“We’ll stay with Neil.” Miggy and Scott speak up without being asked. “We learned our lesson about leaving a man behind. We’re not making that mistake again.”
Nemeth nods, purses his lips, clearly still moving the players around in his head. I understand him wanting someone to go with Luciana. I even have an idea on the subject. But I’m already guessing Nemeth is the kind of guy who likes to arrive at solutions on his own.
“Let’s sleep on it,” Nemeth says at last. He stands, stretches out. “You two, take turns monitoring him. Wake him up every hour.” Miggy and Scott nod.
“Keep your eyes out,” I add. “For anything moving in these woods, sounds that don’t belong. Something else is going on here.”
Everyone glances at Nemeth, who slowly but surely nods. “These aren’t the woods I know,” he says.
Luciana climbs to her feet, Daisy appearing happy to be moving.
I follow them to our tents.
“I’ll touch base with you in the morning,” Luciana says, “in case you change your mind.”
“How long before this chopper arrives?”
“It’s a solid eight-hour hike out, given the terrain. Then Daisy and I will need to hitch a ride to town, contact the sheriff. Depending on chopper availability . . .” She wags her head, considering. “My guess, as early as tomorrow evening or as late as the following morning.”
“Roughly twenty-four hours,” I murmur. I’d like to think I can survive anything for twenty-four hours. “Sleep tight,” I tell her.
“You, too.”
But we both know that’s not going to happen.
* * *
—
When I finally tumble into sleep, it is a train wreck of old fears and new anxieties. I’m stumbling through a pile of bones, struggling to climb out while skeletal hand after skeletal hand latches onto my ankles.
I can hear the bones whispering in glee. I belong to them. This is my home. Then I’m staring at a grinning new skull as Timothy O’Day pulls me into his bony embrace.
* * *
—
I jerk awake, breathing hard. First I check that my knife is still tucked under my pillow. Then I take a long sip of water. Finally, I realize the walls of my tent have brightened with daylight. I’ve never been so grateful to get up.
I unzip my tent and climb out to discover three things at once:
Neil is still alive.
Luciana is packing up her tent.
And our remaining food is gone.
CHAPTER 23
You didn’t hear anything? You didn’t see anything? Are you sure one of you stayed awake all night long? You didn’t doze off, abandon your duties?” Martin is practically foaming at the mouth as he drills Scott and Miggy.
Both men shrink back. It’s already clear that whatever they say, Martin won’t believe them. Martin swings away, pacing furiously in front of the fire.
“Goddammit!” he explodes at last.
“We need to leave.” Nemeth, the voice of reason. “Remember, most injuries occur on the way down. We can’t afford to be too weak or hungry given the hike out of here.”
Scott and Miggy exchange glances. Miggy must lose the bet, because he grimaces, then raises a tentative hand. “I don’t think Neil can do it. Look at him.”
We all turn our attention to Neil. He’s awake, kind of. His face is drawn and pale, his eyes squinted tight against the onslaught of sunlight. If I had to guess, on a scale of one to ten his headache currently scores an eleven. Miggy’s right. No way Neil’s going to manage a grueling all-day hike over rough terrain and down treacherous descents.
“We’ll wait with him.” Scott this time, still desperate to make up for past mistakes. “You guys can go. I still have some PowerBars and granola in my pack. It’s enough to make do if there’s just three of us.”
Miguel speaks up. “I’ve got some snacks as well.”
Which makes Nemeth grimace: So much for his speech on basic bear safety. But thank God we’re all poor listeners or we’d be completely screwed.
“We can manage till you guys reach town and arrange for a chopper,” Scott continues.
Martin’s already shaking his head. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“You’re going to stay with Neil—” Nemeth starts.
“I’m not babysitting. I don’t care what the rest of you do. But I’m going back to the cliff face. Tim was there, I know it. Like hell I’m giving up now.”
“You’re willing to risk your life and the lives of others for the sake of someone who is already dead?” Nemeth growls.