When fate plays its hand

Miranda had no choice but to find shelter from the rain. Knowing the risk of lightning, she avoided taking cover under a tree.

In the brief flash of lightning that illuminated the sky, she spotted a waist–high rock nearby, which had a small natural hollow. It was just big enough for one person to squeeze into.

The rain grew heavier, with each large drop hitting her with a faint sting, prompting her to hurry toward the rock. As she neared, her foot suddenly slipped. It completely threw her off balance, and she toppled forward.

She had stumbled onto a slope and couldn’t get up after tumbling down. Miranda even instinctively used her hands to shield her head and face.

Fortunately, the slope was covered in some kind of plant, giving the ground a grassy texture that helped. cushion her fall. The soaked soil was also soft, offering some protection. After what felt like an endless roll, she finally came to a stop at the bottom.

Miranda was sore all over, and it took her a moment to regain her senses. She was currently drenched, with only darkness surrounding her.

For a brief, disoriented moment, she felt completely lost, unable to grasp where she was or even the time of day. But her resolve quickly returned as she gritted her teeth, forcing herself to stay calm. Copyright by Nôv/elDrama.Org.

Taking a deep breath, Miranda used nearby grass and tree trunks to help herself stand. And yet, steadied herself, a sharp pain shot through her ankle.

as she

She crouched down to examine it, using the faint glow of her phone screen. Her ankle was swollen, though thankfully, there was no blood.

She then tried moving it and could still manage despite the pain. It seemed she’d only sprained her ankle, not fractured it.

Feeling relieved, Miranda checked her backpack. It was caked with mud, and many of her belongings were damaged to varying degrees, but her collected seeds were still intact. She sighed with relief and hobbled over to squeeze between two rocks for some cover.

The rainstorm was brief, lasting only about 20 minutes before it stopped. As she leaned against the rock, Miranda felt the chill set in. Her soaked clothes were now cold and heavy against her skin.

Taking them off would mean feeling colder, but leaving them on wasn’t much better. And to make things worse, her phone had died completely.

Meanwhile, Madison and Sebastian were beside themselves with worry. They waited at the designated meeting spot for Miranda, watching as the sky grew darker, yet she still didn’t show up

When the downpour started, they tried calling her, but her phone remained unreachable, further fueling their fears.

“We can’t keep waiting here. Something must have happened. We need to find the supervising professors right now!” Sebastian decided urgently.

Madison quickly agreed. “Yes, yes, if we find the professor, he can alert the garden management. Maybe they can use surveillance or other methods to locate Miranda more precisely… Do you know his number?”

Sebastian paused, realizing he didn’t.

“Isn’t it in the group chat?” he asked.

Madison went silent before saying. “There isn’t a group chat for us first–years.”

There were just so few first–year students taking this elective. It was just the two of them, Miranda, and at few others like Hank and Yasmine. Given their ongoing disagreements, none of them bothered to form a group chat or invite the supervising teachers.

Despite his growing anxiety, Sebastian forced himself to stay calm. “There are three supervising professors with us here. Since it’s only just turned dark a lot of groups might still be out collecting their ten basic specimens.

“Let’s go to the nearest area and try our luck. If we can’t find the professors, we might run into some upperclassmen who can help contact them. Either way we need to start searching.”