The Trip (the second coming)

Remember that canoe trip you took last summer? [[yes]] [[no]]

Good. That isn't something you should easily forget. At 9:00 Monday morning you get a [[call]] from your best friend

[[Really?]]

You took mushrooms and found God? You don't remember that? Jesus, get a grip. Oh NOW you remeber? Sure, kid, sure. Ok, let's get on with it, [[yes]] .

They want to make it an annual thing. Fuck. [[Fine.]]

It's always good to see them. It's been almost a year. You pack the car full of your tent, your food, you strap your canoe to the roof, and off you [[go]].

The waters are rough today. You put your boat in the water and set off on the lake. You paddle for hours, battling against the current. Finally you run aground, almost by accident. You [[set up camp]].

What should you do first? [[pitch your tent]] [[make food]] [[look for firewood]]

The poles just don't seem to fit together right but eventually you manage to make some semblance of shelter. You feel hungry. Why don't you [[make food]].

Not before you [[look for firewood]], or do you want to eat trailmix for dinner?

Your friend suggests you split up. You're hesitant. You remeber what happened last time you split up, right? [[yes]] [[no]] [[ok come on now this isn't clever it's just annoying we get it this is a sequel jeez]]

You reluctantly agree to split up. You walk along the water's edge, looking for kindling for your fire. The water has calmed now. It is almost serene, really quite beautiful. You bend down to pick up a large piece of birch bark and uncover some strange looking mushrooms. [[oh no, not again]]

You look at the mushrooms for a long time. Once was eough, you think. You turn away and [[head back to camp]].

You place your firewood by the firepit and sit down while you wait for your friend to return. [[you wait]].

You wait for what seems like [[hours]].

You start to get worried. You wonder if they are alright. What is your plan of action? [[radio for help]] [[go searching]]

You click your walkie-talkie, but all you get is static. Is it possible that your out of range? That doesn't seem right. There seems as if there is no other choice than for you to [[go searching]] .

You step into the brush. The canopy of leaves stretches overhead, obscuring the heavens. You hear a rustling to your left. [[follow the noise]] [[keep going]]

You break through the brush to find a small clearing. The ground seems to be moving. [[What is that?]]

You stumble through the brush, branches nicking at your skin. The forest gets denser and denser as you move forward. You see a soft light up ahead. [[go to it]]

Frogs. It's frogs. The entire forest floor is covered with frogs. And they're moving. [[Where are they going?]]

You come upon the embers of the fire, circled by rocks to keep it contained. Someone was here, and recently. You feel like you're getting close. [[go on]]

You follow behind the frog army as they make their way through the dense forest. You follow them until you reach the lakeshore. The sun is setting along the horizon. Your eyes drift up from the ground to the lake itself. What you see there leaves you [[frozen]].

You keep moving. It's getting darker now, maybe you should return to camp. Which direction was that again? You can see the pink/purple hue of the sky at sunset just barely through the trees. You must be close to something. You [[stumble on]].

There is a woman, with gills like a fish and a mane like a lion, standing nearly ten feet tall. Her eyes are a deep magenta and she seems to recognize you. You stand paralyzed by her beauty and her majesty. [["Hello"]], you say.

You come to the edge of the lake. The sky is gorgeous. Like someone spilled grape fanta and cream soda on a canvas of clouds. You admire the beauty of it. As your gaze drifts down you notice the water teeming with what seems to be...frogs? Your jaw drops as you look out into the middle of the lake. You stand, [[frozen]].

"Hello," she responds. [["Who are you?"]] you ask. You must know.

"I am the one who knows, the original, the one above all. My only weapon is love. Run if you must, the new path will be your own. Do you not remember me?" Of course. But how? She reaches out her hand for you to follow. You close your eyes and brace yourself. You look around and find yourself standing by the fire. Your friend looks at you bewildered. [["Where have you been?"]] you ask them.

"Waiting for you," they respond, "you were gone for a long time. Would you like a burger? I made a bunch." You look at them for a moment. You try to reconcile what is real and what is not. You feel enlightened. You take a burger. The sun sets.