't. Although he played football in high school, he got a nasty injury during his senior year championship match and stopped playing.

But I had very little time to get ready. Worse yet, if I was gathering data, I needed to get all my stuff. I jumped out of the couch and ran to my room. I went past my roommate Theresa's open door and caught her in a rather intimate moment.

"Dammit, Sandra!" Theresa cursed as she jumped out of bed, pulling her pants up. "What is going on, girl? Where are you going?"

I entered my room without stopping. "Shut the damn door, Theresa. I don't need to see how many pubes you have!"

She snorted and giggled. "None, you mean!"

I was busy putting clothes in my carry-on and looking at my camping checklist on my phone. Too bad Google Glass was a miss. Too bad humans are creeps. I'd love to have a HUD screen that could free up my hands.

"Hey, don't ignore me, girl! What is going on, where are you going?"

I spared Theresa a glance. "Devil Ridge. Where that party happened. Joshua is coming to pick me up. I was surprised you weren't there."

I need my electronics. The iPod, iPad, laptop, mouse, GoPro, Bluetooth speakers, the camping power pack, solar charger. Also binoculars, climbing gear, spools of rope, hatchet, hammer, multi-tool, survival knife. I gathered all this on my bed.

"Damn, girl. You look like Tom Cruise getting ready for another Mission: Impossible stunt."

I turned around and faced Theresa. "You could help me, you know?"

She smiled. "Okay." And then went for my vanity. She opened the drawer and took out my makeup kit, putting it over the iPad. "Now what else will miss Honor Student forget to take with her because she's so single-minded?"

With another sigh, I let her do what she wants and kept gathering my stuff. We would need to gather samples, so I'll need my field kit. I pulled the zipper and checked inside. You never know when some glass broke until you check. Test tubes, beakers, PH strips, reagents, everything seems fine. I took the Dremel rotary tool kit too. I might need to cut some samples. And I know getting cell signal in the Devil Ridge is hard but it won't hurt to take the portable router. It might work If I climb up and set it on high ground.

I looked over my shoulder to see Theresa rummaging through my dresser, filling in my carry-on luggage with clothes. She noticed she had my attention and smiled.

"Can I borrow your sailor uniform?"

I did one year of high school in Japan. My full name is Sandra Hikari Kinoshita Rinaldi. My father is Italian and my mother is a nissei, daughter of Japanese immigrants. My grandmother divorced from my grandfather and traveled West with her daughter. We had no contact until a few years ago when my grandmother's brother died. I went with her to Japan and reconnected with my family there.

Long story short, I agreed to spend a year living with my grandfather. In the west I'm Sandra Rinaldi, in the east I'm 木下光. A light that lives under a tree.

"No. You'll tarnish the honor of my alma mater by using my uniform to make lewd things."

To my relief, Theresa put the uniform back in the drawer. "Okay. I bet my boyfriend would just jizz in his pants if he saw me with a genuine JK uniform."

I grunted. She doesn't even try to deflect the accusations. But Theresa is a sweetheart despite her utter lack of morals. I kept getting my camping stuff. Water purifier, water bottle, canteen. An army dish set. Mug, plate, cutlery and a frying pan all stainless steel. First aid kit. An LED lantern. An LED flashlight with a hand crank. LED headband. A dry duffel bag for the laundry.

"Speaking of which," She continued, "Are you taking protection with you?"

"Jeez, Theresa. I'm going to research and cleanup a forest. I'm not going to have sex. I don't even have a boyfriend now."

Two weeks ago my boyfriend and I broke up. He wanted to move to NY and take me with him. I couldn't abandon my studies. He didn't want a long-distance relationship. Case closed. It hurt a lot but ever since he started job-hunting out-of-state I knew things would go that way.

"Are you still on birth control?" She asked me with a serious face.

"Yes. I can't just stop in the middle. I won't stop taking the pill, you know the drawbacks of stopping."

Taking the pill is bad, going back and forth is worse. Acne, wild periods, etc. No, thank you.

"You still need protection. I have flavored condoms that come in a tin. I'll give them to you. Let me go get'em."

I held Theresa by the arm. "No. Theresa, I won't need the condoms. It is too soon anyway."

She gave me the 'yes, sure' look. Then she smirked. "Who is coming to pick you up again?"

