First Story (FINAL)

(align:"=><=")+(box:"=XXX=")[(text-style:"shudder")[**A Walk in the Woods**]] (align:"=><=")+(box:"=XXX=")[(text-style:"shudder")[[Begin]]]

--- You and your best friend Taylor are on a road trip to Canada. The crisp air rustles your hair through the open window. Autumn has just set in and the leaves are turning a golden hue. At this point of the journey, you're halfway through Washington but it's gettting dark quickly. Taking your eyes off the road for a second, the dashboard reads 7:15. You can see the sun setting beneath the trees quickly. Taylor's on their phone, but the wifi cut out miles back. Looking back to the road, a giant tree trunk is sprawled out in front of you. "Look out!" Taylor yells. You slam on the breaks but it's too late. The front end of yoursass car slams into the tree. You hear the shattering of glass and the hissing of air. After the shock wears off, you turn to see Taylor. Taylor's clearly alive but their left arm is bent in a weird angle. No doubt it's broken. "Shit" you say. "Taylor are you alright?" "My arm..." Taylor says. "I think it's broken. Fuck, it hurts." Your car's not going anywhere like this. [[Get Out and Investigate the Damage]] ---

--- Yep, the car's totaled. The front end is smashed in and the windshield is shattered. This isn't good, the sun is setting rapidly and you can't see another car in either direction. Taylor looks worried. Looking at your phone, there's no signal to call for help. There's no road signs visible but you thought the nearest town was 10 miles north. That's a long walk. Taylor cradles their arm, sobbing. You need medical help quick, and a 10 mile walk doesn't seem that appealing at this hour. Grabbing some supplies from the car, you turn to see Taylor looking at something in the woods. "Hey, I can see something in the forest over there" They say. "It looks like some sort of wooden signpost. You think someone lives near here?" Looking over, there is clearly something buried deep in the forest. Maybe someone does live nearby who can help. At the very least, maybe you could check out the sign. [[Begin Walking up the Road]] [[Investigate the Sign]] ---

--- You and Taylor begin to walk up the road. It's getting very dark now but at least you know which direction you're heading. The woods around you begin to explode with the sounds of nocturnal life. "You sure there's a town this way?" Taylor asks. "Im pretty sure we passed a road sign that says there's one 10 miles up" you reply. Minutes pass as the two of you walk in silence. Taylor's looking at the map you remembered to snag from the glove compartment. No way two college-aged kids can read that thing. "Hey my arm is really starting to swell" Taylor says. "Can't we find a piece of wood quickly and make a splint?" You look around, there's probably all sizes of branches in those woods. Besides, it's probably best to try and set Taylor's wound as soon as possible. [[Keep Walking up the Road]] [[Try and Fix Taylor's Wound]] ---

--- Walking some fifty yards into the woods, you and Taylor approach the sign. It reads (text-colour:red)["**Oakley Family Farm**"] with a big red arrow pointing North. So Taylor was right, someone does live nearby, someone who might be able to help. Looking around, there's a faint man-made path going in the direction of the arrow. "Hey, maybe these Oakly people have a phone we could use" Taylor suggests. "Or maybe some medical supplies." It does seem like a good idea but the path seems to go on forever. After all, you don't even know these people. Taylor's clearly in a lot of pain, but if you went back you could see the road at least. [[Look for the farm]] [[Head back to the road]] ---

--- Maybe it would be better to try and find immediate help. After all, a 10 mile walk down the rpad probably isn't the smartest idea if your best friend is hurt. You and Taylor begin walking on the small path. The sun's setting quickly and its getting nearly impossible to see with the tall pine trees surrounding both sides of you. In the distance, a loon calls. There must be a lake soemwhere. There's still no sign of any structures. Taylor seems a little apprehensive now. You've been walking for a good five minutes. The two of you say nothing to each other. The crickets begin to chirp as the sun is almost set by now. You begin to gain some doubts yourself but there's not much to do but keep walking. You can barely see the path. "Maybe we made a mistake" Taylor says. "I can't see anything." [[Keep walking]] ---

