Magareth Rebecca Stirns
Superstitious Chain Smoker
The problem with camping is waking up with the sun; the benefit is seeing the sun filter through the trees while you start your day with a cigarette.
Still bleary-eyed, Margareth retrieved a cigarette and lighter from her disheveled pockets and set the paper cylinder between her teeth as she sat up. She fumbled a few times trying to operate the lighter, and when she had it working, held it to the end of her cigarette. That's when she noticed that the trees did not look anything like they had just a few hours ago. The sun did not filter romantically into the grassy clearing where she had fallen asleep. Actually, the trees were barren and looked like they had been that way for a while. Somewhat shaken, Margareth closed her eyes and inhaled. Unfortunately, when she looked again, the scene before her had not changed.
"Uh." She took the cigarette from her mouth and held it between her index and middle fingers. "Am I... possessing... a spirit?"
That conclusion seemed reasonable. Margareth knew well that modern society was cancerous to the spirit and therefore could also be forcing the spiritual world into a wintry, barren state. However, last night she had not been trying especially hard to reach the spiritual realms; she had been hiking to get in touch with her own spirit.
Maybe you don't get here through trying... but I must have broken through somehow... Regardless, it would be foolish to assume that she would be permitted to stay in this new place longer than a few moments. Margareth took a long moment to observe the scenery around her. The craggy cliffs loomed in the distance, and she wished she could get a photo for her blog - but, obviously, cameras and smartphones don't work in the spirit realms.
And then she turned, and saw something else.
A spirit.
A powerful, angry spirit, made of fire and fury.
It could not possibly be anything else.
And Margareth knew what she had to do. There was no acceptable course of action except to light incense to appease and connect with this spirit, which had clearly called her to this place for a certain purpose.
Hurriedly, Margareth put out her cigarette in the dirt. She left it there, and stood quickly, looking around frantically for something appropriate to burn. This is the point when she noticed the other people lying around her - and one who had already begun running from his true purpose and calling.
"Wait!" She called after him, somewhat frantically. "You have to come back!"
This was obviously important to the angry spirit. Margareth ran after him.