Into the Wilderness

by Traci DePree

  “We’ll pick up the other trail again,” Rebecca said. “It’s just a hiccup.”

  Kate could hear in Rebecca’s voice that she was trying hard to stay positive.

  But the truth was that dusk was quickly approaching. The sun had begun its downward slide, and temperatures were predicted to be in the thirties overnight. If a bear hadn’t gotten the men, the cold just might.

  Ranger Morton motioned for everyone to circle up, and the Copper Mill searchers showed no timidity in including themselves in the group.

  “It’s going to be dark in another half hour,” he said. “Some of the team is going to camp on the trail so they can pick up the search from here first thing tomorrow. The rest of us are going to hike to a bald not far from Chimney Tops Trail. There’s a service road there, and I’ve radioed for the vans to come get us.”

  Panic overtook Kate with the realization that they were going to leave Paul and Marcus in the woods for another night.

  “Sam, we just can’t leave!” she said. She could hear the fear in her voice, and when she looked at her friend, she saw the same worry in his eyes.

  “Search and rescue has done this many times, Kate,” he reassured her. “They have to consider our safety as well as Paul and Marcus’.”

  “But it’s going to be cold. We have to find them!”

  She gazed into the woods behind her, hoping for one tiny glimpse of a clue, but she saw nothing except the shadows cast by the setting sun.

  Though every fiber within her told Kate to continue searching, she knew it was wiser to rest for the night. She followed the second group as they hiked the short distance to the bald, where two vans were waiting. She gazed into the darkening woods one last time, then sighed and climbed into the van for the drive back to get her car before heading to Gatlinburg.

  Kate stared out the window as they traversed the overgrown service road that was more a faint track than a road. Hunger mixed with fear in her stomach until she felt nauseated. The sun dipped below the horizon, and darkness took its place. Kate closed her eyes, longing to feel God’s presence and comfort. She wanted a sense that everything was going to be all right. But she had no such sense. At that moment, she knew nothing except that she wanted Paul at her side—and he was nowhere to be found.

  KATE KNEW THAT REBECCA had experienced a roller coaster of emotions over the past two days, just as she had: joy, elation, relief, confusion, worry, anger. Kate looked over at her daughter in the seat next to her and touched her hand.

  “You okay, honey?”

  Rebecca lifted weary eyes. “I don’t know. I just feel numb. I was hoping that we’d find Daddy and Marcus today.”

  Kate squeezed her hand. She felt numb too. The woods had been foreboding. It was as if the trees had swallowed Marcus and Paul. She wanted to believe that they were okay, that the next bend in the road would reveal them, yet that hadn’t happened.

  “As much as I was angry with Marcus,” Rebecca went on, “I still care for him. I can’t help it. I think about the times we spent together the past two months...He made me smile. He encouraged me and believed in me. Yet he lied to me, and that’s been eating at me little by little.”

  “I wish there was something I could do,” Kate said. “As a mother, I want to fix everything for you so you never feel pain. That’s what every mother wants to do.”

  “That isn’t possible, Mom,” Rebecca said.

  “It doesn’t mean I don’t want to try.”

  The van pulled into the Sugarlands Visitor Center parking lot, and everyone got out. Darkness had settled across the majestic landscape, covering everything with its blanket even though it was only seven o’clock in the evening.

  Apparently news of Paul and Marcus’ disappearance had reached the local TV stations and newspapers. A van from WVLT out of Knoxville was parked out front, and a brunette television reporter was holding up a microphone while Ranger Morton talked about the day’s events.

  Kate was in no mood to talk to any reporters and made her way inside the visitor center. The staff at Sugarlands had set up a meal of casseroles. The food was waiting for them on the conference-room table with paper plates, napkins and plastic utensils. Kate had never been so happy to see a simple green-bean casserole in her life. Everyone took a seat in anticipation of the meal.

  Kate and Rebecca sat next to each other, and Eli took the seat next to Rebecca. His brown eyes turned to Rebecca. “Hungry?” he asked. His face flamed when Rebecca looked up at him and smiled.