(goto:"Begin Walking up the Road")

--- After nearly fifteen minutes of walking down the path, a small clearing opens up to reveal a large but rundown cabin-like house. Wooden fences cover the perimeter but overall, the structure looks abandoned. The only light eminates from a small lantern hanging near the entrance of the house. The sun is almost completely set by now. The path leading to the house is nearly impossible to follow. This must be the Oakley farm, but you can't see any animals, cages, or vegetables. Maybe they're around the back? "You ever seen a horror movie?" Taylor says. "This is giving me some major creepy vibes. Maybe we should try to go back." "I don't know," you reply. "Your arm's pretty busted and we're already here. How would we even find our way back anyway? I can barely see at this point." [[Try to find your way back]] [[Knock on the front door]] [[Try and explore the rest of the property]] ---

--- Yeah, there's no way you're going into that creepy house. There's something odd about it. It's so quiet around you, like the forest has gone to sleep. "Hey," you say to Taylor. "Let's go back, I'm sure we can find someone on the road who can give us a lift to town." Taylor looks down at their arm. "I don't know if that's a good idea. We won't be able to find our way back" they say. "We'll be fine," You say. Let's just follow the path back." But the path is impossible to follow. The two of you stumble in the direction of what you think is the road. After a few minutes, it's clear you're completely lost. All directions look the same. The immense trees on all sides block any view you would have. "Shit" you say. "Taylor, we're lost. What do we do now?" "I don't know" Taylor snaps back. "This whole thing was your idea. [[Start walking....West?]] ---

--- You and Taylor walk up to the door and knock. You hear some rustling inside and suddenly the door swings open to reveal an old woman standing there. She smiles at the pair of you. "Hello ma'am," you say. "Our car broke down on the main road. We were hoping you had a phone we could borrow to call a towing company. My friend here's really hurt too." She grins even wider, "of course! Come on in you two!" You notice how quiet it's gotten since you've entered the property. There's barely any chirping of grasshoppers anymore. Something about this house seems off, but heading back into the woods this late seems like suicide. Taylor seems to want to run off, but maybe that's not the greatest idea. [[Run away]] [[Enter the house]] ---

--- You and Taylor walk jump the fence and walk around to the back of the house. Maybe there's someone out back, or at the very least, some indication that this isn't a cult house. Taylor winces in pain as they hoist themselves over the fence. Everything you'd expect from a farm isn't here. No vegatable patches, no animals, no barns or any other structures besides a small shed at the end of the property. This is certainly very odd. Besides, why would a farm even be in the middle of a forest? What's even more creepy are mounds of dirt that are scattered around the yard. If there were headstones, they'd look like graves. Suddenly, a bright light begins to (text-style:"blink")[flicker] from the house. The back door swings open and an old man steps out and raises a shotgun towards you and Taylor. "**Hey you!**" he shouts. "**What the hell do you think you're doing? Get over here!**" "I don't feel like getting shot tonight" Taylor says to you. "Let's do what he says." [[Obey]] ---

--- You and Taylor apprehensively approach him with your hands up. The man is wearing a red flanel with overalls and a worn baseball cap. Definately redneck if you've ever seen it. Is that a cut on his neck? It's too dark to see any blood. "We're sorry sir," Taylor says. "Our car broke down on the highway. We were just looking for a phone to use." You pause. "And my friend here's hurt" you say. "They broke their arm." The man lowers the shotgun. "Well, you won't find a phone out in my garden," he chuckles. "Come on inside and you can call the tow company. I know a thing or two about broken bones as well" You look back. A garden? you definately didn't see any vegetables growing. There's a growing feeling inside you that somethings off... [[Head inside]] ---

