Page 350 of Scars of Fate

“Oh, this is going to hurt.”

He slung the rifle across his back and grabbed the railing with both hands.

Instead of climbing normally, he pulled himself upward.

One step.

Then another.

Using his arms to keep most of his weight off the broken ankle.

His breathing became ragged.

Sweat ran across his face.

But he kept climbing.

“Tell me about Wren,” I said.

Every man looked at me.

Boone stopped for half a second.

“What?”

“Tell me what she’ll say when she sees you.”

He dragged himself up another step.

“She’ll say I’m an idiot.”

“Is she wrong?”

“No.”

Another step.

“She’ll probably cry. Then yell. Then cry some more.”

His voice softened.

“Then she’ll hold me.”

Lucas squeezed my hand.

He understood what I was doing.

Giving Boone something beyond the stairs.

Beyond the pain.

A reason to keep moving.

“What will you tell her?” I asked.

Boone reached the first landing.

“That I’m sorry.”