The others gathered around. “This is the rope crossing, right?” asked Helen.

Derek nodded.

“The river sounds terribly full,” she said.

“That’s why the ropes are there,” said Derek, annoyed to feel his pulse quickening.

As if on cue, a light prickle of rain settled on his arm. Hoping the others didn’t notice it, he folded the map, shoved it back into his pocket and walked on quickly.

A hand-painted arrow on a wooden sign pointed to the crossing spot, directing the hikers along a short path through tall reeds to the edge of Bloukrans River. They stood, staring at the fast-moving water, which was unusually ruddy for a mountain river. As he suspected others in the group might too, Derek recognised the mud as indication of flooding upstream. He said nothing.

“Here we go,” said Geoffrey, pointing slightly upstream to where two thick ropes were loosely strung across the river, one above the other about a metre apart.

Derek walked to where the cables were tied around the base of a large boulder and, further back, again around the trunk of a tree.

“Looks safe,” he called.

He noticed Bev and Helen hanging back as the others made their way through the sand and over the boulders towards him. The friends joked that Bev was a worrier while Helen was a warrior, which made them the perfect pair.

“Are you okay?” asked Helen, placing her hand on her wife’s arm.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“What do you mean?”

“What if something, like a log or a pile of sticks and stuff, is washed down the river while we’re crossing and knocks into us? We could lose our grip. I mean, Hel, look how fast the water is flowing.”

Derek pretended he hadn’t heard the exchange, but Helen called to the group, “Guys! Maybe we should look for another spot to cross? Where the water spreads over a wider area and isn’t as deep?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” shouted Bruce. “We need to stay on the trail.”

Diane chimed in, “Also, it’s starting to rain. We shouldn’t waste time.”

Derek was relieved that his friends had spoken up against Helen’s suggestion. The reeds and steep banks would make it too difficult to navigate the river bank to find a better spot to cross and, with the rain pelting ever harder, time was against them. Helen’s idea, he thought, was the kind of highly-strung, over-analytical proposal Faye might’ve made. Derek was accustomed to setting his wife right, but didn’t want to argue with his friends. For one thing, there wasn’t time.

“Are you going, Geoff?” he asked, pulling his hood up. “Or shall I lead the way?”