Chapters (39)
- Cover
- Title
- Author’s Note
- Glossary
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Acknowledgments
“But what about this ascent?” said Diane, her finger on the map. “If Derek isn’t up to the original route, he won’t be up to this section either.”
The group was quiet. It was true. The escape route avoided the river, but there was no way of avoiding the precipitous, rocky climb up to the road. Derek bent towards the table to take a closer look. He’d barely bowed as the tension hit, causing him to groan loudly. He placed his hand on his lower back and straightened slowly. His face was grey.
“You guys go. I’ll wait here until it’s possible for a vehicle to get to me. Just leave me all the painkillers you have,” he said, with a weak smile.
“We don’t all have to go,” said Geoffrey. “Whatever we decide, the original route is out. We’ll lose at least a day today and we need to find out where Clare and Faye are. If any of us are going to continue—if the weather settles and it’s possible—we need to give them the option of continuing, too.”
“Faye won’t go on,” said Derek matter-of-factly. “She’ll stay with me. Get me home.”
Diane looked at him, eyes narrowing. For a moment, no one said anything.
“Okay. Who wants to go? Who wants to stay? What makes the most sense?” said Geoffrey eventually.
“I’d like to go,” said Diane, still looking at Derek.
The others turned to her, expecting an explanation. She said no more.
“We’ll go with you. Won’t we, Hel?” said Bev.
Helen nodded. “The sooner we can get to the road and talk to the rangers, the sooner we’ll get help to Derek and find out if it’s feasible to continue on an alternative route.”
“And get to the food,” added Bev.
“And find out where Faye and Clare are. Shall I stay?” asked Bruce, glancing at Geoffrey and Derek.
“No one has to stay with me,” said Derek.
Geoffrey looked at him. “I’ll stay,” he said. “Bruce, you go. I’ll wait with Derek.”
Diane shuffled her feet. “But don’t you want to get to Clare?”
“Of course, but since we don’t know where she and Faye are, there’s no guaranteeing going will mean I will see her sooner.”
“Whatever you decide is okay with me,” said Derek, hand on his head now. “I need to take some more pills and lie down. Safe travels. See you when I see you. Goodbye.”
The others murmured their good wishes and goodbyes, except Diane, who looked at her boots. Derek glanced at her briefly, sighed and shuffled towards the cabin.
“I’ll sort out the painkillers for you,” said Bev, following him.
