Reminding myself that she’s just genuinely happy for me, I answer, “Last night.” It might have been my imagination, but out of the corner of my eye I think I see Ryan and Jake exchange a meaningful look. They suddenly appear uncomfortable and impatient to leave.
“So how did he propose? You’ll have to tell me all the details,” Molly continues, and now I feel just as uncomfortable and impatient to leave as Ryan and Jake. “Did you cry?” she adds.
I blush. “I’ll tell you all about it later, but for now I think we should get going before these two flee over the idea of commitment.”
I grab my pack and put it on my back. It’s undeniably bulkier, but not much heavier.
After our lifesaving experience with Caper, we decided to revisit the meerkit area. We’re disappointed when we find that they are gone. There are no signs of recent activity in the area, which also explains why we hadn’t seen Caper yet. So instead of visiting the meerkits, we continue on to the river that we had originally intended to explore the day we first met Caper. We find that it’s at the bottom of a tall, narrow canyon.
To appease Ryan’s worry, I allow him to rappel down the cliff into the canyon first. I follow next. Then we wait impatiently by the side of the river. Apparently, Jake is having equipment issues. The hot sun reflects off the water and the rock, making it feel even warmer.
We both kick rocks to distract ourselves while waiting. I suddenly have the urge to look up, and when I do, I realize something is profoundly wrong. The rest of our team is dancing around, yelling, and trying to get our attention. I can’t hear what they are saying, but I see them point upriver, and I strain to hear their words.
“Ryan,” I say in alarm as I try to figure out what’s going on. I look down at the small trickle of water at my feet, and then glance up to the different shaded sections on the side of the canyon walls. A sense of foreboding hits me. I’m not sure if I hear or feel the rumble that confirms my fear.
“Flash flood!” I bellow at Ryan and watch as the blood drains from his face.
How could I have been so stupid? The amount of water in the canyon doesn’t match what the satellite pictures had shown. A quick glance at the canyon’s walls would have told me that we were in danger here. But I neglected to notice it earlier, and my mistake will condemn us both to death. Now as I look, I can clearly see erosion marks from previous flash floods, and a line where the usual water level is.
Ryan and I stare at each other in horror. In his eyes, I see he’s deduced the same thing. There’s nowhere for us to go, and no way to climb above the flood line in time. I look around desperately for some form of hope, and remember Andi’s inventions stuffed inside my pack. I quickly rip it off and grab her igloo from inside.
“What are you doing? We’ve got to get out of here!” Ryan yells at me. “You climb first; I’ll follow.” He tries pushing me in the direction of the rope, but I pull away.
“We both know there’s no time. We’ll never make it. I can feel the ground vibrating already. You’ll have to trust me.”
I quickly erect the igloo. It pops up as easily as it had the other night.
“Get in and start sealing up all the vents,” I order Ryan.
He looks at me confused, but he climbs in and grabs the duct tape I hand to him. I quickly zip the igloo shut and join him in covering vents. The rumbling outside grows louder and louder. As we cover the last vent, the sound is deafening.
Ryan wraps himself around me, and pushes me down to the floor with him, just as the water hits. We’re slammed against the side of the igloo. It tumbles in the rushing water and debris. We hold onto each other as we’re rolled around with the igloo. I let out a grunt as one of the packs slams into me. Ryan manages to bat it down to his feet, and wraps it between them. After several attempts, I manage to do the same with the other pack. I bury my face in his shoulder. Even if the igloo somehow holds together and doesn’t sink, the tumbling alone may kill us.
The igloo is jolted to a brief stop, and we’re both slammed into the wall again. I feel a crack in my ribs, and let out a gasp of pain. Ryan’s arms encircle me more. I can’t hear him over the roar of the water, but I feel his breath against my ear as he tries to reassure me. Fortunately, whatever we hit pulled us out of the churning lead waters of the flood. Instead of tumbling uncontrollably, we’re now rushing along, upside down, on the top of the flood waters. We now have a chance of surviving – if the duct tape holds.
