Follow The River

Chapter 2

"You're making me think of Men in Black."

"The Will Smith movie?"

"Yeah. They had those red flash sticks that would make you forget what just happened. Maybe those were used on us."

"We would still remember what happened immediately after that," Aaron interjected, "So unless someone used that on us, then immediately sprinted away, it wouldn't work."

"Just spitballing ideas," Doug shrugged.

"Maybe we were hit with tranquilizers or something, then kept sedated."

"Makes as much sense as anything else, I guess."

"What do you think these collars on our neck are?" Till asked.

"Tracking devices?" Aaron suggested.

"I guess so. I'm still not sure why we're here in the first place."

"Maybe it's some sort of test," Doug suggested.

"What would they be testing?"

"Maybe to see how long people can survive off just granola bars and pb&js."

"Hey, what's that?" Kate suddenly asked.

She pointed to a bush on the side of the riverbank where there appeared to be a metal cylinder.

"Let me see," Aaron picked it up, "Maybe a can of some kind. There's some text on the side," Everyone gathered around, "I-D-C."

Till's eyebrows shot up. He quickly took off his backpack and looked at the front.

"That's the same text as on the backpacks!" He exclaimed.

"Really?" Aaron asked, taking off his own and looking, "Oh damn, you're right!"

"Maybe the same company made them?" Doug suggested.

"What kind of company makes both backpacks and cans?" Till asked.

"Well, I'm not sure what other reason there could be."

"I guess so. Eh, it's probably nothing. Let me put it in my bag. I can throw it away once we find a trash can"

They then started walking again.

When the sun went down, they decided to stop for the day and set up camp. After dropping their backpacks, Doug clapped his hands loudly.

"Alright, guys. Let's try to get a fire going," he said.

"How do we do that?" Kate asked.

"Have you not gone camping before?"

"No."

"Tell you what. You and Aaron go look for some rocks and branches. Till, you try to find some kindling. Twigs, bark, dry grass, stuff like that. I'll dig a hole for a fire pit."

Till grabbed a flashlight from Kate's backpack and started walking back along the riverbed, grabbing handfuls of dry looking grass. After he had about two pockets worth of grass, he stepped into the trees to look for twigs. While scouring the ground, he noticed something strange. It looked at first like just a stray piece of rubber, but upon looking more closely, it was the sole of a hiking boot, the exact same model that he and the others were wearing.

Seeing this made him feel confused, but he quickly brushed it off. Hiking boots fall apart eventually, and some people do unfortunately leave behind trash when they visit public areas, he told himself. He resumed looking for fire material, and within a few minutes, returned to the site, where he saw Kate and Aaron already returned.