Walk out

You get back in the car to think about your options. You can't contact anyone by phone, and the chances of anyone else coming down this road seems remote. You're cold and wet and although you don't like to admit it, a little bit scared.

Considering everything, you don't think you have much choice. It's a few miles back to the county road, where there's likely to be some traffic, some chance of flagging someone down for help. You lean over the back seat and rummage through your stuff, looking for a raincoat. With a frustrated curse you find that you forgot to bring one. The best you can do is a cotton hoodie. It won't keep you dry, but another layer of clothes can't hurt. It's another moment of frustration when you realize you didn't bring anything but shorts. You give the steering wheel a bang with your fist, cursing your carelessness.

Putting on the hoodie, you step back out into the rain, shivering a little. With a determined sigh you start to walk back up the road, hoping the exercise will keep you warmer. You find it a bit slow going, as the rain has turned the dirt road to mud. You wonder how you're going to get the car out, but put that to the back of your mind. The first priority is to get help. Evening is coming on quickly, and you're getting timid inspite of yourself.

You've walked perhaps half a mile when a glimmer of light in the forest catches your eye. You pause, trying to see better through the rain. It looks like a lit window, or at least your hopeful mind thinks it looks like a lit window. It's hard to judge how far away it is, but you guess it can't be more than a few hundred yards. You bite your lip indecisively, considering what to do. As you do, you notice that a few yards up the road there is a narrow track leading off in the general direction of the light.