We seem to float forever, but the ride is far from smooth. We stay wrapped in each other’s arms as we periodically slam into random objects. I’m beginning to worry about our air supply, when things finally feel like they’re slowing down. The ride becomes rough again as the water recedes, and we begin hitting more objects. I feel a blinding pain as my head slams against the side, and we tumble to a final stop.
The igloo is upside down, so Ryan reaches up and carefully unzips it. We both breathe a sigh of relief when we’re greeted with blinding sunlight and not water. Ryan climbs out, and starts dragging the igloo with me still in it. Before I have a chance to protest, he says, “I’m clearing us out of the debris field. Don’t move. You hit your head really hard.”
Once he seems satisfied, he climbs back in, and I try to sit up. Ryan holds me down. “Can’t you listen to anything I say?” he barks sternly, but his face is washed with relief. He laughs at me in spite of himself.
“So we’re both alive then.” I laugh back at him, and confirm that I definitely have a broken rib. “Ouch,” I exclaim.
“What’s wrong?” He looks worried again.
“Broken rib, I think. Hopefully I’m wrong, and it’s just cracked.”
“Does anything else hurt?” he asks, alarmed, looking at me as if I could break into pieces at any moment.
Despite my discomfort, I intentionally keep my voice light. “I’ll probably be bruised head-to-toe tomorrow, but I think my head and rib are the only real injuries. You?”
“Just bumps and bruises. Where is the rib? I need to look at it.” He starts feeling my ribs before I can answer.
“You’ll have to let me up then; it’s on my back.” I try to raise myself, but he still has me pinned down.
“Okay, I’ll help you sit up, but slowly,” he warns, placing his hand behind my shoulder to guide me.
“Yes, mother,” I tease, and I reluctantly allow him to sit me up.
“Is this where it is?” He gently feels my ribs as I direct him toward the injured one.
I flinch under his touch. “Ouch, yeah. You found it.”
“We’re lucky. I think it’s just a crack. I’ll have to tape it up for you.”
“We’re lucky? Is my rib now attached to you?” I joke, but intentionally refrain from laughing.
“No, but it will affect how fast we can travel back home.” His face falls. He now had a decidedly somber look. Our elation of surviving quickly disappears, and is replaced by the seriousness of our situation.
“How far away are we?” I wonder.
“I’m not sure, but judging by the amount of time we were caught in the flood we could be weeks away from the base.”
“Well let’s get me taped up, so we can get going.” I try to sound upbeat, though I’m anything but.
“Hey: no acting. We both know how bad the situation is. But thanks to you, we’re at least alive to face it.” He grins at me, obviously trying to act upbeat too. What a sweet hypocrite he is.
“Actually, thanks to Andi and her igloo. I hope it’s still usable?” I look around for signs of damage.
“We won’t know until we try collapsing it. We’ll do a lot better if we have portable shelter and protection.”
“We should stay close to the river, so we don’t miss the search party,” I suggest. “So do you think it’s safe to cross to the east side of the river from here, or should we wait until we’re further upstream?” I peek out of the igloo and have my answer. The river has overflowed its banks where the cliffs end. The entire area is a muddy mess
of dirt and debris, and in the very center, the river continues to rage past. “Oh, never mind.” I sigh.
“I agree we should stay near the river, at least to have a reliable source of water. For now, we should stay on the west side. The ground around the riverbed can’t be very stable right now, and even if we wait for the current to subside, it still wouldn’t be safe. We’ll have to look later for a safe place to cross. I want to stay out of the flood zone, for obvious reasons, but we can always climb down if we get desperate enough for water.” He stops talking, but I have the feeling that he is leaving something unsaid. He smiles at me, but I can still see worry peeking out from behind his eyes.
“But…?” I prompt him.
He groans and reluctantly continues. “Brett, do you remember how badly we were tumbling at first? The others probably think we’re dead. We don’t have any airplanes built on this planet yet, because of the lack of fuel for them, and there’s no way any vehicle could make it through this terrain. We have to consider the very real possibility that there may not be any rescue party.” Just like his answer, Ryan’s face is grim.
