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Neither of us slept well. Farraday woke often, which woke me. I didn't think her leg injury was very serious, but she had taken a hard fall, and I suspected she'd be sore and uncomfortable for several days. When I woke up at 5:14 AM, I saw no point in trying to get back to sleep. We needed to make some decisions. The next time Farraday stirred, I woke her up. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I was tossed around by a giant pig. How do you think I'm feeling?"
"How important is it to you to get that t-shirt?"
"Don't care about the shirt, but I want to finish our task."
"How much farther do you think it is to the shirts?"
"Maybe an hour or two."
"Why don't you stay here and rest. I'll go get the shirts. When I get back we'll head to the compound."
"I should go with you."
"I can go faster on my own. The trip back is going to be slower as it is. Let me do this."
"Are you going to hold this over me?"
"Probably, but after tomorrow we'll probably never see each other again, so does it really matter?"
She held up her hand for a high five. "Go for it but be careful."
I grabbed my pack and the sheet with the location coordinates and started up the trail. I knew that it wasn't a good idea to hike alone, but I just wanted to get through what we had to do today. I was glad to have learned additional skills, but I was anxious to see Chance again and talk about all the things we needed to work out. As I hiked I thought of all the terrible things that happen to people in horror movies when they split up. It wasn’t the most pleasant topic, but it made the time pass quickly. I enjoyed the hike and easily found the bright orange shirts that had been tied onto a tree branch. I stuffed them in my pack and turned back toward the campsite. I suspected the hike from camp to the compound wouldn't be so pleasant, so I enjoyed the solitude on my way back to Farraday.
"Did you get them?" Farraday asked the minute I walked into camp.
"I got them. How are you doing?"
"I feel pretty crappy, but I'm packed up and ready to hit the trail."
"I can see that," I said, looking at the vacant campsite. "Did you check your leg?"
"It's not pretty, but there's not much we can do about it until we get back."
The hike back started out well enough. Farraday was quiet, and her injuries didn't seem to be slowing her down much. When we stopped for lunch, I noticed she was sweating. "I think we should check your leg," I said, kneeling beside her.
"Are you a doctor as well as a cryptid hunter and cafe owner?"
"No, but I've had some first aid training. I know this isn't a bite but it's similar. I'm worried about infection. Do you have a fever?"
She held her hand to her forehead as we all do, while I checked her leg. The leg felt hot, and I could see it turning red above the bandage.
"I do feel a little hot, I guess."
"I think your leg is infected."
"Great. What do we do about it?"
"There really isn't much we can do. Let's keep going. The sooner we get back, the sooner you can get the medical attention you need."
We didn't have much water and with her fever, Farraday needed it more than I did. I sipped when I had to but tried to save what I could in case she needed it. I'd be fine until we got back. As the day progressed, she got slower and needed more breaks. I stopped checking the time when I saw that we were already two hours late. All we could do was keep going.
"I don't think I can go any further," Farraday said.
"You have to. We're almost there."
"Go on without me. You can send back help."
"No."
"No? I can't go on. I'm burning up, and my leg feels like it weighs a million pounds."
"I'm sorry, Farraday. I truly am, but I am not going back without you. I've made that walk too many times. I'm not doing it again."
"Belle, I have no idea what the hell you're talking about."
"I've been involved in two wilderness treks where one of my companions had to be airlifted out by search and Rescue. I had to go back alone. I'm not going back without you. We're walking back into the compound together no matter how long it takes even if I have to drag you."
"OK. I'll do my best."