Bevis sat in the forest, listening to the tree leaves rustle, the birds chirping or singing, or whatever birds do when they settle for the night. Wiping her damp cheeks, Bevis eased off the log, feeling the cold in her injured leg.

"Time to go back," she sighed, "guess I'll have to do my best with ... him ... around," she turned to the way she had come and started walking back.

Sometime later, she was still walking.

How far had she gone?

Where was she?

Had she gone too far from the camp and gotten lost?

Panic ripped through her; her ultimate fear had come true.

Would anyone know she was missing?

Would Chelsea say anything?

"Breath, Bevis," she whispered, "remember what Jason taught you ... listen to the forest, listen to the sounds."

Closing her eyes, she followed Jason's instructions. She heard birds, trees, and insects but no water. Snapping her eyes open, Bevis looked around. Was she lost?

"Oh man," Bevis sighed, "you've gone ahead and gotten yourself lost. Well done to you," looking around again, Bevis didn't know what to do.

Did she go back to where she had been?

Could she go back to where she had been without getting more lost?

"Huh, not a chance," Bevis shook her head, "what was I thinking coming out here on my own? What am I going to do?"

Shoving her hands in her pockets, she sighed, unsure and lost. She was stuck in the forest for the night or, hopefully, until someone found her. Frowning in thought, she absently played with the items in her pockets. Pulling them out, she looked at them, turning them over in her hands.

"If I'm going to live until morning ..." she whispered, thinking of the short course they did on the first day of this overwhelming journey, "I need to stay warm. I have a mobile phone which is useless and ... a notebook and pen" she pulled out the last item, "what do you know ... a box of matches," turning in a circle she took in her area, "where can I make a fire without sending the entire forest up in flames?"

Finally finding an area, Bevis cleared it even more, "Can't be too careful," she muttered while using her hands to dig a hole. She began building a fire as she had at camp so many times, "I can do this ..." she began chanting; perhaps if the words were said often enough, she would believe it.

The blaze, along with the hooded jacket she had put on when reaching dry land, was enough to keep her warm; for how long, she didn't know, but she prayed it wouldn't need to be all night. She barely kept warm with a tracksuit, sleeping bag and extra blanket. Looking at her mobile phone, she sighed; it was nearly ten at night. No one was going to find her now. What was she going to do?

"Will anyone bother to search for me?" she whispered.

All the insecurities she had laid to rest during this trip reared their heads, tormenting her as she huddled next to the fire. Leaning against the log, she watched the flame flicker in the pit. Absently, she picked up a few sticks and threw them on the fire. They flickered as the flame licked against the bark before burning through, and the wood began to ash. The process was memorising as her thoughts turned to everything that had happened in the last few days. What had she learnt about herself this week?

She had learnt to build a fire and cook a meal. It wasn't a five-star meal, but it was a meal, and she could cook it over an open flame. There was so much more she could learn. She had jumped into a river to save someone she didn't know while always fighting with being terrified and overwhelmed. She had never felt more herself while doing all that; the clincher on whether she had found herself again was when she delivered that debilitating kick to Brad's groin. A giggle escaped from her lips, sounding dampened and soft. The look on Brad's face as he crumpled to the ground, would always be the best moment of the week. Moving closer to the fire, Bevis sighed; she truly appreciated the silence of their surroundings; it's one thing she would take away from the trip.

"I wonder how I'll adapt to the bustle of home," she whispered, thinking of her one-bedroom and bathroom living space, "do I want to stay there?"

Staring into the fire felt relaxing, and for the first time since starting this crazy adventure, Bevis felt calm. Leaning her head on her arm, she leaned against the nearby log yawning as her eyes slowly closed.

"What did you find?" Jason asked, looking at Travis and Michael, "It's getting darker the further we go in."

"Are you sure she didn't know where she was going?" Travis asked.

"I'm sure," Jason said, "every time I found Bevis in the forest, she was closer to home than this," Jason frowned, "why?"

"She came this way," Travis said, looking around, "but I'm not seeing which direction she went."

"I think she sat here," Michael said, pointing at the ground, "that is the pattern under Bevis' shoes."

"I don't want to ask how you know about that," Jason said.

"She doesn't take them off until she goes to bed," Michael said, "since she lies staring at the stars most nights ... which I don't blame her for doing," Michael sighed, "you get to know the pattern on the bottom of her boots."

"Fair enough," Jason said, "where did she go if she sat here?"

"Over here," one of the team called, "I think she tried to return to camp."

Looking around, Jason noted where they were and their direction and shook his head, "Looks like a parallel course to where we came from," Jason said.

"Yeah, taking her deeper into the forest," Travis said, "we'll need to use helmet lights to find her now. This part of the forest is really dark, never mind that it's getting later. We'll need to stay close together."

Gearing up and staying close, the team started to move forward. Jason realised tracking Bevis was more effortless than following a herd of elephants.

