Wilderness Date

The bright sunlight hitting her face and the cold wind wake Ava up with a start. It takes a few moments to get acquainted with her surroundings before it comes back to her. She was out camping with Dave in the forest. They had spent the evening stargazing, talking under the moonlight, and then slept in the tent with a small portable heater, cuddling close. But now she wakes up to the sky right above her, no tent, cold and all alone.

Ava sits upright and feels the softness of the sleeping bag under her and sees the dismantled tent folded, lying on the side. She looks around for Dave, but there is no sign of him. She also gets into action, getting up and folding her sleeping bag. So far, Dave has shown he is a considerate man and this solidifies it. He did not want to disturb her sleep, he was probably packing up so they could be ready to leave when she woke up. 

Then the self-consciousness hits, this is the first time she has woken up with him, does she look okay? Smell okay? The sun is overhead, suggesting it's almost noon and she instinctively goes to check her watch that she wears to track her steps. There are indentations of the watch band, but no watch. 

The sleepiness is starting to dissipate and an unease is building up in her stomach. Apart from the folded-up tent, the sleeping bag she was sleeping on, and her backpack, nothing else is around. She is looking around for Dave but the eerie silence surrounding her is ominous in more ways than one.

“Dave?” she calls out hesitantly, followed by “Dave?” a little more loudly. This sends a shot of pain through her already throbbing head. The heaviness in her body is in line with how she feels after a night of drinking too much, only, right now it’s much more intense. She doesn’t remember drinking anything other than the hot chocolate Dave made for her. It tasted funny but not enough to alarm her at the time.

As far as she has gotten to know Dave in their last three dates, he came across as a shy, genuine guy with a lot of great ideas. He worked as an editor in his day job but has big dreams of becoming internet famous. She hopes this is not his idea of a prank, because sure, she had a good sense of humor but she is starting to freak out a bit now.

On their last date, Dave said, “I love this camping spot in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. I would love to take you before it starts snowing.”

Ava thought the idea romantic and said yes without any hesitation. She was excited to be dating a guy who was taking initiative and making plans. This was different from her previous flings and boyfriends, there seemed to be real potential here. 

So he had driven them here in the rented pickup truck with monster wheels and they had the perfect camping date up until now. Ava walks to the spot where she remembered they had parked the pickup truck. The space was empty, with visible tire tracks driving away.

What the hell? Did he just leave without her? What kind of a sick joke is that?

Ava feels her armpits start to sweat, she is hyperventilating as the reality of the situation dawns upon her. Her phone and watch are gone. She doesn’t have any devices to make contact, and even if she did, she’s doubtful there would be any reception here.

___________________________________________

Ava is still rethinking the decision to follow the tire tracks, but she knows she needs to keep moving to stay calm. After a few minutes of freaking out, she realized that was not going to help. She had packed up the remaining stuff and started following the tracks. 

A part of her clings to the hope that this is just a cruel prank and that Dave will turn around and drive back the same way. Her anger simmers, but that hope keeps her moving forward because considering the alternative would shatter her mentally.

It had only been a few hours since she had started walking and the sun was already setting, the air getting chillier with each passing minute. And with the early winter sunset, Ava’s hopes were also depleting. She was trying to find an explanation for her predicament, why had Dave abandoned her in the middle of this godforsaken forest?

Was there an emergency? Was this his way of breaking up?

As she was spiraling with all these thoughts, her internal voice chided her. She did not have to make any justifications for his behavior. He should not have abandoned her this way, regardless of the circumstances. In the last few months, she has been working with her therapist to break free from unhealthy relationship patterns and to build her self-confidence. After gathering the courage to leave her conservative religious family behind for good, her focus has been on becoming more self-reliant and assured. She cannot afford to start regressing after all the progress she’s made.

A rustling sound from the right cuts into her brooding thoughts of past resentment and present anger. Ava had been lost in thought, just following the tire tracks on autopilot, oblivious of her surroundings. Now her senses are heightened. The realization hits her that she is in the middle of a forest, surrounded by wildlife. The thought of coming face-to-face with a bear or a mountain lion sends a chill down her spine. How has she not thought of these dangers before? She should have been more careful. 

Frozen in place, Ava’s mind is reeling with possibilities and ways to protect herself. She has read so many news articles of bear attacks on hikes but she never thought she would be in such a situation herself someday. She doesn’t have bear spray on her but she always carries a bottle of pepper spray. When her hand reaches out to the side of her backpack, she is relieved to find the spray clipped at the usual place and she unclips it swiftly. Right as she gripped the pepper spray in hand and unlocked it, a coyote emerges from behind bushes. The coyote is the size of a big dog with a menacing face, it is snarling in her direction, teeth bared.

The two are at a stand off for a few moments, which feel like hours to Ava. Driven by survival instinct, she begins waving her hands frantically and shouting, "Go away!" at the top of her lungs.

She’d read that this tactic worked on bears, and though she wasn’t sure it would work here, it was the only idea she had. She had to try to intimidate the coyote. She knows this in theory but is not sure if her short height and low voice are going to be enough. The fierce animal definitely seemed to be taken by surprise, but the very next moment, it sprinted towards her and pounced, knocking her down on her back.

On instinct, her grip on the pepper spray tightent and she started to spray it like crazy in the coyote’s face, while keeping her eyes closed. The coyote bit into her arm but then let go with a howl.

Ava took this opportunity and started to run away. She afforded a quick glance back and saw the coyote was struggling, rubbing its face on the ground. She sprinted, faster than her lungs and empty stomach were able to support and kept running for what must have been thirty minutes, but she couldn’t be sure.

