Chapter Fourteen

Paul shivered as he lay in the soft pine needles under the shelter of a large spruce tree. The cold of the night was already seeping into his bones, even though the sun had set not more than an hour before. Every part of his body ached from the cold.

At least during the day, he’d been able to forget about the pain and the hunger that constantly ate at him as he focused his efforts on searching for Marcus. But now that he was no longer moving, he felt exhaustion flow throughout his body. And he was parched. He’d filled his canteen at a stream that crisscrossed his path, but he was worried that the water would make him sick since he hadn’t been able to purify it. He thought of the iodine tablets on his dresser at home. If only he’d stuffed them in his pack!

He stretched his limbs, then pulled a metallic-looking survival blanket over himself. The blanket was essentially a sheet of thick aluminum foil that offered little heat since the sun wasn’t out to warm it, but at least something was covering him. Then he pulled the backpack under his head as a makeshift pillow and curled into a ball, trying to conserve any warmth that remained.

He’d had a granola bar for his supper, but that did little to assuage the hunger in his belly. With the amount of energy he was burning during the day, he knew he’d have to mete out the food carefully and find something else to supplement the bars come daylight. Surely there were some edible plants that he could scrounge in the forest. He wondered if Marcus had any food with him.

He still couldn’t comprehend what had caused Marcus to bolt the previous day. Sure, the old coot with the gun had been scary, but that crisis was long past when Marcus fled. There had to be another reason. Paul welcomed the distraction from the cold as he thought about his conversation with the young man at the campground Sunday night. Marcus had seemed so vulnerable and ready to open up about whatever it was that was eating at him. Paul prayed he would have the opportunity to have another heart-to-heart with Marcus. He saw so much potential in the young man, yet something had kept him from reaching it.

As Paul searched, he came across Marcus’ shredded backpack just outside a cave, and the image of it flashed back into Paul’s mind. Why hadn’t Marcus come back for it after the bear had taken off? Had he been unable to get to it? Was he lying injured? Paul had left the backpack in its place, just in case Marcus decided to return to it. He didn’t want to move something and confuse or maybe even scare Marcus.

It had been impossibly cold the night before. If not for Paul’s ability to start a fire with a flint, he wondered if he’d have survived. He’d lain as close to the flames as he could without getting singed, while his backside had felt the cold edging toward him. He’d had to get up several times during the night to add branches to keep the fire burning.

He glanced at the spot where he’d tried to start a fire that night. This area of the woods had been too damp for him to find any kindling that would catch. He’d tried and tried, but to no avail. Dread mingled with fear for what the next several hours would bring.

The image of Kate pulling him aside to kiss him good-bye flashed into Paul’s mind. How he longed to hold his bride one more time, to enjoy her soft kiss, to feel her deep love for him.

Something rustled in the brush nearby, and Paul lifted his head to see what it could be. But he couldn’t make anything out. The cold night air nipped at his cheeks. The sound moved closer. He wished yet again that he’d been able to start a fire if only to keep away the wild animals.

A prayer welled up within him. He closed his eyes.

What have I gotten myself into, Lord? he began. Maybe I was foolish to follow Marcus, and if I was, I’m sorry about that. But I...I mean we—Marcus and I—need your help out here. Without my compass, I feel lost. I can’t imagine why I haven’t found Marcus yet. I don’t even know if my mind is processing rationally. Lord, you are able to bring us out of here safely. You are able to help me find that young man. I know that in my heart. He paused for a moment, then continued, I want to see my family again. I want to laugh with Katie— A lump formed in his throat, and a tear streamed down his cheek.

Was this how his life was going to end? Alone in the frigid darkness of a Smoky Mountain night?