Expedition Dead

Julia Stevens checked her email for the tenth time that morning, biting her lip anxiously. Her heart picked up speed and she froze when she saw the message from Trey Kihlken, owner of Treks and Climbs, the hiking agency she'd applied to work for.

While some girls were good at math, some at sports, and others merely at looking pretty, Julia was good at hiking. Excellent, really. It was her passion. She'd been hiking since she was six and leading expeditions since she was fifteen. Not little walks through the forest, either; she'd climbed higher mountains than someone looking at her would ever guess, and led people far older and bigger than her on seriously dangerous expeditions.

She'd always been a volunteer because she was too young to work at a hiking agency. Since she'd just graduated, however, she was legally of age. Her first move after graduation hadn't been joining her friends on a senior trip to the Bahamas: It had been applying to the best hiking agency in the world and anxiously awaiting a reply.

She eagerly clicked the email and read its contents. Once. Twice. Three times. 

"Miss Stevens,

It would be my pleasure to have you at T&C. You can start in two weeks.

Not many people are up for this expedition. We have a small team composed of the absolute best hikers in the world, but we've been waiting specifically for you to lead them.

The Hoia-Baciu Forest in the heart of the Ardeal region in Romania has drawn attention as the most haunted forest in the world. Naturally, people have tried to explore it and get to the bottom of its reputation- the little neighboring town is starting to gain some much needed money from tourism. There's a problem, though: No one has ever come out alive. Not one person.

I've spent two years putting together a team skilled enough to go on this expedition. I have faith that you will all complete it, which entails going to the Hoia-Baciu Forest, hiking all the way through it, and getting to the bottom of this 'haunted' business. 

Of course I know how difficult and dangerous this will be, so I've made it worth your while. Besides gaining the reputation of the best expedition leader in the world and going down in history as the girl who led the team that conquered the Hoia-Baciu Forest, T&C will start out paying you fifteen dollars and hour and pay for any local college of your choice.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Trey Kihlken"

Julia stood up from her desk and paced back and forth, the same words repeating again and again in her head: No one has ever come out alive. Not one person.

She'd always wanted to lead expeditions like this, and the pay would far surpass any of her expectations. 

But would she be alive to receive it?

She sat back down in the chair and clicked Reply. Her fingers rested on the keys for a full minute, then she typed as fast as she could.

"Mr. Kihlken,

I would be honored to lead this expedition. If you could send me the team's contact information, I can go ahead and start planning. Thank you.

Julia Stevens"

She clicked send before she could change her mind.