As everyone scattered to get away from the carnivorous plant, Priscilla Count was trying to figure out who she should run with. Yes, the carnivorous plant was about to eat everyone and there were carnivorous deer out there as well, but that was the point! Why would she go and run with people who had no idea what the hell they were doing? The best thing to do would be to at least run with someone who had survival skills. Just as she thought that, she caught sight of Helen Scott, the Bear Grylls Wannabe. If anyone was going to be prepared, that girl would. Priscilla quickly dodged the flailing plant and tripped on one of the logs in the fire. It rolled out and happened to land right next to the stalk of the plant. It roared in pain as flames started to engulf it. Priscilla winced but grappled to stand up as she hobbled towards where Helen had run. With the plant screaming in pain, flailing itself around, it was also throwing some ash around and it was starting to catch some of the leaves on fire, making the air start to get smokey.

Priscilla started coughing and ended up having to get lower to the ground to keep from suffocating. She was walking on all fours like an animal but she couldn't get on her knees due to an injury in middle school, so she looked like a horse. If the forest wasn't on fire and a blazing carnivorous plant angrily throwing things about, Priscilla would have laughed about the literal position she was in. But this was a serious situation and she lost sight of Helen! She animal-walked forward and hoped she was going in the right direction. All of this was annoying and also humiliating.

*********************

Finally, Priscilla was clear of the smoke and she stood up, popping her back.

"Holy shit, I will never do that again."

She looked around to see where she was exactly and sighed, seeing nothing of familiarity and the glow of fire behind her. She hoped something weird put out the fire and she didn't get engulfed in flames...

"I thought I heard someone following me."

Priscilla jumped at the voice, gasping loudly and turning. She found Helen standing there, just looking at her.

"Oh my god, could you maybe have tried a little harder to be creepy?"

"I could, but given how the forest is, I don't think I could match it." Priscilla made a face. "Anyway, glad you made it out of there alive."

"Why, did you think I wasn't going to make it?"

"I mean, no offense, but you're not exactly the survival type..." she said, looking Priscilla up and down.

She looked down at herself and didn't think she looked that bad. She was in jeans, sandals, and a nice plain T-shirt. She didn't think she looked any more or less that anyone else on this trip. I was supposed to just a science trip, not a research getaway. Helen, on the other hand, was wearing clothing that looked like it came from Rambo. She had on cargo pants, hiking boots, a short sleeved shirt with a fishing vest. The pockets were full of things that Priscilla couldn't see directly but could see the outlines of from the outside and a backpack full of other survival goodies.

"I'm smarter than people think of me. I was smart enough to follow you, wasn't I? Ms. Always Prepared For Anything?"

Helen frowned. "I guess... Did you hurt your foot or something? Why were you crawling around like that?"

"I tripped at some point but the plant monster caught on fire and the air was getting smokey. I couldn't crawl on my knees so I ended up doing that weird walk."

"Huh... Well, if you're following me then come on."

"Do you know where you're going?"

"No, but the compass does." She said, holding up a small compass.

"Does your compass hone in on shelters?"

"Obviously north..."

"It's just a joke, Helen. Are you going to be this annoying the whole time?"

"Are you?"

"I just didn't want to get trapped with some stupid kid who thinks they know what they're doing but not. You should be thankful I consider you as someone smart enough to follow."

Helen rolled her hazel eyes. "Ugh, flattery is annoying."

"I'm not flattering you, I'm speaking truthfully. You're the smartest person here regarding how to survive. I'm not an idiot."

Helen shrugged. "Well, if everyone would have listened in class, they would be too."

"Hey, now that I think about it: why are you on this trip? I thought this was counted towards extra credit?"

"It is."

"Then..."

"I like being nature. Never said I didn't need extra credit. It looks good on resumes and college credits. Considering a do want to be a survivalist when I grow up, I have to do everything I can to be able to do that."

"A survivalist?"

"Yeah, where you are in the wild and having to fend for yourself."

"And there's a career for that?"

"I mean... Bear Grylls did it. Steve Irwin did something similar by educating everyone by getting really close with the wildlife. I think I'd be a combo. Learn to survive and then also do studies on animals."

They had been walking a little while they talked.

"Wow, that must be nice to have your dream so vividly in your head. I still can't think of anything that I want to do after high school. I guess I should find something, huh?"

"Not necessarily." Helen said, moving the compass back and forth while she looked around. "Being forced to do what and how everybody wants you to be is exhausting. It may take you a longer time than others, but I think this trip will help you figure out what you want to do with your life. But you don't have to get this hoity-toity degree to get you places. Study cosmetology, massage therapy, receptionist... You've got two more years to think about that stuff. I have a feeling you'll be closer to what you want then now."

Priscilla was actually moved by the mini-speech because Helen was right. So much was put on her to get into college and she had no idea how she was going to do this. As she was thinking, she kept watching Helen and finally frowned herself.

"What's up?

"The compass isn't working."

"What do you mean? I thought compasses worked with magnetic fields and stuff?"

"They do unless there is a stronger magnet pull somewhere nearby... That's really odd though."

"Don't some rocks have big magnetic fields if they're big enough?"

"I don't see a quarry or a hill nearby with a bunch of rocks so that means it's something else..."

"So... that means we are lost?"

"Yes. We are lost." She said, looking at Priscilla seriously. "The best thing to do is just go back the way we came."

"Why in the hell would we do that? There is a large plant and killer deer back there."

"It's been an hour. Obviously something stopped the fire from spreading because we are still alive and there's no smoke. If that plant got engulfed in flames, it's probably dead by now."

"And the deer?"

"That I can't answer. They don't work like normal deer but I don't think they would be there. We're scattered and if they were as smart as they seem, they would send out scouts to keep tabs on us."

Priscilla started looking around. "Then... they could be listening to us right now..."

"Could be. But if we go back the way we came, we have a better chance of getting out of the forest because the more... that way we go, it's back the way we came."

"What?"

"I've never been lost so... I'm a bit scared." Helen said with a nervous laugh. "Compasses are supposed to be reliable and this forest is making all the things I rely on not reliable."

"I got you. Well, I trust you. I didn't follow you because I thought you were stupid. If you say we should go back the way we came, then we should at least try it out..."

Helen smiled. She didn't expect someone like Priscilla to put trust in her. She was always made fun of for her gung-ho attitude towards the outdoors and ways to survive disasters that could never happen, but now it looked like her obsession was paying off. Someone was relying on her to be able to help them get through. She had to show everyone that she was the most qualified person for handling this.

"Alright then. Follow me and I'll get us out of here."

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

here we go on another adventure. sorry this is so short but i didn't think starting another paragraph would suit the chapter. as we can see, this will have to do with rabbits 🐇lil bunny foo foos and shit. as we know though, this forest aint full of that... if anyone understands the phrase 'the rabbit died' then you'll have a clue of what's to happen. more to come!