Chapter 2: The Dark World

Andrew eventually roused, but he was fully disoriented by total blackness. He checked, his eyelids were open, but there was no detectable light. The dashboard was blank and his car was totally powerless (the impact had broken key electrical components). Also, he couldn’t tell which direction he was facing. The only certain thing was the pounding rain hammering the roof of his Prius.

It felt like the rain was actually slamming into his head directly.

Which brings us to the other thing he forgot to bring. Along with the bald tires, Andrew had left Nashville without a mobile phone! At the time, it had seemed prudent to wait until he enrolled at university to get a local number and new smartphone using a student discount. He was now bitterly regretting that choice.

Besides requesting help, a phone could have shown his GPS location and the time. He didn’t know it, but he had been unconscious for hours. Andrew realized he would have to go out in the storm and seek help.

The first task was to bundle up in warm clothing and keep dry. He had at least brought some warm clothing, assuming Maryland would be colder than Tennessee. He stripped and then piled on the layers he would need. Fully outfitted, Andrew attempted to exit the car. His door was jammed shut, so he crawled across to get out.

He intended to follow the track back to the main road, using his feet to feel his way. But it was the wrong direction: deeper into the forest. In the blackness, he walked right into a tree. “OW!” Groping around, he found a small branch he could break off and use as a hiking stick. (Back in Nashville, he had learned a little about cane-walking from a blind friend.)

So equipped, Andrew kept slogging through mud and gravel.

And the rain poured on.