Page 52 of Fight
“Scottie, we have to go higher. We’re past getting off the mountain tonight. We need to seek shelter.”
There’s a tower at the top we can stay in until the storm blows over.
“Where!?” She sobs. “There’s nowhere! If we go higher, we’ll freeze!”
I shake my head, getting frustrated with her. We don’t have time to argue. Like she said, I know this mountainside better, so if we’re going to survive, I need her to follow my lead. She’s starting to panic, and if she doesn't fall in line now, it’ll cost both our lives.
“Even if the path wasn’t blocked, we’re eight miles from the parking lot… but the trail isgone. We can either go higher and find a new route down, which will be more than eight miles, or we can go to the summit and take shelter at the fire tower.”
“The wind will blow us off the mountain!”
The storm coming in is big. It’s our only shot.
“What’s the rule of threes?” I ask.
“No.” She frowns, and tears swell in her eyes, fogging up the goggles. I loosen them to clear the condensation. I don’t know how else to make her understand the severity of this situation.
“What is it?” I demand.
“Three weeks without food. Three days without water. Three hours without shelter in extreme cold.” She’s still not speaking properly.
“Exactly.” I put an arm under her. “Now move.”
She trudges with me. “I don’t know how long I’ve been out here. I was un—uncon?—”
“Unconscious,” I finish for her. “Then move faster.”
She’s unstable with stiff legs and struggling keep up, so I tuck an arm around her and haul her with me.
“Whatif I can’t do it?”
“You’re going to do it. Because I’m going to make you,” I growl. “You did not bring my ass up this mountain just to die. There’s not a ton of daylight left, so pick up your pace, Scottie, I mean it!”
“You’re a dick.”
If she’s too scared to fight the mountain, I’ll force her to fight me instead. Whatever it takes to give her the gumption to keep one foot in front of the other. I’ll be an asshole all the way to the top if it keeps her moving.
“Stop talking and walk,” I snap. I hate being this callous with her, but I need her to survive. Anger seems to be her only motivation. I promise to apologize and make it up to her later.
Surprisingly, she does what I ask, and we make it around to the last switchback. This one is only about one hundred and fifty feet long. As soon as we reach the top, there’ll be a false summit, where we can get into the cover of trees, which will hopefully block out some of the wind.Hopefully.From there, we’ve got a mile hike to the tower. Uphill.
I never thought I’d be happy to see Callahan Woods again, but he saved my life. I was ready to abandon hope before he showed up and pulled me out. My stomach is churning with nerves. I have no idea what the plan is once we arrive at the fire tower, but I trust he knows what to do. It’s my only option. We’re not out of the woods yet, literally.
Between the brutal pain in my shoulder and the acute headache, I’m feeling pensive. So with each command Callahan barks at me, I become even more irate. I was ready to give up, but now I’ll make it to the top of the mountain just to spite him.
Reactive hyperemia is setting in, and the sudden rush of blood back into my extremities is excruciating. My fingers feel like they’re on fire stuffed in his gloves with the handwarmers. The sensation is like stabbing knives, almost unbearable. Gritting my teeth, I attempt to focus on anything else. Somehow warring with Cal and getting that anger out seems to make it better.
Fighting back tears of embarrassment, pain, anger, relief, and fear, I ask, “How did you know I was up here?”
He sighs. “Texted you. You didn’t respond. Didn’t see your car at your apartment. Just had a bad feeling.”
“You drove by my apartment?”
“You weren’t answering your phone!” he grumbles.
“Thanks.” My voice is genuine.
He scoffs. “I didn’t have a choice.”