I slept with my sleeping bag and I regret it.

I'm 27 and I have been backpacking for two years now. I started after my ex left me because I needed something to take my mind off of things. It's a great way to get out and travel, and I met some fantastic people along the way.<br><br><br><br>The first year I did a lot in the United States. In year two, I decided to go to Spain and hike *El Camino de Santiago*, arguably the most famous in the world. I’ve been there for three months now and I'm on my last leg of the trip.<br><br><br><br>My plan was to end in *Finisterre*, one of the westernmost points of Europe. Also known as "the end of the world," it was a fitting end to my trip.<br><br><br><br>I had been walking for three months straight and I'm tired. The Spain section of my trip was going well up until *Leon*, but then I had a bit of a setback. My backpack was stolen and I lost all my gear. I talked to the police and they said they'd try to find it, but I didn't have the time to wait. I purchased some new gear and headed out to *Astorga*.<br><br><br><br>I did the entire *Meseta* alone and had a difficult time with it. I couldn't shake off the feeling that I was being watched, and it made me very paranoid. I ended up staying in more private *albergues* because of it, and I missed out on some great opportunities to meet new people.<br><br><br><br>At this point in my trip, I had met tons of people. There was always someone new to talk to and there was always a great dynamic. I was starting to miss that, and I hoped that once I reached *Galicia*, things would go back to normal. Up until *Leon*, even with the loss of my gear, everything was going smoothly.<br><br><br>Now it wasn't.<br><br><br><br>It was drizzling on the day of my trip to *Villalba*. I wasn't in the best of moods, and the rain didn't help. I had left at around ten and it had rained for six hours straight. I thought it would never stop. The trail ended up being a quiet one. Even with all my gear on me, I was cold and I had no desire to talk to anyone.<br><br><br><br>I arrived in *Portomarin* at around four, chilled and soaked to the bone. I didn't have a reservation at the *albergue* and they were completely booked. I decided to stay at a nearby hostel instead and take a nice warm bath. It was the perfect way to warm up.<br><br><br><br>I used the washing machine, cleaned myself up, and decided to go explore a bit. I had a full day ahead of me tomorrow and I would be walking twenty miles to *Palas de Rei*. It was going to be tough. I grabbed some lunch at the local bar and walked to the church, took some photos, and then headed back to my room to take a nap. I was feeling a bit exhausted, and the warmth was making me feel very relaxed.<br><br><br><br>I had just woken up and I was hungry, so I decided to go eat at the bar. The food there was *muy delicioso* and the beer was cold. The barmaid was very friendly too. We would often chat when I walked by. I had noticed that she spent most of her days alone, occasionally chatting to the older locals, and I often felt bad for her. She deserved someone to talk to.<br><br><br><br>I sat at the bar and she greeted me with her usual smile. I ordered a beer and a sandwich and we talked for a few minutes. Her name was *Sara* and she was eighteen. She was very shy, but I always made sure to make her feel included. She reminded me a lot of my ex, and that's what originally caught my attention. I wanted to know more about her, and we would have lots to talk about. During our conversation, I learned that she was actually the daughter of the owner. She worked a five-hour shift from three o'clock to eight and then went home.<br><br><br><br>I had been chatting with her for about two hours when an older man walked in. He had a huge smile on his face, and it looked like he was very excited to see her. He walked up to her and hugged her, gave her a kiss on the cheek, and we chatted for about fifteen minutes. She was shy, but she seemed comfortable around him. He said he had a surprise for her and he wanted to talk to her in private.<br><br><br><br>As they were talking, I noticed there was something strange about her. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but I noticed that she was acting strangely. She didn't like the fact that he was talking to me, and she seemed annoyed that he was there. I chalked it up to her being shy, but I couldn't shake off the feeling that she was hiding something.<br><br><br><br>The older man was startled by my presence and he excused himself. He said he had made a mistake and walked out of the bar. She was devastated. She had tears in her eyes, and I could tell that she was holding something back. She quickly regained her composure and apologized to me for the scene that had unfolded.<br><br><br>I asked her what happened. She wasn't very forthcoming with information, and I didn't want to pry. I could tell she was very uncomfortable. We chatted for a bit longer and then I said I was heading back to my room to get some rest. It had been a long day, and I was feeling a bit groggy. She smiled, said goodnight, and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I left the bar and headed back to my room feeling a bit perplexed. Something didn't feel right about what just happened.<br><br><br>I arrived back at my room and I immediately fell asleep. I was feeling very relaxed and I was still a bit groggy from the beer. I had set an alarm for nine so I would get a good night's rest before my twenty-mile hike.<br><br><br><br>I don't know how long I was sleeping, but I woke up to the sound of my door opening. I immediately sat up and rubbed my eyes, and that's when I saw her. *Sara* was standing in my room, holding a small backpack. She looked very scared and she had tears in her eyes. She looked like she was in a daze and she didn't know what she was doing. I asked her what was wrong and she just shook her head. She walked up to me, dropped her bag on the floor, and then fell into my arms. We sat on the bed together, and she sobbed for five minutes straight. I held her and did my best to comfort her, but I didn't know what was wrong.<br><br><br><br>She eventually calmed down. She was still shaking and hyperventilating, but she was able to talk. She explained that she was afraid. She wasn't sure what was going to happen to her, but she knew her life was about to change. She said that she had packed a small bag and was thinking of running away, but she didn't have the courage to do it. I asked her what she was afraid of and she didn't answer. I could tell that she was hiding something, so I decided not to ask any questions. I told her that she could stay with me and that everything would be okay.<br><br><br><br>I let her sob for a bit longer. She was still afraid, and I didn't want to make things worse. After a while, I figured she had calmed down enough, and I wanted to know more. I asked her if she was okay and she said that something had happened. She didn't elaborate any further, but she did say she was in trouble. I wanted to press her for more information, but I didn't. She was still in a fragile state and I didn't want to make things worse.<br><br><br><br>I suggested that she get some rest. She was still shaking and I could tell she was exhausted. She agreed and said that she would sleep on the floor. I didn't want her to do that, so I offered her the bed. I would sleep in my sleeping bag on the floor and she would take the bed. She agreed, and we both got ready for bed.<br><br><br><br>We soon fell asleep, and I didn't wake up until morning. When I did, she was gone. I was a bit surprised that I slept through her leaving, but I chalked it up to exhaustion from the hike. I grabbed my stuff and headed out to the bar to see if she was working. The bar was closed and it looked abandoned. I didn't think much of it, figuring that everyone needed a day off. I decided to head out on my hike to *Palas de Rei* and I took one last look at the town before I left.<br><br><br><br>As I was leaving, I noticed something strange. The town seemed abandoned. There were cobwebs everywhere and it looked like nobody had been there for months. There were no cars, no people, no noise. Just birds chirping and a light drizzle. It made me feel uneasy and I had a bad feeling, but I didn't think much of it. I grabbed my gear and I headed out on my hike.<br><br><br><br>It was a quiet hike with nobody in sight. I barely saw anyone on the trail and it was starting to scare me. I thought maybe I had imagined things. Maybe *Sara* was just a figment of my imagination. Maybe I had dreamed the whole thing. It made me feel a bit crazy, but I had to admit, it was possible. I had been walking for three months straight and I was tired. There was a good chance I was starting to lose my mind.<br><br><br><br>I decided to stop at a nearby village to grab something to eat and to see if I could find anyone. It was completely abandoned