You blink your eyes and shake your head. Where am I? you think, a little fearfully. The cement and smog, the cars and skyscrapers, the highways and crowds of the city have all melted away, along with it the oppressing summer heat. You are standing on the rocky shore of a stormy lake. Swift, threatening black clouds loom overhead. The water is rough, the waves are high and white-capped, and pounding on the shore. A powerful wind shakes the trees along the shore until they bend, almost touching the ground. Thick grey mist surrounds you. Somewhere far off, you can hear the scream of a gull. A cool refreshing rain is pouring down. It feels wonderful on your hot skin. You lift your face to the sky, and let the rain drops roll down your face, your neck. A brilliant fork of lightening splits the dark sky in two. The thunder crashes and roars! It's an awe-inspiring display, and you're a part of it. You're completely engulfed by the storm, the sights and sounds of it. You laugh out loud, a triumphant laugh, though you're not sure what victory you're celebrating. The power of the storm raging around you is intoxicating. You know this is dangerous; fear of thunder and lightening has been drummed into you since childhood. Yet this knowledge is pumping your adrenaline. And somehow, you still feel safe, watched over. You know nothing terrible is going to happen to you. So you lift your arms to sky and cry out, a loud, ringing shout of celebration! You begin twirling, round and round in circles, your spirit soaring unchained! Then all of a sudden, your feet, nimble up until this moment, betray you. You slip on the wet rocks and plunge into the lake! You come up, sputtering and laughing in the chilly water. Suddenly, you hear a giggle. It's not your own. Pushing your wet hair out of your eyes, you look up and see a girl standing on the shore. She's about sixteen or seventeen years of age, with dark brown hair and gray eyes the same shade of the churning water. She smiles at you, and beckons. You just stare at her stupidly, too startled to do anything. Suddenly, she turns and runs off into the woods. You scramble to your feet and onto shore, calling after her, "No, wait! Who are you? Where am I?". The only response is a soft laugh from somewhere in the woods. You rush into the trees where she vanished and find yourself on a twisting red path. It seems to lead deep into the heart of the woods You begin to follow it, then stop. You're already lost as it is. Wouldn't it be better to stay in one spot and wait to be found? But your inner voice is urging you after her. You yield to your intution and continue down the path.