Meaning he is thinking about it. What to tell Tony Meeks’s family. Sorry, your son died trying to impress me.

That shuts us up for a while. The reminder that even though we left Tony behind, he’s still with us. It’s such a big thing, his death and what to do about it. Like an extra weight we’re carrying around.

Ahead, Mia gasps and points. “¡Dios mío! I don’t believe it!”

We all see it. On the shore and fully inflated, a big red raft.

44. The Big Hush

The raft is the same one that carried us through white water on the very first day. Astonishing that it survived the flood without any obvious damage. Sky Hanson’s Wild River Adventures, stamped on the front, reminds us of who we’ve lost. At the same time, it’s like a gift from Sky. He can’t be there to help us, so his raft will have to do.

No life jackets—they had been hung up to dry and must have been swept away—but two paddles remain, firmly strapped inside the raft. Four paddles would be better, but two will do.

We drag the raft into the water, leaving it tethered to a tree while we transfer Cindi. Lowering her ever so carefully into the middle, between the inflated seats. She groans and her eyes flutter. Not all-the-way conscious, but aware of what’s happening.

A smile forms on her lips, then she’s deep asleep. Still breathing, but just barely.

“Hang on, Cindi. Help is on the way, or we’re on the way to help. Soon. We promise. We love you, Cindi, please stay with us.”

We’re hoping that the next time she wakes up will be when she’s loaded into an ambulance. Until then we’ll do all we can to keep her safe and alive.

“We need a plan,” Deke says. “What do we do if we get to some rapids? I’m worried she won’t survive getting banged around in white water. Or thrown from the raft without a life jacket.”

Mia agrees. “We’ll be extra careful. If the current picks up, or we hear rapids, Imani and I will make sure she’s secure. You and Daniel take the paddles. Agreed?”

“Sounds good. Agreed.”

“We’ll need to stay as much in the middle of the river as possible. Can’t risk being thrown ashore.”

“Got it. Piece of cake.”

“Don’t say ‘cake.’ I’m starved.”

We’re kidding around because we’re all nervous. Our last white-water adventure, with the raft made of logs, was a disaster. On the other hand, if Sky’s raft made it through the flood, a wall of water thirty feet high, it can survive just about anything.