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Saff didn’t let go of her hand as she moved forward. “There’s a river that way,” she muttered. “We might be able to go around it, though.”
“That would add more time. Maybe a couple hours,” Josh added.
“Might be worth it,” her dad said, seemingly more to himself than to the rest of them.
“I say we do it,” her mom added through heavy breaths.
She knew the journey must have been much more difficult for her while hobbling on only one leg. It was hard enough just hiking over the uneven, sloping ground. Doing it on only one leg had to have been excruciating.
After a moment, the map crinkled again, then her father replied, “I agree.”
***
They hiked for a while without hearing anymore gunshots, and slowly Maddie could sense the previous ease of the group returning. At least, it seemed to have returned to everyone but Saff.
The stiff muscles moved with a purpose, like an animal ready to pounce at the first sign of danger.
“You okay?” Maddie asked quietly, her hand trailing up to squeeze her arm.
Saff took a second before answering. “I’ll be better once we get there.”
Maddie hummed in agreement. “At least it stopped raining.”
Saff grunted. “Yeah, but it’s foggy now,” she muttered. “Can barely see farther than fifty feet in any direction.”
A chill ran through Maddie’s neck, more from the wet clothing she now wore than the possible danger.
Saff slowed their pace right as her father called out to them.
“River should be a little way up there past the tree line. Or if we go farther to the right up into the hills, we might be able to get around it and still make it into the canyon if it’s not too steep.”
Now that they’d stopped walking, she could hear someone breathing hard.
Then her mother’s breathless voice floated out. “If we—if we go up the hills,” she paused, releasing a breath, “I might need to take a break first.”
Saff shifted beside her. “I’ll go ahead and check the river. See if it’s low enough to cross.”
Maddie tightened her grip on her arm, keeping her firmly in place. “Maybe Josh should go instead,” she whispered.
The thought of Saff leaving them—her—even if just for a few minutes, set her on edge.
“I want to go,” Saff replied in a low voice. “I want to see for myself. Make sure it’s safe.”
Maddie frowned, but offered a small nod as she released the tight grip on her arm.
“I’ll be right back.”
Maddie straightened her cane up in front of her, resting her chin on the handle.
“Mads,” her father said, his footsteps coming closer, “You want to sit down and rest for a second?”
“I’m fine,” she muttered, running her fingers beneath the sore spot on the bridge of her nose where the sunglasses pressed against.
“Here,” he said as something pressed lightly into her free hand. “Have some water, at least.”
She took a small sip before setting it on the ground beside her.
They all waited in silence as the minutes dragged on, waiting for Saff to return. Maddie listened intently for any sign of approaching footsteps. And finally, when she was about to ask Josh to go find her, she heard them.