“So it’s just us.” My face crinkles in distress. “Oh, Ryan, I’m so sorry. It’s my fault we’re in this mess. If I had just looked at the walls of the canyon, I would have known to get us out of there before it was too late. I don’t know, maybe I should have just climbed the rope with you. We might have gotten high enough before the water hit.”
Ryan grabs the sides of my face and stares intently into my eyes. “Now let’s get this straight: we are not going to play the blame game here. I have eyes just like you. I could have noticed the canyon walls too, but neither of us did. None of that matters now. Your crazy instincts were, once again, right. We would never have cleared the flood area in time. You were right to use the igloo. As insane as it seemed at the time, it was the right choice, and it’s the reason we’re both here now.”
I slowly nod, and he releases me, but his intense stare never breaks. He’s not going to allow me to second-guess or guilt myself.
“So, is being stuck with me your worst nightmare come true or what?” I playfully punch him in the arm in an attempt to liven the mood, but I forget about my rib and end up wincing in pain.
“You may make me crazy at times, but there’s not a more capable person I could choose to be stuck with,” he chuckles back at me. “Let’s tape you up.”
He grabs the first-aid kit from my pack. I try lifting my shirt up, but the motion causes too much pain. In the end, he has to take my shirt completely off and do all the taping by himself. I’m so embarrassed to have him help me this way. Despite the fact that my black sports bra covers more than a bikini, I feel naked and exposed. He seems to understand, and goes about the job without saying a word.
In my current state, I certainly don’t feel capable. I can’t do much more than walk right now. Ryan actually has to lift me out of the igloo, because I can’t even climb out on my own. I sit uselessly as he collapses it and packs everything up.
He finds Andi’s jerky in my bag and asks what it is.
“I forgot about that invention of Andi’s. It’s doesn’t taste very good, but one piece contains as many nutrients as a full meal, she says.” I make a face, remembering just how horrid the taste and the aftertaste are.
“Remind me to thank Andi profusely when we get back.” He opens the container and takes a sniff, but decides against tasting it.
“So do you want to tease me now about over-packing?” I ask, cocking my head to the side and making a goofy face.
“I swear I will never accuse you of over-packing again, even if you do pack the kitchen sink.” Ryan crosses his heart.
“Stop making me laugh; it hurts,” I beg.
“Oops. I’ll try not to.” He places my pack on his back and curls his under his arm. Apparently, he also thinks I can’t do much more than walk.
There’s plenty of daylight still, so we began our journey upstream. We’re careful to give the river a wide berth in case there are more flash floods. As we walk, Ryan empties out our sample containers to make room for water and any edibles we may find along the way. At least our canteens are already full.
It isn’t long before we find a patch of opal berries growing along a little side stream. The skin on them is strange. It reflects a rainbow of colors depending how you turn it in the light. The flesh and the juice inside are clear. Ryan insists that he should be the one to test them. He thinks I’m too weak from my injuries and won’t listen to my protests. I watch him rub the berry juice on his lips. When there’s no reaction he tastes a small amount of the juice. “It doesn’t taste bitter; it’s actually really sweet,” he comments before eating a small amount of the berries. “Let’s pick what we can and head out. If I don’t have a reaction, we can have them for breakfast.”
“Mmm, it’s jerky for me tonight,” I say, rubbing my stomach theatrically. Pain stabs in my back, and I instantly regret the motion.
“Better one of us is in a little discomfort than both of us dead from being rash.” He looks at me, scolding me with his eyes.
“You’re always the worry wart. I was just making light of things. There’s not much else to do in a situation like this but cry or laugh. I choose to laugh.” I hold my hands up to represent a scale and remember my rib, too late. This time I manage not to grimace in front of Ryan; he’s already looking worried enough for the both of us.
We collect enough berries to last us through the next two or three days.