--- It's no use. There's absolutely no way to tell where the road is. You and Taylor keep walking until you wan't walk any further. The two of you stop by a large bush and sit down. The sounds of the forest erupt all around you. "Fuck" Taylor says. "We're totally screwed." "I really don't want to go any further tonight." You say. "I'm going to rest here until morning. That way we can at least see better." "You idiot" Taylor says. "If we ever get out of here, I'm never listening to your ideas again. My arm's broken and you want us to wander around the woods." Taylor apprehensively lays down next to you. It's true, the pair of you are really screwed. Maybe it would have been better to stay at the farm house. You put your head on a soft piece of grass and try to fall asleep. (text-colour:orange)[The End] [[Start Over]] ---

--- The inside of the house is definately better than the outside. The lights turn on with a cozy (text-colour:orange)[golden] hue. The wooden floors are polished and everything looks very neat and orderly. The velvet couch in the main room looks very inviting, expecially since you're so tired. This old guy's definately a hunter. Animal heads line the walls and deer antlers provide much of the decoration on any window sills or tables. The old man enters after you and Taylor and shuts the door. Taylor gives you a quick glance of nervousness. The old man slings his shotgun on the seat next to him as he sits down with a roll of bandage and a sling. "You know," he says. "I have plenty of space for y'all to spend the night if you need. You both look pretty tired. I can also make a hot breakfast for you in the morning." You can barely keep your eyes open after nearly nine hours on the road. A good nights rest and some food sounds pretty good, even from a creepy old man. Taylor however, winces as this suggestion. Maybe it's best to just find the phone and repair Taylor's arm as quickly as possible. [[Stay the night]] [[Ask for the phone]] ---

--- You ignore Taylor's apprehension. After nearly a whole day of driving, a good nights rest is just what you need. "That'd be great" you say. "We're both really tired." Taylor exhales loudly, clearly displeased with the idea of staying in the house. The old man smiles. "Now let's fix that broken arm" he says to Taylor. Taylor looks very uncomfortable as the old man fixes their arm. After the bone is set, he gets up and moves towards a wooden door at the end of a hallway. "Make yourselves at home" he says. "I need to get some of my personal work done in the cellar but there's pillows and blankets scattered about." As you an Taylor settle in for the night, you can hear the distant buzzing of a saw. You're sure that it's coming from the basement. There's lots of loud clunks and thuds throughout the night. Your mind wanders, maybe this wasn't a good idea after all. [[Escape the House]] [[Try and Fall Asleep]] ---

--- Yeah that's a bit creepy. It's probably better to get out of this house as soon as possible. "Thanks for the offer" you say. "I think we'll just get some help for my friend's arm and be on the way." The old man looks dissapointed but quickly forms a smile. "No worries," he says. "None of my visitors ever stay long. Now lets get you that phone. Then I'll repair your friend's arm as best I can." He dials a number and hands you the end of a landline. Putting it to your ear, a man asks you where your car is. "Directly out from the Oakley Farm" you say. There's a pause on the other end. "Hey listen," the tow man says. "There's some crazy rumours about that place. Do me a favor and stay away from it. I can be out by you in about an hour." Your eyes go wide and you quietly warn the towman that you're in the Oakly farmhouse. He promises to call the sherriff and tells you to run. You put the phone down. Taylor, who was standing directly next to you, hears the whole thing. You both look over to the old man who's sitting in a leather chair trimming the the edges of his boots with a long hunting knife. You and Taylor exchange a quick glance. [[Run out the back door]] [[Ask the old man how to get back to the road]] ---

--- "Hey Taylor" you whisper. "Let's get the fuck out of this house. There's no way I'm sleeping here tonight." "Finally, you've come to your senses" Taylor barks back. "I was awake this whole time, about to leave you." The sound of a buzzsaw is still going stong as the two of you grab your things and bolt out of the front door. What's he doing down in the cellar? Filled by pure adrenaline, you crash through bushes and trees of the woods until the house is far behind you. Taylor catches up a few seconds later, panting. The two of you may be out of shape college kids, but there's no way that old guy's ever catching up to you now. Still, better not stop now. Which way back to the road? [[Keep going]] ---

