This cache is placed on State Land, and is free to enter via Aiken Canyon Preserve. Ensure you bring a pen, and wear adequate footwear due to lots of spikes.
“Can you tell me a story” Her eyes plead at her mother. Her father was always busy. Busy managing security, keeping the tents safe, stupid tasks.
Her mother sighed. She had so much to do. Life had just settled after nearly a decade on the run. Hole up at a ranch, stay in government housing, tents, old rusty shells of cars.
“Please?” The girl dove into her blanket, one of the few things with color in the tent.
“Fine. A short story about your mom and her friend.”
“Oh oh was it Aunt Sam?” The daughter eagerly replies.
Mom just smiles. Good times in the past.
“Once upon a time, two girls, best friends for life were hiking. They had found refuge at a military base, one that would protect them from raiders, or animals, or whatever this world wanted to throw at them.
They weren’t hiking out of survival, or fear like they’d done in the past. The lives they had before was unlike anything imaginable now.
One girl, she was tough, she knew a wide variety of survival skills. Starting a fire to keep warm with nothing but a pocket knife, setting a game trap, and much more. These were particularly helpful.
The latter girl had little knowledge of survival skills, but she had a heart of gold. She was strong in her own way too, more resilient and patient than anything.
Sam was leading the way, slashing shrubs and branches down. They had followed the riverbed up from the road, loose sand sinking below their boots.
“Sam why are we going this way again?” Her friend asked.
“Mads I told you- the view out here is incredible, you can see all of the city!
Mads shook her head, stepping over a cactus cluster.
“Plus I got a tip that there are some good deer out here.”
“Let’s be real here. So you shoot a deer, with a pistol mind you- how are we gonna haul it back? The base doesn’t like us gathering our own food.” Mads responded.
“Pfft what are they gonna do? Kick us out?” Sam throws her hand in the air.
“I’d rather like to stay there. The tents keep the snow off our backs, and there fires. Real food too!”
They had migrated off the riverbed now, and they were in a field of shrubs and cactus.
Sam took a step backward.
“Careful Sam.”
A deep call in the trees echoed.
“You think it’s a vulture?” Mads asks, her voice quiet.
Sam takes another step back, “Nah probably an owl or one of those turkeys.”
Mads couldn’t help to not roll her eyes. “They don’t make that sound-“
Sam screamed. She started hopping around, holding her foot. She’s stepped on a cactus, one of the larger ones.
“Wait wait don’t sit down, take my arm!” Mads yelled.
Dark clouds were moving in, the icy wind of fall was blowing by, leaves rustling through the trees.
Sam said a colorful variety of words, a couple pricks about three inches long had gone right through the worn sole of her boot.”
What happened then?!”
The mother looked to her daughter. “How about this, it’s late, 23:24 to be exact. Sleep on the story, maybe your dreams will tell you. I’ll tell you the rest tomorrow.” She replied with a smile.
“No fair! You left me on a cliff hanger! Did Sam walk back? Did they get the cactus out?”
Her mom turned off the lamp, and kissed her daughter on the forehead. “Good night my dear.”
That night all the tents saw four inches of snow. It was a particularly bitter winter, but between the rationed food, and the constant shift changes, it kept things interesting. Interesting enough Mads stuck around.