You've done all of the appropriate research to know that the hiking trails nearby are able to be hiked by beginners. Even a city girl like you could manage a simple, 2.5 mile hike on a paved road. After a simple breakfast, you pack a light bag filled with bug spray, sunscreen, trail snacks and a couple liter bottles of water.

You decide to go ahead and walk to the trail head, since it's not too far away and it's still early enough that the day isn't really hot. All around you, the calls of nature fill the air. It's nice and relaxing. After an easy walk along an hour of wood trails, you find a paved road and the trail head. A large wooden sign proudly proclaims: Rainbow Falls Trail.

There are a couple of cars parked in front of the sign, so you probably won't be alone on the trail, but at least it's not super crowded.

With a quick pause to apply more sunscreen, you head off down the paved trail. It winds through tall grass and deeper into a wooded area. From what you read of the trail, it ends in a beautiful waterfall that feeds the river beside the trail. A pleasant gurgling fills the air, and you have to resist the urge to stop and make use of the toilet paper in your pack.

The sun is soft on your skin, and the wind plays with your hair as you walk down the path. The smell of pine needles is strong in the woods, though from what you can tell, most of the trees are pine or ash of some kind. Not that you're an expert on kinds of trees or anything. You just know that most of them are very pretty and probably pretty old.

It doesn't take too long for you to lose your cell service, this deep in the woods, but you know it's a well marked path so you're not too worried.

You get to the waterfall about two hours after you started your leisurely journey and snap some beautiful pictures of the flowing water. Despite having seen the cars at the start of the trail head, you haven't run into anyone else on the trail. It's possible they went off trail, though you know all the books and pamphlets warn you not to do that. It can be dangerous, even if you have years of experience.

When you're done getting all the pictures of the waterfall and eating a snack to stop your stomach from grumbling, you get to your feet. After a quick stretch, you start back down the trail.

And you hear the sound of someone crying nearby.

You glance around, confused. It's faint, but it's definitely coming from somewhere near the waterfall. There! You spot a woman on the other side of the falls from you, toward a more wooded area. She's dressed like you are, obviously out for a hike, and sitting on her bottom beside the water. One leg is tucked under her, but the other is splayed out and even from here, you can see that her ankle is swollen and dark.

A sprain, probably, maybe from walking off the path and slipping? Stones near the falls can be pretty dangerous.

[If you decide to help her get back to the trail head, go to chapter: Twenty Nine]

[If you decide to get somewhere you can call for help, go to chapter: Twenty One]