I released her and sighed. I knew what she meant. "Joshua," I replied and slouched my shoulders.

"Exactly. You tell me that you will spend a whole week with that hunk in the woods and nothing will happen? C'mon, miss Rinaldi! Have you looked at yourself in the mirror? Have you SEEN the way Joshua looks at you?" To drive her point home, Theresa pushed me before my mirror. "Look at yourself. The perfect mix of the Mediterranean charm with the Japanese cuteness. A supple body that is neither too deprived of curves but still lean. Muscles toned by decades of kung-fu practice. If only you ditched those bottle-bottom four-eyes. Girl, you'd be Campus Queen."

She tried to take my glasses off but I held her hand. "First, it is not kung-fu. I trained Aikido with my grandfather. Second, I can't wear contacts. My eyes are too sensitive.

"Theresa, help me pack. Get some sturdy pants and clothes suited for hiking. Don't fill my luggage with frilly dresses only."

I released her and to my surprise, she took a step back and saluted. "Aye, aye, sir. Roger, wilco!"

She made a mess of my dresser again. At least she was putting hiking clothes in the luggage. Too many clothes. She handed me a set of clean travel clothes and I changed. A blouse, cargo pants, hiking boots. I glanced at the mirror, I looked like Kathleen Turner in Romancing the Stone.

I went back to my things. I needed my tent, sleeping bag, blankets, pillow, and thermal mat. I took my phone and checked the boxes. What was I missing? Of course. A way to carry all that stuff. A padded backpack for the electronics, a duffel bag for the tools, another hiking backpack for the camping and climbing gear. Handbag with my documents and other knickknacks.

I was stuffing the last blanket on the backpack when I heard Theresa huffing.

"C'mon, close you damn briefcase!"

I turned around and saw the comic scene of Theresa straddled on my carry-on, putting her weight on it to close the zipper. I knelt next to her and helped to push it down. She finally managed to pull it across and the luggage was closed.

"Thank you, Theresa."

She pinched my cheeks. "You go and save the world, girl. I'll take care of our love nest."

I laughed. "Right. I never took you for the homemaker type."

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

I stood up and helped pull her back on her feet.

"Nah. It's the XXI century! I'll be the kept husband. You'll be my wife."

I heard a horn at the front door and took a step toward the corridor. Theresa slapped my butt. I yelped and ran. Outside, Joshua was in his truck with Ivan and Professor Andrews.

"Are you ready, girl? We have a rodeo date!" Joshua shouted at me.

"Right! Come inside and help me carry my luggage."

I went back indoors and left the door open. Theresa was singing in the kitchen. I went upstairs into my room and slung the backpack over my shoulders and lifted the duffel. It was all I could carry in one go. I went back downstairs.

Ivan came and picked up the duffel. "Let me help you, Sandra."

I removed the backpack and placed it on the couch. "Come upstairs, Ivan. Help me carry everything."

I took the carry-on, he lifted the hiking backpack. Back in the living room, Theresa was proudly holding a cooler bag.

"I filled this with snacks and healthy food. You take it and remember to eat. You are too absent-minded."

I took the bag and noticed the weight. "Yes, mom. I'll eat my veggies."

Ivan was taking my things outside. I picked up my backpack and followed him.

Joshua was at the back of the truck, loading my things. "Goddammit, Sandra. Did you need to take this much stuff? We are just camping for a week!"

"Yes, I need. I need my own camping gear, my portable lab, tools, clothes, my electronics. Be glad I'm taking the router, you might even have internet access on me. Piss me and no wifi for you."

Theresa came out. She raised a finger and put it right in Joshua's nose. "You, big doofus, stop bullying the mother of my children!"

"Good morning for you too, Theresa," Joshua chortled.

"No, seriously. Take care of her. One girl going to the wilderness with three guys. Very fishy." She made V with her fingers and moved them from her eyes to his.

Professor Andrews cleared his throat and joined the conversation. "Miss Rinaldi will be perfectly safe, miss Clarke. I assure you."

I pulled her in a hug. "Theresa, don't cause me trouble. Be a good housewife and I'll reward you later." I kissed her cheek and released her.

"Fine. It's my final warning, okay? Sandra knows capoeira. She can beat you guys up and then drink your blood!"