  “I’m starving.”

  “You’re quiet,” he said.

  More people took seats around the table.

  Rebecca shrugged. “I suppose I am. I thought we’d find them today.”

  Kate had seen how Eli had comforted her daughter, helped her climb the sometimes difficult terrain, offered her water and food, and encouraged her when her spirits seemed to flag. If Eli Weston was anything, he was sincere. The contrast with Marcus was stunning, and Kate wondered if Rebecca saw it.

  “You’ve gone above and beyond,” Rebecca said to Eli.

  The intimacy of Rebecca’s tone made Kate feel as if she was intruding. She tried to concentrate on her food, but she couldn’t help overhearing their words.

  “Your dad has gone above and beyond for me,” Eli said.

  “You’re close to him?” Rebecca asked.

  Kate looked up as Eli handed Rebecca a casserole dish. She scooped a spoonful onto her plate, then passed it to her mother.

  “As close as I’ve been to any man my whole life. Closer, in fact. I think of him as a...”—Eli faltered, and Kate looked up to see his cheeks flush.

  “A what?” Rebecca prompted.

  “I was going to say father, but that seems awkward talking to you.”

  “I don’t think it’s awkward,” Rebecca said. “I know Dad cares about people. That’s one of the things I love about him.”

  Kate smiled at her daughter’s words.

  “Paul helped me when I was at a really low point in my life,” Eli said. “He forgave me too. That says a lot about a man, that ability to forgive. And it wasn’t just a pat on the back; he kept including me, making sure I understood his forgiveness.”

  By now the diners had filled their plates and were talking around the table. Sam Gorman stood at the head of the table with Joe Tucker, who was talking to Sheriff Roberts.

  “If everyone can be quiet for a moment of prayer,” Sam said, but no one seemed to be listening.

  He looked pale and tired, and Kate wondered again if he was up to this physical activity. The chatter around the table continued. Finally Eli put both pinky fingers in his mouth and let out a long loud whistle.

  The room was instantly silent as heads turned to him. Eli’s face turned beet red. “Sam here suggested we pray, and I agree. Paul and Marcus need our support tonight. I know I’ve been praying for them all day. Sam?” He turned the spotlight over to Sam.

  “Thanks, Eli,” Sam said. He bowed his head as did those seated around the long table.

  “Dear Lord,” he began, “this has been one of the hardest days of my life. Not knowing where Paul and Marcus are, well, Lord, it’s just unbearable. But you know where they are, and you can keep them safe. Watch over them. Find a way for them to stay warm. Give us wisdom in the search tomorrow. If you could just let them walk out of the woods, well, that’d be most appreciated.”

  “Amens” echoed around the table, and someone said, “And thank you for the food too, Lord” to which Sam said, “Oh, yeah, and the food.”

  When heads raised, Kate glanced at Rebecca and Eli. He was still praying, the lines of his eyes crinkled in concentration. Rebecca watched him for a long minute before he lifted his face and turned to her. She gazed into their depths before she lowered her eyes. Then Kate looked away, embarrassed by the intimacy of their gaze but warmed at the beauty of youth. It hadn’t been that long ago when she and Paul had looked at each other that way.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Paul shi
vered as he lay in the soft pine needles under the shelter of a large spruce tree. The cold of the night was already seeping into his bones, even though the sun had set not more than an hour before. Every part of his body ached from the cold.

  At least during the day, he’d been able to forget about the pain and the hunger that constantly ate at him as he focused his efforts on searching for Marcus. But now that he was no longer moving, he felt exhaustion flow throughout his body. And he was parched. He’d filled his canteen at a stream that crisscrossed his path, but he was worried that the water would make him sick since he hadn’t been able to purify it. He thought of the iodine tablets on his dresser at home. If only he’d stuffed them in his pack!

  He stretched his limbs, then pulled a metallic-looking survival blanket over himself. The blanket was essentially a sheet of thick aluminum foil that offered little heat since the sun wasn’t out to warm it, but at least something was covering him. Then he pulled the backpack under his head as a makeshift pillow and curled into a ball, trying to conserve any warmth that remained.

