With Kate’s disappearance, the pain, thirst, cold, and hunger seize me again, and my teeth chatter violently. I moan and listen. The voices are moving further away. I need to find a way to get their attention.
My mouth is so dry, it feels like my throat and tongue are glued together, but I force myself to call out.
“Help!”
The single word is barely audible, and the voices grow even more distant. Panicking, I try again, this time pushing out the shrillest ear-piercing scream I can muster.
“Help! I’m down here on the ledge!”
The voices stop dead, and for a moment, there’s an uncanny quiet. I wonder if I’ve imagined the whole thing. Then, a burst of excitement. A minute later, a bright light beams down on me.
“Kira, is that you?”
Relief floods through me at the sound of the voice. It’s Uncle Jack.
“Yes!” I squeak.
Cheers ring out from atop the cliff.
“Kira, we’re coming down to get you, but we have to set up the ropes. Can you hold on?” he calls.
“Yeah, but I’m dying of thirst. Can you send me some water first?”
“You bet.”
Again the voices bubble with excitement. A few minutes later, a bottle of water trails down the cliff, attached to a rope. I snatch it and down it in a few seconds.
“That feels so much better,” I shout.
It seems like forever before a member of Search and Rescue repels down and stands by my side.
“Kira, I’m going to examine you, okay?”
“Alright.”
He slides his hands up and down my body, searching for injuries. I stifle a scream when his fingers touch my thigh.
He stops and calls again. “Send the toboggan down. Her leg’s broken.” Then he speaks to me, his voice kind. “We’ll get you out of here in a jiffy, okay?”
“Okay.”
A few minutes later, the sound of metal scraping on rock announces the toboggan’s arrival.
As he splints my leg, I ask, “So how did you finally find me?”
He pauses for a moment as he wraps my thigh. “By your cellphone. We knew there was probably no reception for you to call for help, but we could see its light glowing for quite a way, and we could hear the fiddling music you were listening to as well. I guess phones seem louder at night when all is quiet. But then you turned it off, and we went straight past you.”
I hesitate, taking in his words. “But I don’t have a cellphone.”
“Then what the …” he says, furrowing his brow.
A grin spreads across my face, but I stay silent.
My stomach growls so loud I can hear it. “I’m so hungry. Got a granola bar by any chance?”
“We can’t let you eat until you’ve had a medical examination – in case they need to do surgery,” says the man.
I let out a frustrated sigh. “Oh, well. I’ve been hungry this long. A while more won’t kill me, but when I get back, I want pizza … and macaroni and cheese … and roast beef …”
The man chuckles, then calls up, “Kid’s got a sense of humour. She’s making jokes.”
A burst of laughter sounds from above.
When they’ve hauled me to the top of the cliff, I’m surrounded by concerned people. It’s kind of embarrassing, but I don’t really care. Then I see, of all people, Travis. My muscles tense knowing I’ll probably never hear the end of this at school. I brace myself for an insult, but instead, he smiles like he’s really trying to be nice. He looks pretty different from the jerk I know at school, dressed in his red Search and Rescue clothes. I remember Constable Douglas’ words about Travis doing community service.
So this is what he’s been doing? Saving people’s lives?
My eyes search his. “Thanks, Travis.”
He looks down at his feet for a moment, then returns my gaze. “It’s nothing. Everyone’s been really worried about you. Kids have been texting back and forth. I figured if I helped find you, it might make up for what I did before.”
Even in the dark, I can see his eyes water. Mine do too. Blinking back the tears, I offer a brave smile. “Being a hero suits you well.”
Travis breaks into an awkward grin. “Thanks.” He turns away and wipes a sleeve across his eyes.
They carry me down the mountain and load me into a waiting ambulance where they wrap me in a hot blanket. It feels so good to be warm again. I long for my own bed, but know it’ll be a while before I’m allowed to go home. When I get to Chilliwack General Hospital, the emergency room doctor examines me, then sends me by helicopter all the way to Children’s Hospital in Vancouver where they operate successfully on my leg.
The next morning, while I wait for my first meal, my stomach rumbling, Mom and Dylan arrive. They rush to my bedside.
“Mom?” I whimper, and break into tears. “I’m so sorry I didn’t go with you to Granville Island.”
Mom’s eyelids are blinking fast. “It’s okay. And I’m sorry I didn’t listen when you were trying to tell me what happened the other night. I just assumed you were staying with Charlotte.”
“No, I figured I could stay on my own. I was wrong.”
She gathers me into her arms and holds me close, her face wet with tears.
“We were so terrified when we got the news in the middle of the night. Then, the next night, when they still hadn’t found you, we thought you were a goner. And then I dreamt about Dad. He kept shouting that we had to keep looking.”
Goosebumps rise on my arm. “Mom, I don’t mean to freak you out, but I dreamt the same thing.”
Her eyes grow wide. “Really?”
“Mm-hm.”
We share a look, our eyes as round as an owl’s.
“How strange,” she says.
Dylan pulls something out of his pocket and gives it to me. “I brought you a present from Granville Island.”
Looking down at what he holds in his hand, my eyes light up. It’s one of Dylan’s really old chocolates wrapped in pink.
“Thank you!” I exclaim. Opening it, I gobble it down in seconds.
Noticing a fancy white bag, I ask, “What’s that?”
Dylan’s eyes shine as he pulls out a brand new shiny iPad.
“Wow!” I cry. “How’d you get that?”
“I made so much money busking, and there was an electronics store right by Granville Island, so I bought it.”
“Holy! How much did you make anyway?” I ask, not at all jealous anymore.
“Five hundred dollars in two days! I’m never going to stop fiddling.”
“Five hundred! Maybe we should start a duo.”
“But you don’t fiddle.” He says, settling on the chair beside my bed.
