Thomas blinked slowly as the darkness around him flashed like stars. He wasn’t sure how long he had been lying there in the bottom of the gulley. He could see now it was an almost dry riverbed… he knew where he was, or at least close to it.

He picked himself off the ground and found himself shaking as he got to his feet. Black spots still covered his vision and his head was pounding. Thomas looked around for his phone and bag and saw the bag a few paces away. His phone, however, was no where to be seen. He spent some more time searching in the dark but it seemed lost… maybe he could come back in the day time but he had to get out of here.

Grabbing his bag by the handle in one hand he scrabbled up the far bank of the gulley. He was covered in dirt and mud but it was the farthest thing on his mind at the moment. Slowly he began making his way along the top of the bank and trying to look for the landmarks to go towards his house.

Finally he came to the shattered tree he had remembered was hit by lightning when he was a kid… his house wasn’t much farther now. He turned away from the gulley and found himself back in a thicker part of the woods, his house should be in this direction. However, the underbrush and trees steadily became thicker and thicker until he had to push through.

Pushing through one massive bush he found himself in a clearing. In the middle was a hut… a real hut. With a thin trail of smoke coming out of the stone chimney. Where was he? Thomas thought to himself a sense of dread gripped him. He wanted to run again, to leave this place, but he was lost, and wherever he was this might be help… he didn’t know.

Slowly he walked up to the door and reached out a trembling hand and knocked.