  He’d had a granola bar for his supper, but that did little to assuage the hunger in his belly. With the amount of energy he was burning during the day, he knew he’d have to mete out the food carefully and find something else to supplement the bars come daylight. Surely there were some edible plants that he could scrounge in the forest. He wondered if Marcus had any food with him.

  He still couldn’t comprehend what had caused Marcus to bolt the previous day. Sure, the old coot with the gun had been scary, but that crisis was long past when Marcus fled. There had to be another reason. Paul welcomed the distraction from the cold as he thought about his conversation with the young man at the campground Sunday night. Marcus had seemed so vulnerable and ready to open up about whatever it was that was eating at him. Paul prayed he would have the opportunity to have another heart-to-heart with Marcus. He saw so much potential in the young man, yet something had kept him from reaching it.

  As Paul searched, he came across Marcus’ shredded backpack just outside a cave, and the image of it flashed back into Paul’s mind. Why hadn’t Marcus come back for it after the bear had taken off? Had he been unable to get to it? Was he lying injured? Paul had left the backpack in its place, just in case Marcus decided to return to it. He didn’t want to move something and confuse or maybe even scare Marcus.

  It had been impossibly cold the night before. If not for Paul’s ability to start a fire with a flint, he wondered if he’d have survived. He’d lain as close to the flames as he could without getting singed, while his backside had felt the cold edging toward him. He’d had to get up several times during the night to add branches to keep the fire burning.

  He glanced at the spot where he’d tried to start a fire that night. This area of the woods had been too damp for him to find any kindling that would catch. He’d tried and tried, but to no avail. Dread mingled with fear for what the next several hours would bring.

  The image of Kate pulling him aside to kiss him good-bye flashed into Paul’s mind. How he longed to hold his bride one more time, to enjoy her soft kiss, to feel her deep love for him.

  Something rustled in the brush nearby, and Paul lifted his head to see what it could be. But he couldn’t make anything out. The cold night air nipped at his cheeks. The sound moved closer. He wished yet again that he’d been able to start a fire if only to keep away the wild animals.

  A prayer welled up within him. He closed his eyes.

  What have I gotten myself into, Lord? he began. Maybe I was foolish to follow Marcus, and if I was, I’m sorry about that. But I...I mean we—Marcus and I—need your help out here. Without my compass, I feel lost. I can’t imagine why I haven’t found Marcus yet. I don’t even know if my mind is processing rationally. Lord, you are able to bring us out of here safely. You are able to help me find that young man. I know that in my heart. He paused for a moment, then continued, I want to see my family again. I want to laugh with Katie— A lump formed in his throat, and a tear streamed down his cheek.

  Was this how his life was going to end? Alone in the frigid darkness of a Smoky Mountain night?

  Chapter Fifteen

  When Kate and the others from Copper Mill finally made it to the motel in Gatlinburg that night, the time was closing on eight o’clock. None of them seemed eager to converse. The day had been grueling, and even though they’d found some clues that might lead them to Paul and Marcus, the overall results were discouraging. Kate knew she should call Melissa and Andrew with the awful news, but she’d put it off, hoping beyond hope that there would be no need after that day’s search. Now she realized that she couldn’t put it off any longer.

  Kate, Livvy, and Rebecca entered the dark motel room. Danny and the boys had gone on ahead to their room two doors down. Livvy had told them she’d join them in a few minutes. Kate turned on the light and set the key card on the long dresser opposite two queen-sized beds. Livvy had been searching near her boys all day, so Kate hadn’t seen much of her.

  “Danny and the boys need to get back to school soon, don’t they?” Kate asked her friend.

  Livvy’s gaze shot to Kate. “Are you kidding? We can’t leave now.” She paused to catch her breath. “We’re going to stay here until we bring Paul and Marcus home.”

  Kate felt glad to have such a good friend, but she was also very much aware of Livvy’s current struggle. “I’m sure James is eager to get back to his band and football practice.”

  Livvy shook her head. “Who can think about something as trite as that when my best friend in the world is going through all of this?”

