Rule one of wilderness survival: Stay put. Daniel remembered hearing something about that as a junior scout in elementary school. More people get lost trying to find their way home than anything else. Not to mention, he didn't know where he was and wouldn't know which direction to go. Find shelter, water, and food, in that order. While the weather was warm and sunny right now, that could change quickly, and it would be best to have someplace safe to return to. With that in mind, Daniel stood and stepped toward the overhang he had spotted earlier.
The grasses brushed against his shins as Daniel walked, careful not to trip over large roots until a dozen paces from the tree, its sprawling foundation reaching nearly as far as the canopy overhead. The rustling of the undergrowth was interspersed with the disgruntled buzzing of insects disturbed by his passing. He sneezed, eyes watering with the pollen released by mature blossoms. And this is why I didn't stay with the scouts. Nature is best enjoyed at a distance. With this slight inconvenience the only obstacle to his passage, Daniel soon reached his first objective. Here, the gentle slope became rockier, with patches of exposed stone occasionally interrupting the verdant carpet. The slope was split by a weathered cliff face. Rather than ascend the embankment, Daniel followed the base of the cliff as it curved away, blocking the view behind him of the place he started. The reddish-brown stone was rough and sandy, with lines of black curving across its surface. Time had eroded a depression several feet into the surface, perhaps not a true cave, but hopefully enough protection to the sides and above to make a decent shelter from wind or rain. Just outside the entrance, the ground descended steeply for twenty feet before leveling out, large bushes and trees beginning to grow there and obstructing view of anything beyond.
With shelter now secured, Daniel took stock of his supplies. It wasn't much. His wallet, with ID, debit card, and forty dollars. Keys to his apartment and a safety deposit box, both very much out of reach. A pen and notebook, in case inspiration struck while away from his desk, and a single granola bar. At least his clothes, t-shirt, jeans, sneakers, and a waterproof jacket, were comfortable and durable, since Daniel hated the feel of cheap fabric. His cell phone showed it was 1:24pm but could not find a signal, so he turned it off to preserve the battery.
Somewhat discouraged by the lack of available tools, Daniel took a moment to plan out his next move. Assuming the clock was correct, he had about five hours until sundown. He hoped that would be enough time to find a source of fresh water and firewood. His stomach growled as if to remind him of its importance, but Daniel knew he was in no immediate danger of starvation. It's the rule of threes, right? Three minutes without oxygen, three days without water, three weeks without food? Whether or not that was accurate, he knew from experience that skipping a few meals wouldn't kill him. That aside, it appeared the forest below his current shelter might provide the wood and water he needed.
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A few hours later
Of course it wasn't that easy. Descending twenty feet down the embankment took some time, since the grass was slick and not strong enough to make a good handhold, but Daniel made it down with no injuries. That was the easy part. The large bushes, while innocent enough from above, turned out to be thorny thickets upon closer examination. Attempts to avoid them were futile, as the waist-high undergrowth filled every available inch of the flat ground between him and the tree line. Without any tools, Daniel was forced to tease loose one thorny branch at a time and stomp it down to form a walkable path. The formerly comfortable warmth of the sun became intolerable with the physical exertion and increased frustration Daniel felt with every wasted minute. Then, after what felt like hours and turned out to be less than fifty feet, Daniel finally reached the trees and discovered a discouragingly young and vibrant forest. The trees were green and growing, with supple branches and smooth bark. There were no fallen branches or trees, conveniently dry and ready for burning. Daniel tested a limb without much optimism and was unsurprised when it bent a far distance before splintering with a bitter scent of fresh sap.
His search for water was similarly unsuccessful. The ground, while thankfully free of briers, was quite solid underneath a carpet of fallen leaves. There was no noticeable sound of running water and the mostly level ground gave no hint as to a direction to start. Daniel wandered aimlessly, gathering what few fallen sticks he could find until the fading light reminded him to return to his shelter. Fortunately, he had not wandered far from the place he started and made it back to his bramble path as the sun was kissing the horizon. Eyeing the slope he would still need to climb, Daniel sighed, a mixture of exhaustion, frustration, and perhaps a little resignation. The paltry bundle of potential kindling was repurposed as pitons, wedged into the soil to aid his climb back to the dark and depressing cave that would be his bed tonight. Laying down on the sandy floor with his jacket as a makeshift blanket and one arm for a pillow, Daniel looked out at the darkening sky, just beginning to blossom with stars, and closed his eyes. Tomorrow will be better, he promised.