What prevents a fresh start?
Read for meaning first. Select a highlighted word if you want a closer look.
The expedition leader's memory of dismissing an earlier concern became an incubus, an oppressive burden that intruded on every attempt to plan calmly after the betrayal. A vortex swirled in the river beside the landing, drawing floating twigs into a rapidly rotating flow that the travelers watched from the bank. Continued secret-keeping was inimical to rebuilding trust, because participants could not evaluate plans while important information remained concealed. The leader asked everyone to share the instructions they actually possessed before another route was discussed.
The leader began addressing the incubus of remembered responsibility by acknowledging the dismissed concern and asking what could now be repaired. The river's vortex continued turning nearby, a physical motion distinct from the troubled thoughts occupying the camp. Concealment remained inimical to cooperation, so the travelers placed their information together and identified where accounts disagreed. The discussion did not erase the earlier betrayal, but it gave the group a more dependable basis for deciding what to do next.
Before you move on
Look away from the passage. Can you explain each focus word in your own words?
Original fictional passages for vocabulary practice.