  “Having you here means so much to me,” Kate said, “but what about James?”

  “I want him to learn what real friendship looks like,” Livvy interrupted, “and the best way for him to see that is by example. Danny and I have already talked about it. We’re all staying until we find the guys.”

  “Okay,” Kate conceded, then she mouthed “Thank you.”

  After a moment of silence, Rebecca chimed in. “This is so frustrating.” She had plopped onto one of the two queen-sized beds and was sitting cross-legged, fidgeting with the bedspread. “Why can’t we just find them? Today I kept feeling as if we were walking right past them but not seeing them. It’s maddening! And why does the sun have to set so early? We could be searching much longer if this had happened in the middle of summer.”

  “And the men wouldn’t be in such danger of hypothermia if it’d happened then either,” Kate added.

  Rebecca sighed and fell back on the bed.

  “Oh, sweetie. You must be beside yourself with worry about Marcus,” Livvy said.

  “Yes, I am,” Rebecca admitted.

  Kate watched her daughter. She couldn’t help but wonder if Rebecca realized how attracted Eli seemed to be toward her. Did she even feel the sparks between them that had been so obvious to Kate? Rebecca was usually so flighty about such things. She didn’t even realize when she was flirting. She naturally paid attention to people, and it was often misconstrued. Kate knew she’d broken more than one heart because of it.

  “What worries me most is knowing how ignorant he is of things out there,” Rebecca was saying. “If he was the one who met that bear, I have no idea how he could have survived it. He could already be...” She shook her head.

  “Don’t let yourself go there,” Livvy said. “Don’t lose hope. I still believe we’re missing some vital clue, and once we figure it out, we’ll find your men.” She turned to Kate. “Do you know what I mean?”

  “Yes, I feel the same way. Let’s think this through, okay?”

  “Okay...” Rebecca moved to the nightstand on the other side of the bed and pulled out the pad of motel stationery and a pen. “What do we know so far?”

  “Well,” Kate began. “Marcus left between five thirty and five forty on Monday night. Paul went after him shortly thereafter. He couldn’t have been far behind him.”

  “So that means Marcus was intentionally try
ing to get away. He wasn’t just out for a stroll,” Rebecca said. Both women turned to her.

  “What did you say?” Kate asked, things starting to click as Rebecca processed.

  “If Marcus was out for a stroll, Dad would’ve been able to catch up with him. He knows about tracking and that sort of stuff, so Marcus must have been running away on purpose.”

  Beginning to connect the dots, Kate said, “So if Marcus wasn’t afraid of the squatter, then maybe it did have to do with those two men. Maybe he saw them again.”

  Rebecca tapped the pen on her chin. “Maybe. I guess I don’t feel like I know anything about Marcus right now. There have been too many surprises, and at this point, I have no idea what might motivate him to run.” She shrugged.

  “Do you think he’s hiding from us too?” Livvy suggested.

  “Well, I guess I don’t know that either,” Rebecca said. “But I’m sure Daddy isn’t hiding from us.”

  “And Paul wouldn’t give up unless he knew Marcus was safe,” Kate said. “He knows how much you care about him.”

  “Yeah, but my caring about Marcus has nothing to do with whether Daddy would look for him. He’d keep searching even if Marcus was a total stranger. And lately,”—her eyes shifted between Kate and Livvy—“I’m thinking that’s just what Marcus is.”

  “That reminds me,” Kate said. “We need to call Marcus’ family. I meant to do it this morning, but things were just too crazy. I think we should call even if the authorities have already notified them, don’t you?”

  “Definitely,” Rebecca said. “When my boss said she didn’t feel comfortable calling Marcus’ parents after she’d fired their son, I figured I’d try to call sometime today. I’ve been thinking about it all day,” Rebecca said, “but I don’t know if I can do it. I just don’t have the heart to make my first conversation with them about Marcus’ disappearance.”

  Kate could understand Rebecca’s hesitation. “Would you rather I called?” she said.

  Rebecca nodded. “Yeah. I’m afraid I’ll break down if I try.”