Ivan laughed. "That's Blanka."

I frowned. "That's not even true capoeira. They just slapped it on the character background so he had a reason to be in Brazil. Blanka could be from Africa but then he'd be Tarzan."

"A green electric Tarzan," Joshua pointed out.

Theresa moved her legs around, doing the capoeira Ginga. "Its a dance of death! You better not touch Sandra."

Joshua did the Scout's Honor sign. "I promise to not lay a finger on miss Rinaldi. Happy?"

"Unless she wants it," Theresa added.

I wanted to disappear from there. Give me squirrels with diarrhea, bears with upset stomachs, but spare me from this harassment.

"Theresa!" And just because I wanted to go away from there, I remembered one last set of items I forgot. "I'll be right back."

"See what you did, big guy? You made Sandra cry."

"Did not."

Ignoring their verbal jabs, I went inside and returned with a set of folding chairs and table.

I ignored their frowns and tossed the chair and table in the trunk. "All set to go."

----------------------------------------

The trip to Devil Ridge was uneventful. I was squeezed between Ivan and professor Andrews. They didn't let me ride in the back of the truck. At the gate, we had to show our ID's and prove our affiliation with the NGO and the university. There was a police car parked by the gate, probably to prevent invasions. The reserve was off-limits for the general public and would probably stay like that until everyone forgot what happened.

With that behind us, we drove until we reached the place where the party happened. It was a total disaster.

Rolls of toilet paper hung from tree branches. Clothes, food, packaging, confetti, traces of foam spray that already melted, cardboard laid over the grass, neon graffiti on the rocks and tree trunks.

"Dear Jesus," Joshua gasped. "I saw the TV footage but this is a war zone."

Ivan was about to pick something up and I held him back. "Don't touch anything yet. I want to go around and record a video. We need to show exactly how they left everything."

He nodded. "You got a drone? It would be nice if we could get some drone footage."

"Sorry, no budget for a drone," professor Andrews answered. "We might earn enough to buy one once we are done with this mess."

"Or the ojou-sama could ask one for Christmas," Joshua's verbal poke was aimed at me.

"Sorry, I'm trying to strike out on my own," I replied. I had a nice college fund my parents made for me but I tried to curb my expenses. I had a partial scholarship so I really wasn't starved for money but a drone was expensive. "But I might drop a hint I'd like a pony for Christmas to my parents."

"Pony Drone!" Ivan mocked a unicorn and trotted around.

I laughed and went around to climb on the trunk. Opening my backpack, I took the GoPro and the headband mount. I also took my iPod. It had a decent camera and If I had two sets of footage I could edit a good video later.

Turning on the cameras, I went around the devastation. The only term I could use for what happened to the forest. They had even hacked and felled a tree. I looked at the split trunk and got a good view of the growth rings. This tree was at least eighty years old.

I saw a pile of clothes and underwear. Some cheap blankets piled up, stained with body fluids. A pile of used condoms near the blankets. It seemed an orgy took place there. A few meters away, a pile of shoes. Once I got close enough, they all seemed to be all left shoes only. Tied up into a ball. I had no idea what kind of mindset would make them do that with the left shoes only. What happened to the right ones?

Probably there were no right ones, to begin with. Everything here seemed wrong.

"Sandra, over here!" Professor Andrews called me.

I went over to where he was and kept recording everything around, taking care to avoid making sudden head movements. That's why I had the iPod recording too. I could use one footage where the other one was bad. Having two audio tracks would also be useful for splicing later.

The professor was around a big rock, a place that was hidden from most of the grove where the party took place. I went around and he held a hand to make me stop.

"Don't go in there. The police will want to have an intact crime scene."

I froze and my blood ran away from my limbs. Crime scene? Did we find a corpse? I had no problem with seeing blood but I've never seen a corpse. Not counting dead people at funerals. A real corpse, not prepared by a professional mortician.

"Wha-what's in there, professor?" I stuttered.

"Not a dead body, if that's what you are afraid of finding," He told me with a soft voice. "Just some signs of drug use."

"Should I film it?"

"Yes. But do it from here. I think we could use some light. I'll do it with my phone."

