Read an Excerpt
Using the compass to stay on course, you force a path through cluster after cluster of trees. It’s an exhausting process, but in less than two hours’ time, you push past a final wave of leaves and branches, into a vast clearing.
The bright sun and the cloudless sky blind you for a moment. You don’t immediately realize where you are. But then you see the beautiful, blue lake, and suddenly it makes sense. You’ve found your way out of the forest.
If you brought waterproof matches in your backpack, turn to page 131.
If you don’t have waterproof matches in your backpack, turn to page 140.
*****
As you march through the forest, your next discovery stops you mid-step. Up ahead, you spy a bear and her cub sitting outside a small den, dug into the hillside.
You peer toward the animals, afraid to move. You suddenly realize they’re the same bears that you and Kate encountered less than twenty-four hours ago. You’re certain of this fact, not because you recognize the mama bear or the playful cub, but because you can see directly into their den. And deep within it, you spot your blue backpack.
You want your bag, but you don’t want to deal with those bears again. What will you choose to do?
Venturing into a bear’s den is a dangerous plan. If anything happens to you, Kate will never be found. However, there are supplies inside your backpack, and you might need them to ensure your rescue. If you wait until the bears leave, you can minimize the danger . . . maybe.
If you choose to retrieve your bag, turn to page 54.
If you choose to continue walking, turn to page 95.