"She's the easiest rescue to track," Travis murmured, "does she know anything about survival?"

"Minimum," Jason said, "Chelsea and Bevis got the tickets from my brother, who was supposed to bring his girlfriend."

"Let me guess," Micheal grinned, "they had no clue what they were getting into."

"Not a clue," Jason said.

"That explains why you were so hard on us and easy on them," Michael nodded, "why did Bevis jump into the river if she knew nothing about survival."

"She said that Jo would have hit the rocks faster than I could respond," Jason said, "and if she didn't make it, the rest of the team had me to get them to the end."

"She said that?" Travis stopped walking, turning to look at Jason, who nodded, "what was her goal for this trip?"

"To get to the end alive and be relatively unscathed," the rest of the group stopped walking, staring at Jason, "Chelsea told me that when dating Brad, Bevis tried outdoorsy things but in a controlled environment. Canoeing in a pool, it capsized, and she nearly drowned. Rock climbing at a studio ... broke her wrist ... she told me a few others. By then, I got the idea of Bevis' capabilities ... if she were my sister, I would put her in a padded room and try to talk some sense into her."

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

"She did all that for Brad?" Travis asked, "Did he know?"

"Some of it," Jason said, "apparently he scoffed at the outcome. I would have been concerned or gotten involved and helped her, but Brad didn't. Instead, he gave her treatment like you saw tonight," they looked between each other, and Jason frowned, "What?"

"We heard what he said about you not being able to do this without him," Travis said, shaking his head, "we know more than he does and could have made this trip without him and his ego."

"Yeah, your sister could do a better job than he did," one of the group said, scanning the area, "there ..." he pointed, "a flicker."

"You think it's a fire, John?" Travis asked, looking around.

"It's off the path, secluded, therefore safe enough," John said, looking around, "if she had the means to keep warm, she might have been smart enough to do so."

"I think you're right," Micheal said, "there is a boot print again heading in that direction."

"Do you remember if she had anything for warmth when she came here?" Travis asked.

"Just her temper," Jason chuckled, "they were making a fire so Bevis could have had matches with her ... she could have used her newfound knowledge to build a fire."

"Newfound?" John asked, frowning.

"She watched a tutorial online the last night at the hotel," Jason said.

"Damn," Travis shook his head, "then she did really well."

"We had a fire that kept the camp warm into the early morning hours," Jason grinned, "I didn't hear anyone complaining."

"Guys," Michael called, "over here."

The group moved to where Michael stood at the entrance of a small clearing. Bevis lay dangerously close to the fire; even from a distance, they could see she shivered. Jason moved through the group entering the small clearing. Looking around, he noted that she had made the fire on her own like a pro and tried to make it so she didn't set the forest on fire. He smiled. Someone had learnt something on this trip. Crouching beside her, Jason watched her sleep for a moment; she must be exhausted to sleep while being so cold. Dried tear tracks on her cheeks told him everything he needed to know about Bevis' current state.

"I'll need a blanket," Jason said, looking over his shoulder; as he reached out to touch Bevis, she moaned before her eyes snapped open. She looked over her shoulder, fear in her eyes, "hi," Jason watched her worry turn to relief. She tried to scramble up, but he held her in place, "you're too close to the fire."

Turning forward, she started, "I must have been cold," she whispered as a shiver wracked her while moving away from the heat, "can't believe you found me."

"We found you," Jason said, taking the blanket from Travis, "I couldn't do it alone since we have an elite rescue and recovery team with us ...why not?"

Bevis looked past him smiling her tearful thanks to the members of the other crew, "You have no idea how grateful I am."

They smiled at her, looking at the fire, "Nice fire," John nodded toward the flames, "we'll need to knock that down before we return to camp."

"Do any of you know how to do that?" Bevis asked.

"How do you do that when you make them at camp?" Travis asked, frowning.

"Ah ... we usually make the fire, and then it's burnt out by the time we wake in the morning," Bevis said, "we make another one and ..." she glanced at Jason, "Jason usually takes care of putting it out."

"Can you stand?" Jason asked, wrapping the blanket around her and helping her up.

"Seems like I can," Bevis nodded, pulling the blanket tighter around her and stepping toward the others. She winced, bending and grasping her injured leg.

John knelt, pulling the blanket aside. The bandage was sand caked with blood oozing through the grains.

"We need our med kit," Travis took it from another in the group and handed it to John, "this may hurt," he said, pulling the bandage away and exposing the wound underneath, "how did you get this?"

Bevis sucked in a breath at the sudden agony of the night air hitting her open wound, "I ... ah ..." she gritted her teeth, "got it getting back in the raft after getting Jo safely on board."

"Are you a good swimmer?" Travis asked, diverting Bevis' attention from John's ministrations.

"Not particularly," she hissed, "but someone had to pull the idiot from the river before getting knocked out and drowning." She grasped Jason's arm as her leg throbbed, "I need to sit down."