I took my phone and turned on the lantern. To keep a free hand, I placed it in my shirt's breast pocket. Then I went and recorded the spot. There were crack pipes and bottles of pills, empty. Candles and syringes along with blackened spoons. I found even some bloodstains.

"Definitely a case for the police," Andrews concluded. "Let's cordon out the area. We'll report it tomorrow."

I blinked. "Tomorrow? We don't have cell signal here but there's a cruiser at the gate. We should drive back and tell it to them now."

That was the right thing to do. I had a hunch on the professor's mixed motives and it made my stomach churn. If we reported the drugs to the police, they would put a lockdown on the whole place. And the forest would remain full of trash. If the rain washed all this trash down the river, we'd have a small disaster in our hands.

Still, the right priority was to report.

"Think of it, Sandra. The scene here won't go anywhere. The blood is already two days old. They can still get viable DNA samples tomorrow. Let's do our best to clean everything but this area here today. We might even find more evidence around. If we report and return home now, we will have nothing to show."

I sighed. There were a lot of things at stake here. The papers we could write, the NGO funding, the new drone we joked about buying. Our week-long cleanup trip would be cut short, but this would mean we'd just failed entirely.

But didn't the police visit the place? Did they miss this area? It seemed too odd.

"I don't like it, professor. I'll record my protest, the cameras are running. But you are the leader here. I'll follow your instructions."

"That's fine, Sandra. You can have your opinion and I'll take all responsibility when we report this. Come now, let's start the cleanup. Our time was cut awfully short. Keep our little find between us, okay? No need to involve the other two."

"Yes, professor," I agreed even though my heart was screaming at me to just go on foot and report it. He was my advisor and my academic future was in his hands. No way the kind professor Andrews would be wrong, would he?

I went back to the truck, where Joshua and Ivan were unloading.

"'Sup, Sandra. How bad are things," Ivan waved at me. "I'm guessing you want to camp somewhere far from us, ri'te? The three of us are sharing one tent."

Before I could answer, professor Andrews spoke over me. "Yes, it is better if we give the lady some privacy. I think we could set her tent over there," He pointed at a spot between two trees. The ground seemed flat enough for a tent. "It is one of the best camping spots. It is close enough we can rush to aid her if something happens but she can have privacy and peace of mind as that tree will block our sight. Ivan, put our tent there, by that fallen log."

I kept quiet while the professor took control of the situation. I trusted everyone here and wouldn't mind setting my tent right next to them but I didn't want to cause any conflict. I'd be what, fifteen meters away? That was fine, I told myself.

"Ivan, just put my things where the professor told you. I can set my own tent."

"You 'da boss, Sandra!" He smiled.

We took a roll of plastic bags each and I got a trash pickup claw. Professor Andrews opened the map of the reserve in his tablet and divided the area into four sectors with a stylus.

"Sandra, you take care of this region with the discarded female underwear," professor Andrews told me. "It is better if you do it because it's female underwear. I hope you understand."

By now I only wanted to get over with it. They were leaving the 'orgy sector' to me. Worse yet, the 'kitchen' was also in my sector. I didn't even draw the short straw, I was forcefully handed it.

At least I didn't have to touch anything. I still took some gloves. I worked all day. I filled a bag with the discarded underwear, all pieces female, not a single piece of boxers. I collected all the shoes, mostly sneakers, all left-sided. The sex-stained blankets, food cartons, glass bottles, PET bottles, and aluminum beer and soda cans. A bag with sixty-six condoms, all used and smelly.

If I believed in magic, I'd say some sort of weird ritual took place there.

We gathered for dinner. Joshua prepared a campfire and I armed the table to download and edit the footage. I tried the router but I could get no cell signal. I'd have called the police if I did.

Joshua handed me a pot with stew. It had some mystery meat inside.

"What's this?"

"That's my trademark boy scout stew, guaranteed to have 0% boy scout," He told me with a chortle. Sensing my dismay, he rubbed my back. "Eat! It will cheer you up, Sandra. We did a good deed today!"

"Thanks a lot, Joshua. It was hard. I'm going to feel sore in the morning."

"That's what she said!" Ivan joked.

"Ivan, imagine me flipping the bird at you. Good. Now let me eat. I want to go to sleep."

I was really tired. Not only I gathered a ton of garbage and yucky things all day, the walking, recording, and the stress of hiding a crime scene wore down on me.