--- You ignore the racket that's happening downstairs. You can hear Taylor shifting their weight side to side on the couch. You're both still clearly awake. You force your eyes shut and try to fall asleep. ________________ You wake up in the morning to the smell of eggs and bacon. Taylor looks like they've been awake the whole night. "Good morning you two," the old man says. "Breakfats is ready. Eat up and then I'll drive you to town." After a warm breakfast, the three of you set out behind the house to the shed. A red pickup truck sits inside and you all get in. "We'll be to town in a few minutes" the old man says. Taylor still hasn't said a word to you this entire time. [[To Town!]] ---

--- The two of you continue to run through the forest. Surely the old man didn't even know you left. He's sure in for a surpise in the morning. Yep, there's no way he's finding you now. Looking around though, you're completely lost. "What the hell do we do now?" Taylor asks, panicked. "We keep going," you say. "Maybe we can find the car, or the road, or something....." The two of you continue to jog through the forest, looking for anything. "This might've been stupid" you say. "How are we ever going to get back?" "I don't know" Taylor pants. "At least we didn't get fucking killed by that guy though." You escaped the creepy farm but will you ever find your way back? Maybe someone will notice you're missing and send rescue teams to find you in the morning. (text-colour:orange)[The End] [[Start Over]] ---

--- You roll into town 10 minutes later and the old man lets you out at a motel. "Thanks so much," you say. "We really appreciate the help." He simply grins at you before driving off. Taylor sighs and heads inside. The hotel clerk greets you and gives you the number of the nearest repair-man. "How did you even find your way to town?" he asks. "We found the Oakley Farm and some old guy gave us a ride" you reply. The clerk's face goes white. "You're lucky to be alive" he says. "There's been rumours for years that family's been causing a number of dissapearences. No one in town's ever trusted them. Most people say they prefer to kill hikers who reject their hospitality. They try to feed you some strange things in that house. Y'all are lucky to be alive." He's right, if these rumours are true, you and Taylor have just escaped the custody of a dangerous man. You and Taylor get a rental car and continue on your trip, but the lack of conversation makes the whole experience awkward. Taylor never truly forgives you for putting you both in that situation. (text-colour:green)[The End] [[Start Over]] ---

--- The two of you run out the back door as fast as you can. "Hey!" the old man yells. You and Taylor don't look back and sprint across the yard and over the fence. It's hard to tell which way is which. (text-style:"shudder")[**BANG!**] A round goes off somewhere behind you. Filled by pure adrenaline, you crash through bushes and tress until the house is far behind you. Taylor catches up a few seconds later, panting. The two of you may be out of shape college kids, but there's no way that old guy's ever catching up to you now. Still, better not stop now. [[Keep Running]]

--- "How do we get back to the main road?" you ask. Taylor's on your right, clearly uncomfortable. "Why would you want to go back there?" The old man says. "I already told you, you're more than welcome to stay here. In fact, it's probably best that you did." "Look," Taylor says. "It's really nice that you've let us use the phone but we really need to get going." The old man stands up and raises his shotgun to Taylor. "No, you really don't need to go anywhere" he says finally. [[Jump Out of the Way]] [[Jump in Front of Taylor]] ---

--- Yep, there's no way he's finding you now. Looking around though, you're completely lost. "What the hell do we do now?" Taylor asks, panicked. "We keep going," you say. "Maybe we can find the car, or the road, or something....." The two of you continue to jog through the forest, looking for anything. It's no use, it's completely dark out. You escaped the creepy farm but will you ever find your way back? Maybe the police will and send rescue teams to find you in the morning. (text-colour:orange)[The End] [[Start Over]] ---

