I sat up groaning and coughing with new aches and pains assaulting my body. Something wet trailed down my left cheek and although I hoped for the best when I swiped it away, I can’t say I was too shocked whe
n my hand came away blood-
streaked. "Well, that's great," I muttered, struggling to my feet. Pain tore its way through my leg as my ankle buckled again, sending me back to the ground. "Damn it,” I yelled. “Could I please get a fucking break?" I hollered up at the overcast sky. "Not a big one, but just something," I continued to scream as a feeling of despair set in. We were going to die out here.
The hopelessness of the situation became overwhelming and I broke out in tears. After awhile the sobs turned to coughing as my lungs protested the extra workout the tears were causing. Trying to calm down, I took several deep
breaths, letting the oxygen fill my lungs until I slowly began to breathe easier.
Once I had regained my composure, I pulled up the leg of my pants to check the damage to my ankle. Dark splotches of purple, swelled skin marred the surrounding area of my foot. It looked grotesque, but I was pretty sure it wasn't broken since I didn't hear a snap when it happened. Touching the swelled area lightly with my finger made me cringe. Even
if
it wasn’t broken, it sure hurt like hell. "Just a bad sprain," I said out loud, trying to reassure myself. "All I need to do is wrap it and I'll be good to go." The only problem was finding something to wrap it with. The torn strips of raincoat were all too short to really do any good.
The only idea I could think of was to use a piece of my shirt, so I shrugged out of my heavy
,
wet jacket and pulled off my flannel shi
rt. The cold rain pelted my bra-
clad chest as I hurried back into my jacket, cringing from the wet material clinging to my naked skin. Using a rock to get me started, I tore both sleeves away from the shoulder sections of the shirt. My constant shivering made the job difficult, but I wrapped one of the sleeves snugly around my ankle, tucking the end down into the layers. I then tied the other sleeve in a knot around the wrap to hold it in place.
The makeshift wrap was bulky, but looked like it would hold, and at least I was able to maneuver my pant leg to cover it. Before I attempted to stand again, I searched the ground for a stick that could work as a crutch. I spotted one about ten feet
away and slowly scooted myself closer to reach it. It was a painstaking effort to stand up and although my ankle protested my weight, the wrap seemed to be working. I hobbled back to my backpack and pulled out another strip of raincoat so I could tie it to a tree where I had landed.
Leaving my latest pitfall behind, I shuffled along, leaning heavily on my bristly crutch. It didn't take long for my hand to blister from rubbing against the wet wood, but I wrapped it with one of the bright yellow strips of raincoat and moved on. I was over this abuse, but I’d be damned if I was going to let the rugged wilderness beat me down.
It was late afternoon when I reached my next steep decline. Without giving it a second thoug
ht, I sat on my bottom and slid
down the bumpy path. The rocks bit painfully at my buttocks, but it was better than the alternative. Once I was safely at the bottom and relatively pain free, I allowed myself another small break to drink more water and eat another energy bar. My stomach was
n't
exactly feeling up to any food, but I knew I needed any energy source I could get.
After I finished eating, I sat for a moment, looking at the ragged mess my body had become. I don’t know if there was a spot on my body that didn’t have some kind of scrap
e
, cut or bruise. I was soaking wet, covered in filth, and to top it off, one of the blisters on my hand had popped open. Resisting the urge to swear at the heavens again, I remembered Mason, alone and fighting infection. I stood myself upright and continued
forward, limping several feet when finally, the trees opened up, revealing a sight that made my heart stop.
Stepping forward cautiously, I nearly wept when my feet stepped onto asphalt. I had done it. One way or another, this road led to something. My steps seemed lighter as I shuffled along the smooth surface. I could do this. All I needed now was a car to come by.
An hour later, I was still walking down the paved road, not a vehicle in sight. My coughing had increased in frequency, pounding my poor head into submission. My steps became more sluggish as I stumbled on, too stubborn to give up. After another hundred yards, or for that matter, it could have been a
mile,
I was too tired to tell anymore, my body wouldn't allow me to take another step further. Darkness clouded my vision and I sank into oblivion with one thought. Mason. I had failed him.
A loud rumbling noise jerked me awake. Disoriented, I watched as tires screeched to a stop, inches from where I lay.
"Are you Kimberly?" a burly policeman asked, kneeling by my head.
I struggled with every last bit of energy I had left to nod.
I could hear him barking our location into his radio as I faded in and out of consciousness. His radio squawked back and Rick's voice came across the line. "You found her?" I heard him ask before I drifted back out.
My eyes fluttered open again several minutes later when the kind policeman scooped me up in his arms. "Don't worry
,
missy, we're going to get you help," he said, laying me gently on the backseat of his cruiser.
"Mason," I said, fighting my groggin
ess as he laid a heavy military-
style blanket over me.
"We're going to find him," he said, gently pushing me back down as I struggled to sit up.
My coughs were traitorous again as I tried to tell him I knew where Mason was. Somehow, in between the fits I managed to describe how I had marked the path.
"He's in bad shape," I added, fighting to stay awake. "We're not leaving until you find him," I said stubbornly, resting my head on the seat.
I was in a daze when Rick showed up twenty minutes later with a rescue team. "Kimberly," he said, dragging me into his arms.
"Mason's hurt bad. His leg is broken and he's blazing with fever," I said as a new wave of coughs erupted out of me.