We walk until sunset. Then Ryan sets up the igloo in an area we judge to be safe from flooding. We hold our noses and dine on the jerky. Then we try not to waste too much of the water in our canteens as we attempt to wash the taste down.
“What happened to cause that flash flood?” I wonder. “We haven’t had rain for weeks, and we haven’t built any dams to worry about bursting.”
“I know. You’d expect a flood in that kind of canyon if there had been a lot of torrential rain.” He pauses and looks thoughtful for a moment. “Of course, we really don’t know what was happening upriver. There could have been a natural dam that burst or some other natural disaster that led to it.” His lips purse as if deep in thought again. “If you think about it, we rarely saw large scale flash floods on Earth because anywhere that had the potential for a large flash flood had a dam or something to prevent it.”
“Good point. When we get back, we can suggest building a few dams.” I yawn. “I’m ready for some sleep.”
We never planned on camping, so Ryan is without a sleeping bag. I’m fortunate enough to have one courtesy of Andi. It looks like it was made out of a foil paper, but it can be inflated to make a comfortable bedding and even comes with an inflatable pillow . We decide to lay the sleeping bag open and flat. That way we both have something to cushion us. Ryan insists that I keep the pillow, claiming his pack is just as comfortable. Fortunately it doesn’t get cold at night yet, so we easily choose the safety of the zippered igloo over the warmth of a fire.
Without the pods, my sleep is fitful at best. I keep tossing and turning and waking myself up with the pain in my rib. When I do finally sleep, Ryan wakes me with his tossing and turning. By morning, I’m exhausted.
Chapter 19
The good news is that Ryan is alive and has no strange welts or rashes, so that means I am able to have opal berries for breakfast. The bad news is he looks just as tired as I am. Ryan counts out our berries and hands me a container. Hungrily, I pop some in my mouth. They aren’t anything like what I expected. Ryan said they were sweet, but that can’t begin to describe the blend of delicate flavors that assault my tongue. It’s sweet and tangy and fruity all at the same time. The taste is so intense that my tongue tingles. Breakfast is so much more enjoyable than dinner had been. By the end of it, we are both smiling.
After breakfast, we continue walking. I notice the landscape surrounding us is slightly different from back at the base. There are more red-barked trees here, and they’re wider and talle
r than at base camp. The canopy is also less dense, so more sunlight makes its way down to the ground. It’s easiest for us to travel between the river and the woods. While there aren’t any cliffs yet, there’s a very wide area on either side of the river that is just rock, so very little grows there.
The following day we wake up to the sound of rain drumming on the igloo. The rain that probably caused our flash flood has found us. We are both tired from another fitful night of sleep, but we know we can’t afford to sit still and wait out the rain. So instead, we travel through it. We both have thin waterproof parkas, but traveling is still miserable. Our boots are quickly waterlogged, and our faces are peppered by hard pellets of windblown rain. The rain makes the rock under our feet slippery, so we have to travel through the woods. The undergrowth in the woods brushes against our pants and soaks them. We fall asleep at night, cold and utterly exhausted. The exhaustion only seems to fuel Ryan’s nightmares.
My sleep is torn violently away as he screams, “No!” But when I look at him, he’s still asleep.
His tossing and turning worsen, and I can hear him whimpering. I’m scared he’s going to hurt himself. He starts flailing around and screaming, “I’m in here! Please, somebody! Anybody! Get me out!” When he starts banging against the walls, I try to wake him, but I’m rewarded with an elbow in my eye. After my vision steadies, I wrap myself around him, pinning his legs with mine and hugging his arms to his side. The restraint wakes him up.
Knowing that neither of us will get any sleep now, and that I need an explanation, Ryan drops his head and quietly says, “I had just got my learners permit, so as a surprise, after school my dad and two brothers picked me up and announced I was driving to hockey practice. It wasn’t my first time driving, but it was pouring with rain. Dad insisted it would be good practice for me. I should have hopped on the turnpike, but he insisted I take the back roads, even though it meant taking the old highway. I should have refused.” He swallows hard as if clearing his throat.
Verita Page 19
