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Stephanie unfolded the map, tracing her steps and using a compass to help find her location. She was at a ravine and what she did next was critical but which way did she go? She had some skill but she wasn’t an expert by any means.
The sun was getting higher in the sky and that meant time was passing faster than she liked. She had been hiking for what felt like hours. Stephanie was hot under the beating sun. Her feet and leg muscles ached and her stomach growled with hunger. Her canteen was empty when she tried to drain any water from it. It was like getting water from a stone.
She had to push on. But she took a moment to make a quick selfie video just in case... well, just in case she didn’t make it out. Stephanie leaned up against a bolder and gazed into the camera. “I’m fatigued and hungry. I’m out of water and I have only a granola bar left. Worst of all, Bret needs to be air lifted out of here. He lost a lot of blood and his leg is making it impossible to move. I might be his only hope and I’m not sure if I’m going the right way.”
Stephanie glanced over her shoulder at the ravine and the waiting rocky ledge. “But my only choice is to push on. Staying here won’t help me and it won’t help Bret. I just have to pray that my strength will hold up for a little while longer.”
She put her camera away and then slid her backpack over her shoulders. Hoisting it up, Stephanie folded the map into her pocket and lightly jogged across the ravine. The water of her steps splashed up and her socks moistened. The cool water felt nice against her skin. Stephanie hurried across to the rock ledge and stared straight up.
The sun at the top blinded her. She gripped the rocks with her fingers and tried out her strength. She hardly had any.
How would she do this? How?
One step at a time, Bret’s voice said in her mind. He had been right at the bridge and he was right now. Stephanie just had to get started and hope beyond hope this was the correct cliff. If she was wrong, she wouldn’t have the strength or know how to find another way.
She pulled herself up, finding awkward perches for her feet step after step. As she climbed, her fingers begged for a reprieve. Stephanie grunted and pushed, going further and further. Her arms screamed in agony but to let go, to fail, would mean the end of her life. She scooted left and then right, looking for the perfect spot to ascend.
When her fingers slipped, she dug in with her other hand and her knees, to keep her from falling. Small cuts bled on her extremities. A little voice said she was going to fail but Stephanie ignored it.
She was the only solution. For herself and for Bret. She couldn’t let him die.
Stephanie over extended her arm to reach the very top of the cliff. She wanted to get to safety so badly, she risked not being able to reach and lunged for it, but now that she hung on, Stephanie didn’t have the perch to push off with her legs. They dangled right off the rocks.
She screamed with exertion. Stephanie tried harder than she had ever tried to pull herself up and just when she thought all hope was lost, she heard the rush of footsteps.
“Hold on!”
A man’s voice. The pilot. Stephanie hadn’t been lost or wrong after all. Thank goodness. She was ready to kiss the rocks.
Richie grabbed Stephanie’s wrist to stop her from slipping and pulled her up onto the ledge. The muscles in her legs cramped as she stepped up and her thighs trembled. She collapsed onto her bottom and struggled to take a deep breath, resting her arms on her knees. “Bret...” she wheezed.
“Where is he?” Richie demanded.
“He’s in trouble.” Stephanie swallowed. “There was a mountain lion... He got hurt.” Because of me, she wanted to add but didn’t dare. He got hurt because of me.
Richie nodded and bent down beside her. “You know where we can find him?”
Stephanie took the map out of her pocket and Richie snatched it away and unfolded it. “This circled spot? It’s not far. We’ll go get him. You fill me in on details along the way. All right?”
Stephanie nodded. Richie gripped her hand and helped her up. He led her over to the helicopter. “You sit in the front with me. I’m going to need your eyes, too. Have some water.” Richie said as he slid the door open. “And then.... then we’re going to go get him.”
She slid into the helicopter and practically tore the cap off a bottle of water. She watched Richie strap himself in and prepare to take off. “I’m sorry,” she said to him, barely able to look over at him.
“Not your fault. God knows Bret can get himself into trouble all on his own without any extra help.”
Maybe but Stephanie hadn’t told him the whole story. He didn’t know Bret got hurt trying to save her. She swallowed her guilt like bitter day-old coffee. When she saw Bret again, she’d feel better. As long as he was okay, and they could get him help.
Please let him be okay. Please.