***
Waking up in the middle of the woods was not something I ever thought I would experience. There were bugs crawling all over me, and the cold wet ground had frozen me to the bones. I woke up with a start, whirling around and trying to figure out where I was.
“She’s awake,” someone said behind me, and I turned around to find the woman called Padma staring down at me. She took off her jacket and wrapped it around my shoulder, then handed me what looked like a piece of chocolate.
“Eat this,” she said. “You’ll feel better.”
“What is it?” I asked, eyeing her suspiciously.
“Just chocolate,” she said. “It’ll help you feel better.”
I took a very small bite, and instantly felt a warmth flooding through my chest. The forest didn’t seem so dark anymore, and I didn’t feel as cold. Padma ca
