The line of black lingered on the horizon. It only seemed to be getting smaller. Finally, I gave up on it and kept swimming. The more I thought, the further away I would be. 

I kept swimming. 

Suddenly the water started to grow clearer and slightly warmer. I refused to look up, though my heart jumped. Land must be near! I tried to ignore it. Then my hands scraped sand. I stood up. I was on land!

Almost giddy with relief, I realized what the trick was. In order for the line of land to become real, you had to not think about it. But it didn't matter now. That part of the test was done. How long was the Mending? 

I sized up my surroundings as I waded to shore. The land was wooded, with rivers and vegetation. It would be a good place to rest. But I couldn't sit down here. Something wasn't right. I couldn't tell what, but I knew it. It seemed too easy, too simple, as if it weren't part of the Mending.

What could I do? There wasn't anything but to look around. I shimmied up a tree and peered out over the land on which I stood. Choking, as I realized what lay behind the grove of trees, I stared at it in horror.

Beyond was a barren land of lava and heat. Rivers of lava coursed through the deserted land. It was all rapidly approaching the safe haven in which I currently sat. 

I scrambled down the tree so quickly, I tore the palms of my hands on the rough bark of the tree. Gulping a mouthful of water from a nearby stream, I snatched several apples and pears from trees and ripped off my shirt. If the people conducting this test could see me, well, fuck them. I needed to survive. I wrapped the fruit in my shirt and tied it around my waist. I had no way of carrying water, but that couldn't be helped. I doused my head in the stream and drank until I thought I was going to explode.

I looked up and down the beach. Either way could lead to death. I licked my finger and raised it. The wind was coming from what I believed to be the East, judging by the sun's position, so I ran forward, against the wind.