Jason wrapped his arm around Bevis' waist, slowly helping her to the ground. She was pale, clammy and gasping for air as John finished wrapping a bandage around the wound.

"All done," he said, "that should take some of the stinging out of the wound. Can you walk?"

Bevis looked at him, "Of course, I can walk."

"Then let's head back to camp," he smiled, helping her from the ground, "you were walking parallel to the direction you came," he said, "but I can understand your actions ..." he paused, "you cannot hear the river from here."

"I tried," Bevis whispered, "but as you say ... the river is silent in this part of the forest."

"It was wise of you to not try another route after you discovered yourself lost," Travis said as they started back toward the camp, "you're limping."

"I've been limping for days," Bevis said, "I'm just glad I can walk."

"Fair enough," Travis nodded, glancing at Jason, who walked behind her, watching everything she did, "perhaps it will be quicker if we carry you back to camp ... it is nearly midnight, and I don't know about the others, but it would be nice to get some sleep before sunrise."

"You leave at sunrise?" Bevis asked.

"Yes, we do," Travis said, "John and Jacob, link arms and let's get her back to camp."

Jason watched as they lifted Bevis from the ground and started toward camp. Travis kept pace with him grinning.

"What?" Jason asked, still watching Bevis' progress.

"How long have you ..." Travis paused, "worried ... about her."

"I haven't worried," Jason said, "per se, I've been concerned. She is a client on this trip without knowing what she is doing."

"Right," Travis said, drawing the word out, "so the look on your face is just ... concern for a client."

Jason remained silent momentarily before shaking his head and saying, "Don't know what you mean."

"Of course," Travis said, grinning, "nothing is happening."

"Nothing is," Jason said, sighing, "she is a client."

"Okay," Travis said, sounding unconvinced, striding forward as they broke onto the shoreline and the campsite.

"Everyone is still awake," Bevis whispered, "I wonder why?"

"It could be because of what happened after Chelsea found you missing," Michael said, "there were some ... words exchanged, and things said."

Bevis looked at him, "I hope that was not because of me," the look of panic etched on her face as she looked from person to person, "Was it because of me?"

"No," Michael said, "it was because of the responses to Chelsea's reaction when she found you were missing."

"Oh," Bevis nodded, sighing in relief, "is Chelsea okay?"

"Looks like it," Michael said, "here she comes."

Bracing for Chelsea's impact, Bevis waited. Her best friend threw her arms around her neck, hugging her tightly.

"I've been so worried," she sobbed against Bevis' shoulder, "where were you?"

"I took a walk and went in the wrong direction coming back," Bevis said, "but they found me, and I'm okay."

"Then why are they carrying you?" Chelsea asked.

"We wanted to get back to camp quicker than her injured leg would allow," John said, "slowly lower to the ground," he instructed, waiting for Bevis to find her balance before moving away.

"Thank you," she called as they moved toward their tents, smiling as they waved, "what did I miss?"

"Oh, you missed the motherload," Chelsea said, linking arms with Bevis as they slowly moved toward her tent, talking a mile a minute.

Jason watched them leave as he silently stood, taking in the campsite, "What happened while we were gone?"

Michael sighed, "Short version?"

"Please," Jason said, "by the sounds of Chelsea, it was very involved."

Micheal chuckled, "Before I joined you, Tiffany said snide things to Chelsea because Mandy was comforting her over the disappearance of Bevis. I added my two cents worth and left with you," Michael said, "by what I'm seeing, Mandy and Greg are doing well," he glanced toward the couple kissing near the tree line of the forest, "Jo and Charlie seem to be as finished as are Tiff and I."

"I'm not sure about you," Jason said, "Tiffany keeps looking this way; by her expression, she wants to talk to you."

"That would be a first," Michael said, shaking his head, "Tiff has never wanted to talk to me, not if it didn't include some bitchy remark or scoffing at me."

"Give her a minute to say what she has to," Jason said, "then make your decision. That is why you came on the trip."

"True," Michael nodded, "see you in the morning."

Jason nodded as he moved toward the couple still in the tree line; they paused in their activities as he drew nearer.

"The tents do take two," he smiled, "glad you two could reconnect."

They smiled at him before moving toward Greg's tent. One success story for the trip, Jason sighed; glancing around, he nodded.

"Everyone accounted for," he whispered, moving toward his tent; tomorrow, he needed to be up with the other crew getting them off at sunrise. He was bone weary and couldn't wait to rest at his parent's place on the lake. Usually, the trips were a wonderful break, but this trip was more work in many ways.

Was Travis right?

Did he feel more for Bevis than just as a client?

Shaking his head, he ducked into his tent; finding answers was for another day. Tonight he needed sleep and rest. Pulling off his boots, top and shirt, he stretched out inside his sleeping bag, sighing as he lay vertically for the first time in many hours. Breathing in, he closed his eyes and sank into the sweet oblivion of slumber.