--- (text-style:"shudder")[**BANG**] You jump in front of Taylor just as the shot rings out. A searing pain rips through your stomach. Your front has been ripped open and (text-colour:red)[blood] is pouring everywhere. You can hear Taylor scream and retreat through the backdoor. (text-style:"shudder")[**BANG**] Another shot is fired just above you, towards the door. You can see the old man hurry out the door after Taylor. You lie on the polished wooden floors dying. you're soaked in (text-colour:red)[red blood]. As you take your final breaths, you wonder if Taylor has gotten away. Your sacrifice has certainly saved your best friend's life. Hopefully, the killer is caught and your death will not be in vain. (text-colour:orange)[The End] [[Start Over]] ---

-- (text-style:"shudder")[**BANG**] The shot rings out. Taylor crumples to the floor. Not even thinking, you turn to sprint out of the door. If you stayed a second longer, you'd be dead too. (text-style:"shudder")[**BANG**] A second shot shatters the door frame next to you as you sprint out of the back door. Filled with pure fear and adrenaline, you run into the forest. Surely yhe old man is in pursuit. [[Keep Running!]] ---

--- Stumbling through the forest, you hear shouts to your left. Who would be in the forest this late at night? With all your remaining strength, you drag yourself through the forest, looking for anyone to help. As the adrenaline wears off, you see that your left sleeve has been torn to shreds. There's a flesh wound on your shoulder that stings immensely. The second round must've just grazed you. (text-colour:red)[Blood] drips from the wound, soaking the rest of your shirt. If the shot were a few inches over, you'd be dead right now. [[Head towards the voices]] ---

--- You stumble onto a small clearing where (text-colour:navy)+(text-style:"fade-in-out")[Police] (text-colour:red)+(text-style:"fade-in-out")[Sirens] are wailing all around you. You can spot a squad car parked in the clearing. (text-style:"blur")+(text-colour:yellow)[Bright Lights] illuminate the forest. Police officers surround you with shouts and drawn weapons. You tell them everything. How you broke down on the road, how you stumbled upon the house, and how the old man shot Taylor. An officer assissts you into the police car while another group sets off towards the house. Back in town, you're given medical attention and some clean clothes. You sit down with a detective and tell him everything again. You've survived but at what cost? Taylor is dead, but at least the old man was arrested. You've helped to bring down a serial killer, but was it all worth it? (text-colour:orange)[The End] [[Start Over]] ---

--- "I don't know too much about first aid" you admit. "We should probably get to town and find a proper doctor." Taylor groans but continues to walk with you. The two of you keep walking up the road. By this time, the moon has fully risen. Somewhere in the distance, a loon calls. There must be a lake in those woods. This sucks, it feels like you've been walking forever. The moon certainly looks pretty from between the trees. Looking at the moon, something catches your eye. From the road, you can see a small path leading into the forest. It looks more like a man-made trail than anything. Probably a utility trail the rangers use. You know it's a dumb idea to get off course, but you can't help but feel a little curious as to where it leads. Maybe Taylor was right, finding someone to set their wound would be better after all. Taylor catches your eye. "You really want to go in there?" Taylor asks. "We should probably keep going. It's dark out." [[Check out the trail]] [[Stay focused on finding the town]] ---

--- Probably better and fix Taylor's arm right now. The two of you wander into the woods and look for anything to make a splint out of. After looking around the brush for a bit, you spot a branch about the size of a forearm, the perfect size. Taylor pulls out some string you brought from the car. Luckily you both thought ahead. You haven't had much medical training but are able to set a half-decent splint on Taylor's arm. It's certainly not pretty, but at least Taylor's arm appears to be set. "Thanks" Taylor says. "Hopefully this helps." As you're walking back out towards the road, there's a rustling of bushes to your left. Before you can properly react, an adult black bear (text-style:"rumble")[rumbles] out of the bush. It sniffs the air and looks at the two of you. It's maybe fourty yards away at the most. Not clearly seeing you, it begins to open its jaws and growl in your general direction. Its definately picked up your scent. You can hear Taylor gasp next to you. You reach for Taylor's hand to reassure them. Your mind races, what are you supposed to do during a bear encounter? [[Stay calm and stand your ground]] [[Turn and sprint back towards the road]] ---

