Three years ago, she had stood in this very place. Back then, everything about Tanzania had been new and fascinating to her. She would often wander through the mountains and lose herself in the scenery.
But the weather in the region was unpredictable, and heavy rain quickly turned the world into swamp, obscuring landmarks and directions.
One day, she had walked alone through the mountain for hours, unable to find her way back to camp. It wasn’t until midnight that Terence, with a flashlight in hand, found her drenched in the valley.
After that incident, Terence insisted she learn navigation skills, but no matter how hard she tried, the techniques were too complicated for her to grasp.
Finally, in exasperation, Terence made her a custom compass. It wasn’t just a compass—it had a built-in tracker and an alarm. “Whenever you’re lost, just press the red button, and I’ll come find you,” he’d said.
Halle set down the empty cup in her hand and moved closer to the fire, letting the warmth seep into her. Before she realized it, she had dozed off at the wooden table, her hand still clutching the compass that hung around her neck.