The adrenaline rush that got her so far was starting to fade. The pepper spray was still gripped tight in her unhurt hand, but she knew that it was almost empty and wouldn’t be enough to protect her in another animal encounter. 

The sun had set a while ago, only the last few rays of light were helping her navigate. She had left the coyote behind, so that was a relief. Next step is to find a safe place for the night, it's not a good idea to keep walking in the dark with wild animals lurking around and no visibility. She has strayed far away from the tire tracks so she will have to retrace her steps back tomorrow once the sun is up. 

After walking for about another half mile, while her breath settles to a normal pace, Ava finds a hollowed out tree with enough space to fit her inside, it's not the most comfortable but will keep her warm and protected in the nighttime. She uses the tent to create a makeshift covering and as she settles down, realizes she is starving after all the running. The thirst is overwhelming too, she drinks a few more gulps from her almost empty water bottle. Shoving a hand in the backpack, she finds one of the granola bars she had packed and quickly devours it, almost too quickly that she had a coughing fit. She could eat more but decides to be more conservative with food. Before she knows it she is falling asleep in this makeshift safe cocoon.

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Despite the cold and the precarious situation, she slept surprisingly well. The urgent need to pee is what pulled her out of the stupor and she came back to reality. Light was streaming in through the gaps between the tree trunk and the draped tent. She peeked out and saw a thin layer of snow covering the ground, and fresh flakes still falling. It was a beautiful scene, one she could have appreciated if her situation were different. 

It is still a positive because her fresh water problem is solved. But the most obvious con is that the tire tracks are probably covered or will be soon, her path out of this nightmare fading away. 

Ava feels much more in control this morning, she has the bottle open collecting fresh snow and decides to go through her backpack to find some layers and get an estimate of how much food she has.

As she is emptying the backpack, she comes across a small rectangular device at the bottom which she does not remember packing. There is a light flashing on the box, and behind it, there is a letter taped to it.

With shaking hands, she peels it off and starts to read:

Ava,

If you are reading this, you know I’m not by your side. It’s not a mistake, you’re exactly where I planned. Alone. Vulnerable. But alive.

The moment we met, I saw you had that spark, that fire I couldn’t resist. I have made you a part of something extraordinary. Your every move, every breath, every heartbeat will be witnessed. I’ve made sure of it.

What you are holding is a tracking device and there is a camera as well. You have an audience—a crowd of nameless, faceless strangers hanging on your every action. They’re watching, waiting to see what you’ll do next. You get to live their wildest dreams and darkest nightmares.

This isn’t about cruelty—at least not entirely. This is about freedom. Don’t waste your time trying to find me. By the time you’re reading this, I’m already far away. And don’t bother screaming for help. These woods don’t listen. Survive or don’t. Fight or flee. Either way, you’re already unforgettable. Enjoy the show!

-D

Ava’s mind is reeling, she has to read the letter three-four times until she is able to make sense of the words. What the hell? She looks through the bag carefully, checking every single pocket and finds a small camera staring out from the spot where the charger cord was originally attached. She stares into the camera as the desperation takes over.

For the first time since she was abandoned here, she feels warm tears streaming down her face. “Dave, please, what kind of a sick joke is this? Please come and help me get out of here. I could die. Its snowing and there's wild animals. You cannot be serious about this.” She decides to reach any other viewers, “if you are watching this, you need to report the authorities to come find me, please.”

She cannot be sure if anyone is watching on the other side but the little hope she was holding on to that Dave would come back has dissipated after reading his note. Her only connection might be through this camera which is probably streaming feeds through satellite. In a world so connected, she feels completely lost and alone.

After grasping the reality of her situation, and knowing she is out to fend for herself, she decides she needs to keep moving. Her only hope is to stumble upon a campsite or trail—either to encounter someone who can help or to find her own way back to civilization. All around she can see towering trees, but she knows hope lies out there somewhere and she is going to save herself.

Over the next few days, Ava goes through the whole series of emotions - desperation, anger, hopelessness, rage, depression, cycling over and over again. She has tried different ways to appeal to anyone watching to send help. What kind of sick people can watch someone struggle and not want to help? She doesn’t know but really hopes that her desperation gets through to someone who is willing to send help. 

While walking and having only her thoughts to keep her company, the regret and guilt of breaking ties with her family keeps nagging at her. Moving to Nevada was supposed to be a new start for her, finally breaking ties from her rigid family and creating a new life for herself. But now, no one is going to miss her, no one knows she is here except for the strangers watching online. 

Days and days of walking with no hint of help in sight, Ava is losing hope. She has lost track of days. Weak, injured and cold, the fight inside of her is dying. What’s the point? Each step drags me deeper into nowhere, my body screaming for rest, my mind a blur of desperation. No one is coming. No one cares. Maybe this is where it ends. And for once, I’m too tired to fight that thought. 

If only she had known how close she was…

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Five months later

“What's that black strap?” asks one of the three freshmen boys out in the forest, trying to find a place to smoke weed so that their parents don’t catch them.

“Looks like some backpack, lets dig it up” responded another one. 

They all shrieked in unison when they saw a whole person buried under the snow along with it. They ran back to their cabin, a little less than three miles away and called for help.

A news article in the local newspaper the next day:

A woman was found deceased in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, with authorities confirming the cause of death as an animal attack compounded by hypothermia. Additional investigation is ongoing but officials urge anyone with information to come forward and to stay safe.