I departed from my house at 6:00 AM, fully equipped with my backpack and all essentials. I started my Ford ranger that my dad bought me when I seventeen turned and hit the road. I cranked up the radio, but unfortunately, nothing appealing was playing. I'm really into the classic 2000s music, like NSYNC and Red Hot Chili Peppers. As I drove away from Boise, I received a text from Reese. "Did you double-check everything? Have you left? Are you even awake?" She tends to worry a lot. However, I didn't double-check my bag. Why would I? It's not as if someone broke into my house just to steal my sleeping bag. "Yes, yes, and yes! Stop worrying about me. I'll be back on Saturday! It's a three-day trip. Okay, I'm losing internet, see you soon!" I pulled into the Nitz Pine store and asked the woman at the front desk where the best camping spot was. She informed me that I needed to drive up to Trinity Lake and take a five-mile hike to reach the hidden lake. The drive was long and narrow, but once I reached the top, it was worth it. The Trinity Lakes are a series of high-elevation lakes nestled in the Trinity Mountains. The lakes were enormous, cold, and a stunning blue. However, I wasn't planning to camp here; there were too many people around, and I craved solitude. So, I began my hike. The trail was closed but a little sign wasnt going to stop me, plus that means less people to deal with. Just me and nature. The initial stretch was dry and steep, rocky terrain that took some time to conquer, but when I finally reached the top, the view was breathtaking. Behind me lay the first lake I had seen, and in front of me were trees and lush greenery as far as the eye could see. As I started my descent, I had to navigate a winding path that hugged the rocky mountainside. Upon reaching the bottom, the scenery was gorgeous; the sun was shining, and vibrant green nature surrounded me, with colorful wildflowers and small blue streams of water. After hiking for about a mile, I arrived at a creek shaded by trees, complete with a little wooden plank bridge to cross. I paused to use my water purifier to refill my water bottle and enjoyed a Payday candy bar. Once I finished, I looked up and noticed some large clouds rolling in. They didn't appear to be storm clouds, but rain was definitely on the way. I needed to reach my campsite quickly. I grabbed my pack, feeling unconcerned, and continued to gaze at my surroundings. I was two miles into my five-mile hike when the rain began to fall. "No, please, just give me an hour or two," I sighed, pushing forward. I hadnt brought a hoodie since the forecast predicted temperatures in the high 80s to low 90s. There was no storm warning in effect. I was incredibly frustrated. What a fantastic way to kick off my adventure. As I rounded a bend, a sign indicated I was 3.5 miles away when I heard a loud rumble—it was thunder. A wave of nausea hit me. There was no one around, the rain had eased up, but now the thunder was rolling in. "No, it's fine, stop being so dramatic, just keep moving," I told myself. But just as I was about to take another step, there was a loud "CRACK." Everything turned white, and my ears rang from the deafening noise; I thought I had been struck by lightning, but it was the tree a few yards behind me that had taken the hit, and flames were beginning to spread. Without a moment to think, I bolted, but it was too quick. The fire cut off the trail ahead, forcing me to veer off the path. I sprinted for my life. The flames were creeping closer, and the smoke filled my lungs, yet I didn't stop. I ran down hill because my dad taught me that fire goes slower down hill, the wind was slightly shifty so i was hoping it would blow my direction. I ran faster than I ever had before; I didnt stop running, everystep was for tiring but my legs wouldnt let me stop. What felt like 3 miles was actually about a half a turned around to look, the fire seemed to be moving slower now. the fire was yards behind me and smoke filled the whole view i couldnt see the trail. I glanced back while still running but stumbled over a rock, and with a sharp pain, everything faded to black.
