Stones

On the western shore of a lake there rests a red pagoda. This pagoda has a singular stone beneath it. This stone is roughly two feet in diameter, with a sign to the right of it. The sign, in bold letters, instructs you to stay on the path.

I found this pagoda one misty morning while investigating the lake for a new fishing spot. I had cast into the lake at various areas that looked like they might be hiding some trout or bass, but nothing bit. I didn't fish for long, because I kept seeing the pagoda from the corner of my eye. It was so striking in its brilliant red color. It seemed to be almost glowing.

Each cast, I noticed myself slowly navigating closer and closer to the structure, until I was so close I could see the sign. My curiosity was finally pushed to the breaking point and I put down my rod and walked over. My confusion was great. What path? There was only one stone. I looked around, maybe I was missing something. Nothing in the ground, no stones hidden in the moss or trail ducks sitting in the weeds. It didn't look like the lake had risen and taken some of the path either.

Still confused, I drank a sip of coffee from my canteen, and put it away in my pack. I stepped forward and stood on the stone and looked towards the lake.

Something was off. Just a minute ago, there had been mist rising from the lake and a low fog in the air. Now there was no fog, no mist, but everything else was the same... until I looked down. Below me, now floating a few feet ahead, was another stone.

Curious, I stepped on it. Another stone appeared in front of me. I was so fasciated, I kept jumping from stone to stone, until after a while, I noticed the lake below turn purple. I stopped abruptly on the stone and looked around. I was not in the same lake. I had maybe stepped ten or so times, and now the lake was purple, and there was only one stone behind me and one stone in font of me.

The lake I stood floating upon now was much different in layout than the one I had left. The shore was much closer, the banks were not filled with reeds but rather black sand. I bent down to touch the water and it was not water at all, but some sort of viscous fluid, also the air was freezing cold, while my body above the stones was the same nice temperature as it was outside when I first got on the path.

Original Prompt:

A writer stumbles upon a mysterious garden that transports people to different dimensions with each step they take.

Introduction/Exposition: A beautiful lake with a large pagoda on one side with a mysterious stone and sign. Stepping on the stone reveals a stone behind and a stone in front. Each stone is a world with one thing different from the next stone.
Inciting Incident: An elderly man is asleep on a stone in the path. This causes the traveler to leave the path. Upon leaving the path, he finds himself in a futuristic but run down city.
Rising Action: A large storm causes the character to try and find shelter. This shelter also houses three youths who are planning a heist. Character gets involved and participates in the heist.
Climax: The heist goes terribly and results in two dead and two on the run.
Falling Action: After the escape, tragedy brings the two together, and they fall in love.
Resolution/Denouement: Many years later, the character comes across the stone, steps on, sees the bones of the dead man who was sleeping, and decides to stay in the city, happy.