"Why haven't you taken her to the hospital?" Rick demanded, turning on the cop.
"She refused to leave until we rescue your boy," the cop answered, looking uncertain.
"Get her to the hospital now," he demanded.
"I want to stay until you bring Mason down," I protested.
"We'll be right behind you
,
honey," Rick said, attempting to close my door.
"Don't let him die. I love him," I mumbled as the darkness finally dragged me in for good.
***
I was awakened by a hand gently smoothing my hair back. Bright light flooded the space around me and I marveled at the absence of rain. I tried to focus, but my eyes were heavy and I drifted back to sleep. I could hear voices, but I was too tired to make out their words.
The next few days passed in a drug-induced sleep as I drifted in and out of consciousness. I wanted to ask about Mason, but I couldn't manage to stay awake longer than a few minutes at a time.
Finally, on the third day, I was able to open my eyes long enough to hold a conversation. The room I was in had an antiseptic smell, but I welcomed its presence.
"Sweetie," my mom said, leaning over me.
"Mason?" I croaked.
"Oh, s
weetie, we've been so worried. Rick, she's awake," my mom said over her shoulder.
"Mason?" I asked again as Rick crowded my bed on the other side.
Rick's face was telling a story I didn’t want to hear.
"Mason?" I asked, clawing at the oxygen tube in my nose so I could sit up.
My mom’s hands stopped me, gently pushing me back down.
"He's in recovery s
weetie. They say you saved his life," she said as tears coursed down her cheeks.
"What aren't you telling me?" I demanded, looking at Rick.
"They couldn't save his leg," Rick said, holding back his own tears.
All fight left me as I sank back against my pillows with tears streaming down my cheeks.
"Honey, he's going to be okay," my mom said, trying to reassure me.
"No, he won't be, M
om, the mountains are his life and he needs his leg. All of it was for nothing," I said, pounding the bed with my hand.
"
Kimmie
, you're wrong. You saved his life. You're a hero," Rick said, holding my hand lightly in his.
"But
I di
dn't save his leg," I said, cho
king on a sob.
"But
you saved him. The rest we can deal with," he said, smoothing my hair back like my mom had.
"Honey, you walked three miles with pneumonia, a sprained ankle and countless other ailments. I'm so proud of you," my mom added.
I smiled slightly through my tears. "Mason said it would turn into pneumonia," I said before sliding back into the welcome arms of slumber.
Chapter 15
The next few days passed in slow motion as my body recovered from its trauma. I slept more than I ever had before
,
and my doctors told me that it was the best medicine I could get. The antibiotics helped and soon they were able to remove the oxygen tube, confident my lungs were well on the road to recovery. My ankle and finger would take longer, but they were now wrapped properly.
When I was awake enough to hold a conversation, Rick filled me in on what Mason and I had missed in our absence. I found out Al
yssa was hiding out in the boat
house all along, but she was still at the camp since her dad went on a drinking binge before she was picked up. The judge was so upset, he obviously reversed his decision.
"She's really worried about you guys and feels bad about what happened," Rick told me.
"Tell her it's all good," I said, stealing Mason's line. "Who's running the camp right now, anyway?"
"Louise and a couple of friends we have in the area. They plan on remaining there until camp ends so I can be here for you and Mason."
"When can I see Mason?" I asked.
"They want to wait until your pneumonia is completely gone. That way Mason won't be at risk.
I nodded, understanding the reasoning. "How is he?"
"Not bad. He's concerned about you," Rick answered evasively.
"That's not what I mean. How is he?"
"He's suffering from depression over his leg. He's putting on a brave front, but I can tell he's taking it hard."
I nodded, fighting tears. "I wish I could be with him," I mumbled, swiping a tear off my cheek.
"I know
,
honey, but we want you to get better too," Mom said, entering the room.
"I'm practically back to normal," I whined.
"Yes, well,
'
practically
'
and
'
actually
'
being back to normal are two separate things," she said, smoothing out my blanket.
Sensing an argument, Rick left the room, claiming he was going to check on Mason.
***
By the end of my second week in the hospital,
I was done with their excuses.
I asked to see Mason every opportunity I got, but Mom kept telling me it could be detrimental to my recovery.
"I want to see him now," I told her as she tried to derail my request once again.
"Kim, you heard the doctor. Your lungs need a chance to recover without risking another infection," she said, sighing heavily at my repeated request.
"I also heard him say I'd be ready for release tomorrow, so there's no reason I can't see Mason. Why are you keeping him from me?" I said, finally seeing through her ploy.
She looked at me critically for a minute before answering. "Do you know you wouldn't leave until you knew they were on their way to rescue Mason? You woke long enough to tell Rick they had to save Mason because you loved him."
I shook my head no. "That day was such a blur, I don't remember much of any
thing," I admitted. "But
what does that have to do with anything?" I added, puzzled.
"I felt you needed a few days to sort out your feelings," she said, fluffing out the pillow behind my head.
"What do you mean,
sort out
my feelings?" I asked, dragging out my words.
"It just seems a little wishy-washy to be spouting out words of love with someone you hardly know."
"Well, that seems rich coming from you," I said quietly, looking her in the eye.
"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked, avoiding my eyes as she sat on the edge of the chair.
"I think you know exactly what I mean. Not all of us feel the need to hold everything in. Not all of us feel
it's
right to deny others the truth. Is that why you didn't tell dad about me?" I asked.