(goto:"Look for the farm")

--- Maybe that's a dumb idea. Taylor's right, it's probably best to stay on the road. At least you can see the road this way. After what feels like hours of walking, you can hear the faint rumble of an engine coming up behind you. Taylor and you whip around to see a red pickup truck rumbling down the road towards you. As it approaches, it slows down and a man rolls down the passenger window. He's shirtless but wearing blue overalls and a white baseball cap. He looks like a pretty tall and beefy guy through the window. The side of the truck says ''"Oakley Family Farm"'' in white paint. The back of the pickup truck appears to have burlap sacks heaped on top of one another. Maybe it's produce? "You two alright?" He asks. "Why are you walking down the road at this hour?" "Our car broke down a ways back" you say. "We were walking to town." "You need a ride?" The man asks. "I'm already heading that way tonight." Taylor seems a bit apprehensive of getting in this guy's car, but you also don't want to keep walking until morning. Who knows what kind of animals are out here. [[Get a Ride]] [[Stay on the Road]] ---

--- Remembering your common sense, you stay calm and make your presence known. Waving your hands above you calmly tell Taylor to do the same. Seeing the two of you, the black bear slowly backs off. It gallops into the forest, looking over its shoulder at the two of you. Sure enough, just like all those national parks articles, the bear didn't really want to attack you. The two of you wait in silence for a few moments to make sure the bear has really wandered off. After that close encounter, you make your way back down the road. You must've walked for hours at this point. It's not like you have much choice though.... [[Continue Walking]] ---

--- Startled, the bear is immediately upon you. There was no way you could've ever outrun this thing. You can hear Taylor screaming behind you. With a gaint (text-style:"shudder")[**ROAR**] the bear takes a clawed swing at you. You can feel the claws slash from your shoulder down to your stomach. The blood drowns your body as you convulse and shake. The bear looms over you. Not yet finished, it opens its wide jaws around your head. Hopefully Taylor can make it out alive. (text-colour:red)[The End] ---

--- As the two of you trudge on, you grow increasingly tired. You can tell Taylor is fighting sleep next to you. At this point, you both have been awake for nearly 15 hours. "Shit" Taylor says finally. "I can't go on like this much further. Maybe that town was further away than you thought." Maybe Taylor's right. Did that sign really say 10 miles to the next town? "I'm sure it's just up the road" you assure them. "We'll see it in no time." Taylor sighs and continues to walk next to you. Maybe you should stop for the night, there's no way to tell how much further you need to walk. [[Stop for now]] [[Try and Keep Going]] ---

--- Taylor's right, you two need to stop and re-evaluate the situation. You stop by the side of the road and sit down on a patch of grass. It feels so good to give your legs a rest. The sounds of the forest are deafening around you. The light breeze is relaxing and you can feel your eyes begin to flutter. "Hey Taylor" you say. "So what do we do now?" But you look over to see Taylor has already fallen asleep. "Wow" you say to your sleeping friend. "You're already knocked?" But you yourself are just as tired. Maybe you'll be able to find the town in the morning. At the very least, maybe a car will drive by during the day and give you a ride. As you lie down on a soft patch of grass, you can see how Taylor fell asleep so quickly. (text-colour:orange)[The End] [[Start Over]] ---

--- You grab Taylor's unbroken arm and try to guide them along with you. It would be a bad idea to stop at this point. Both of you would probably fall asleep and that would be really dangerous. You can feel Taylor slumping next to you. They're falling asleep very quickly. There's not much more you can do. It's certainly a lot harder than you thought to carry someone while walking. "Can we stop a minute?" Taylor dazily asks. Looking around, you see a soft patch of grass on the side of the road. The trees nearby offer some good concealment. There's no way you two can continue on like this for miles. [[Rest for a While]] ---

