CANAISIS ∞ Chronicle Two: A Captain's Journey

82 ∞ So Little Time

Shortlisted – Day 0004

For several minutes, they stood watching the waterfall together, Caitlin hugging Gareth's arms wrapped around her shoulders.

Gareth shook her hand. "Come on. Let's get something to eat."

She looked up at him in surprise. "What?"

"I haven't had breakfast, and I'm starving. Care for some pancakes?"

"I had breakfast this morning."

"Well, it's almost lunchtime. Let's see what we've got." Stepping backward, he pulled on her arm.

"Wait. I'm a mess. I don't want anyone to see me like this." Caitlin wiped her face and dabbed around her eyes.

Gareth looked back at the campsite and saw nothing. Then he spotted Harlin and the guide toward the end of the rock outcropping. They were leaning against two quads parked under the shade of the trees. Judging by the hand motions, it appeared the men were having an animated conversation.

Caitlin stepped beside him, fussing with her hair. "Okay. I'm ready."

As they strolled toward the campsite, she asked, "Is Williams in trouble?"

"You mean the Park Ranger?"

"Yes. I forgot his first name. He just told me to call him Williams."

"He could be in trouble. Depends."

"Don't let him get in trouble, Gareth. I pleaded with him to take me. It's not his fault."

"This trail is closed because of potential rock slides. He could have gotten you both killed."

"Then do this for me: talk to the officer. Tell him to go easy on him."

"I'll strike a bargain with you, Linn. Go immediately to the doctors and do whatever they tell you to do. I'll talk to Officer Quinton."

"Doctors can't help me."

"Maybe not. But they can buy us time. That's all I'm asking from you, Linn. Give me time. I'm coming back, or I'll be waiting on the other side. Nothing's going to stand in my way."

Caitlin grabbed his hand and stopped walking. "They said there's a thirty percent chance of dying." Her pleading eyes were asking him not to do it.

"That means I have a seventy percent chance of surviving. Those are odds I can take. I'll come back—don't worry. But... when I do, I'm putting you in cold sleep even if I must tie you up kicking and screaming."

The corners of Caitlin's lips rose just shy of a full smile. But there was a sadness in her eyes that never left. "I'll wait for you as long as I can."

"That's all I ask."

They continued back to the campsite. Gareth motioned to his chair, and Caitlin sat down as he started looking into the bag Harlin had taken the food from. There was a container with the leftover pancakes in it, and he found water and packs of dried soup mix. That would be sufficient. He set two collapsible mugs on the heat box before filling them with water.

"I need to know what we're doing next, so I can discuss matters with Officer Quinton," he said.

"I'll go to the doctors—if that's what you mean."

"Not just that. We came here by air transport. Would you like to go back with us?"

Caitlin looked around the surrounding area of bare rock. "How did you land?"

"We didn't. We rappelled."

Caitlin let out a laugh and shook her head. "How did you convince your friend to do that?"