"You got it easy, girl," Ivan retorted. "My sector had the spot they were using as a toilet. The shovel I used is so dirty I am thinking of burning it."

I ate and after I finished writing my notes for the day, the boys decided to play poker with my folding table. I had no interest in playing games and retired earlier. For some weird reason, we were keeping the trash we collected next to our tents, orders of professor Andrews. The teacher's orders were making less and less sense as the day went on.

At least I wasn't the one sleeping next to bags of human excrement. Just used condoms.

I changed into my pajamas, slid into the sleeping bag and was asleep the moment my head hit the pillow.

----------------------------------------

I felt difficulty in breathing. Startled, I woke up to find a hand pressed over my mouth and pinching my nose. In the darkness, I had no idea who was straddled over my sleeping bag, pinning my arms inside. I struggled and felt sharp steel touching my neck.

"Shhh. Be a good girl and listen," I got goosebumps over my entire body when I listened to Professor Andrews' voice coming from my assailant. "Did you upload the footage?"

It was a struggle to get any air in my lungs. I dared not move a single inch. After a while, the professor noticed what was happening.

"Do not scream, do not make any noise. It is useless. I drugged the whiskey I served these two and they will sleep well into the morning. There's nobody here to hear you scream. Just me and you. I'm releasing your mouth. Be the good girl I know you are and behave. Nod if you understand."

I nodded. The knife left my neck, but not without nicking the skin. I could breathe again and I indulged in some fresh forest air. I could smell the professor's cologne. I was afraid. Too afraid. The tent was pitch black. It was a moonless night.

"Sandra, tell me. When you turned on the router, did you get a signal?" I shook my head. "Good."

I blinked in surprise. When I nodded he was touching me, but how could he know I denied getting a signal? He answered it himself.

"I'm wearing night-vision goggles. Don't think the darkness can help you. Now, I'll ask again. The footage you recorded today. Did you upload it?"

"No. Why would I lie, professor? I trusted you, you were my advisor, my role model. You told me to hold on reporting until tomorrow, I did as you asked," I told him as tears flowed freely from my eyes.

I knew I was going to die. He was just making sure there were no loose ends.

"Please don't kill me, professor. I'll tell nobody. I'll delete the footage."

I'd even let him put it anywhere he wanted. I just didn't want to die.

"Oh, Sandra. You had such a nice future. But you had to record that footage, didn't you? You had to be diligent and capture every single detail. I was watching you. It was only a matter of time until you found the drug grove. I am sure you would."

I was sobbing. Trembling. PInned inside the sleeping bag under the weight of that man, I had zero chance of getting out. I couldn't fight. Worse yet, he had a knife and could see. I was blind and unarmed.

"Please, professor. Don't."

"I have to, Sandra. I got a lot of money to let this party happen. I can't let a scandal ruin my reputation. With your footage deleted and you out of the equation, they won't come after me. I can make everything disappear."

Fuck, fuck, fuck. Who would come after the professor? Who stood to profit so much from this party that it was enough to corrupt the kind professor. Or was he hiding his dark side from me all these years?

I knew I was going to die. I had to fight back in whatever way I could.

"I'm sorry, professor but I lied to you," I lied to him. "I tried to upload part of the video to youtube with the faint connection I got. I don't know how much went through before the connection died though."

He slapped me. "Liar! Liar!" He shouted, psychotic. "You told me you didn't have a connection. You told me you didn't upload it. You are lying, bitch!"

Enraged, Andrews stabbed me. He opened a gash in my cheek as I moved my head to the side moments before the whistling knife came down. He slapped me and broke my nose with a punch.

"No! Please, somebody help!" I screamed.

A lightning bolt hit the tent. I burned. My body shook and convulsed as the lightning raced through me. The professor had it worse. The sleeping bag and thermal mat were electrical insulators and I had my eyes closed. He was upright and wearing night-vision goggles.

I moved one arm free and struggled, beating around wildly. The professor was hurt but not dead. I felt the knife sting into my arm and bashed it away.

The tent was ruined. Some faint light from the fires the lightning strike ignited allowed me to see once my vision recovered. I yanked the night vision goggles from the professor. Some of his skin peeled off with it.

Then a second lightning bolt struck my head and I died.