(goto:"Stop for now")

--- You and Taylor turn and half-run back the way you came. It was such a dumb idea to go this deep into the woods at night. You can hear yelling behind you, the old woman is screeching to someone else inside the house. The pair of you run even faster. The path is impossible to follow. The two of you stumble in the direction of what you think is the road. After a few minutes, it's clear you're completely lost. All directions look the same. The immense trees on all sides block any view you would have. "Shit" you say. "Taylor, we're lost. What do we do now?" Taylor is freaking out next to you. "I have no idea, let's go....that way?" [[Start walking....West?]] ---

--- "Thanks so much ma'am" you say. "It'd be great if we can come in for a bit." The old woman widens her grin. You can see if the faint light that she's wearing a night-gown and a pair of slippers. You follow her into the house and Taylor follows nervously. "We never get visitors around here," she says chearfully. "Let me go find my husband and he'll get you sorted out." The old woman goes upstairs for a minute and you can hear eager conversations between two people. A moment later, her husband appears in the living room brandishing a shotgun. He seems a bit younger than her but not by much. He sees your look and laughs. "Sorry folks," he says. "Didn't mean to scare you, I've been cleaning my hunting weapons upstairs. Why don't you sit down in the living room here and make yourselves comfortable?" Taylor doesn't say a word but at this point, it might be stupid to run. [[Sit down]] ---

(goto:"Head inside")

(goto:"Begin")

--- You ignore Taylor's looks of nervousness. There's no way you're going to keep walking at this hour. "Sure, thanks so much." You say. "It would've been a hell of a hike if we kept going." "No kidding," he replies. "You're lucky I drove by. There are some strange people that can come crawling around these parts." Taylor snorts at this remark. They're obviously pretty uncomfortable to be in this position. Through the drive, you and the man make some small talk. He tells you he lives and works with his parents on the "Oakley Farm" which is only a few miles back. "I was just bringing some.....produce into town." He tells you. "When you get back from your road trip, you should stop by the farm. We rarely have guests." As you roll into town, the man parks by the motel and lets you out. "See y'all around" he says. "Have a great trip!" "Thanks!" you reply. "Appreciate your help!" As he drives off, Taylor turns to you, "Well, maybe that wasn't the worst thing after all. He seemed alright." The both of you turn to the motel. [[Go inside]] ---

--- No thanks, there's no way you're getting a ride from a stranger. Taylor's intuition has helped you both before. From experience, it's better to listen to Taylor's gut. "No thanks," you say. "We really don't want to burden you. We'll keep on going." The man frowns at the two of you. "It really wouldn't be a problem" he says. "I'm headed that way anyway." "It's alright," Taylor butts in. "We need the excercise." The man shruggs his shoulders. "Okay then," he says. "Suit yourselves, It's at least a two hour walk still." He drives off, leaving you and Taylor to continue the hike. No choice now but to keep walking.... [[Walk some more]] ---

(goto:"Continue Walking")

--- The two of you head inside and talk to the clerk and explain your situation. He gives you the number of the tow company and promises to call the doctor. "How did you two even get here?" he asks. You tell him about meeting the man from the farm. The clerk's face goes white. "You're lucky to be alive" he says. "There's been rumours for years that family's been causing a number of dissapearences. No one in town's ever trusted them. Most people say they prefer to kill hikers who reject their hospitality. They try to feed you some strange things in that house of theirs. Y'all are lucky to be alive." Taylor looks over at you. That guy seemed friendly enough when you met him. He had every opportunity to kill the both of you. Maybe the townspeople are making unfair assumptions? You eventually see the doctor and get a rental car for the week. Taylor's quieter with you for the rest of thr trip but you can't help but feel the townspeople rushed to judgement too quickly. The man seemed much too friendly to be capable of any malm intent. Maybe on the way back home you'll stop by the farm like he said. (text-colour:green)[The End] [[Start Over]] ---