“I do now.” I say, raising my eyebrows and pursing my lips.
“But I thought you’d never play again unless you got the Gold Violin.”
“I did get the Gold Violin. It just looks a bit different, that’s all.”
He looks puzzled.
“Kate left me her fiddle – the Golden Fiddle. And you can bet we’ll all be playing together from now on.”
Mom’s eyes look hopeful. “And your ARCT?”
“I started learning the pieces while you were away,” I say. “I think I can be ready in time for the exam in June.”
She lets out a whoop and gives me another tearful squeeze. “Oh, honey, I’m so proud of you.” After a hug that lasts a whole minute, she lets me go, then reaches behind her. “By the way, I picked up a little something for you this morning.” She hands me a white bag.
I peek inside and scream. “An iPhone? Oh, Mom, you’re the greatest.”
“I should have given you one a long time ago, but I was too stubborn.” She casts her eyes down.
“It’s okay, Mom,” I say.
“And I bought one for myself too.” She takes out a phone all decked in the latest accessories. “I figure it’s time I joined the 21st century.”
I laugh out loud. “Cool! Guess we’ll be texting.” I give her a playful wink.
She returns my look with a wary eye.
When the Morins arrive, Charlotte flies to my side and wraps her arms around me. Her tears soak the shoulder of my hospital gown.
“I was so scared,” she squeaks between sobs. “I thought I’d never see you again. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had.”
“You too,” I say, wiping my eyes on the other sleeve of my gown.
“And from now on, I’m not dropping my friends for a boyfriend. Peter will have to wait his turn.” She grabs one of the hospital tissues and blows her nose.
“It’s okay, Charlotte,” I say. “I would have probably done the same thing … if Peter had chosen me.”
She sits back and we share stories of that terrible day-and-a-half. Then she breaks into an excited smile.
“By the way, you’ll never guess what I got?”
“What?”
“An iPhone. See?” She pulls a phone with puppies on the case out of her pocket.
“You too?” I say, reaching back to grab my mine.
We giggle for what seems a full five minutes.
“But I’m not allowed to text. Mom and Dad say I have to leave it in our locker at school.”
“That’s okay. It’s not like we have to text anyway since we’re in all the same classes,” I say.
“True.” Charlotte nods.
****
A few days later at home, there’s a soft knock at the door. Sitting on the couch, my leg propped up on the coffee table, I call Mom. “Someone’s here.”
She hurries down the stairs and opens the door.
“Hi, Taylor,” I hear her say. “Come on in. And you girls too. Kira will be very happy to see all of you.”
My chin drops, and I straighten up as the IGs enter looking as shy as Peter. They shuffle into the living room and make themselves comfortable on the couch.
“We heard you had a bad fall,” says Taylor. “We just thought we’d come out and bring you these.” She hands me a bouquet of flowers.
“Thanks,” I smile as though the Duchess of Cambridge herself handed it to me.
“And something else,” says Samantha. She draws a box of chocolates from behind her back.
“For me?” I say.
They nod and giggle.
I open the box and pass the chocolates around while Mom puts on a pot of tea and serves the IGs like they’re important company. For the first time, we all talk. I find out Samantha wants to be a teacher and that Taylor wants to be a legal secretary. Sydney says she’d like to go to Europe for a year after grade twelve. Turns out they’re all just as sick of Hole, I mean Hope, as I am.
“We actually laughed really hard when we found out it was you and Charlotte who painted the sign,” says Sydney. “Before that we thought you were snobs. Then we realized you were going through the same garbage as us.”
“What garbage?” I ask. “You girls are so popular.”
“Are you kidding?” says Samantha. “How’d you like to go through life being six feet tall and having a butt the size of Montreal?”
“Or to have a can opener of a nose like mine,” throws in Sydney, rubbing her schnauz.
“Your butt’s not big,” I say, reaching for another chocolate. “And your nose is just fine.”
“Yeah, right. Spoken by the skinniest girl in the school who has a ski jump nose,” says Sydney.
We all share a laugh.
“To be honest with you, Kira, I’d give my right arm to be as smart as you,” says Taylor, picking up her teacup. “You really saved me when you helped me with that science project. I had no idea where to start.”
“Well, I wish I had your looks,” I say. “You’re the prettiest girl in the school.”
“Well, you’re pretty too,” she says like it’s common knowledge.
“I am?” My eyebrows shoot up in disbelief.
“Yeah,” all three girls say at once.
“No way.” I shake my head.
“Mm-hm. You’ve got it all,” says Taylor. “Beauty, brains, talent, figure …”
I stop and stare, my mouth wide open. Can it be? Here I thought I was a social outcast when all along the IGs envied me?
“And if you don’t mind standing around on crutches,” Taylor says, after taking a sip of her tea, “you could hang out with us at the Christmas dance.”
My heart soars. “Okay,” I say, “That’d be good since Charlotte is kind of busy with Peter.” I’m smiling so hard I must look goofy. Grabbing the box, I pass around the chocolates again and change the subject. “So what happened with Travis? I was really surprised to see he joined Search and Rescue.”
“Ack, poor guy. He’s always had it so tough,” says Taylor. “His dad drinks too much and keeps getting fired.”
“And then he abuses Travis,” adds Samantha. “That time he got suspended, his dad beat the crap out of him.”
My chin drops and I clap my hand over my mouth. “Oh, my gosh! I had no idea.”
“That’s why we stuck up for him. Somebody had to,” says Sydney.
“But he’s doing a lot better now. Search and Rescue seems to be changing him,” says Taylor.
Her words make me see Travis in a whole new light. The poor guy. No wonder he’s been so angry all this time.
The girls stay for an hour. Watching them walk away through the living room window, I reflect on how good it is to sort of be friends with them, but there’s still one puzzle that hasn’t been solved. Who was stalking me and why?