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‘We could sit here all day and still not have a clue about what actually happened,’ Sandra said.

‘Unfortunately, yes, we could. But I don’t think we should depend on help coming.’

‘So, what do you think we should do?’

‘I think we should try to get back to Standley Chasm, but we need to get there by a different route. We can’t go back on the trail. If they are waiting for us, we’ll walk straight into danger.’

‘Is there another route?’

‘That’s what we have to find out. Because we don’t know the terrain, we don’t know how long it’ll take, plus wherever we walk, I want to stay right out of sight. When we were up on that ridge, we were pretty much surrounded by some high country—the Chewings Range on the north side and that big mountain to the south. It’s mountainous between here and Standley Chasm, whichever way we go. It might only be eight kilometres as the crow files, but it’s high and hard country.’

‘If they know that we’re on to them, isn’t that what they’d expect us to do though?’ Sandra stood up and looked down at him. ‘Should we think about going west and meeting Jodie at Birthday Waterhole?’

‘It’s a much longer route. Whatever way we choose, we’re going to have a night out in the cold.’

‘Couldn’t we just keep walking? We’d be harder to see in the dark, and we’d keep warm.’

‘It sounds good in theory, but walking in the dark, we won’t have the sun to guide us and we could end up hopelessly lost, with little water and scant food. I’m not going to put you at any more risk, Sandy.’

‘But if we don’t turn up there, Jodie will raise the alarm if the whole group doesn’t show, and they’ll send someone out looking for us.’

‘Unless Zed and Miska get there first.’

‘And tell them we all went back to Standley Chasm for some reason?’

‘Yes.’ Graysen had already thought of a worse scenario if Zed and Miska went to Birthday Waterhole, but he didn’t say anything. There would be a four-wheel drive truck there ready for the taking. Andrew had already said it was a private campsite, and there was a good chance there’d be no one else around. ‘God, I feel so useless,’ he ground out. He stood and looked around. ‘We’ll go through the gap that faces north in this gorge and head back closer to the main track, and be very careful. And as hard as it is, once we’re under the main trail again, we’ll keep an eye out for Andrew. He may have gone over and he may be hurt. Are you okay to start walking?’

‘I am. The sooner we get back to civilisation and phone service the happier I’ll be.’

Graysen blinked. ‘Do you have your phone in your pack?’

‘No. I put it in my kit bag last night after I texted my daughter and I forgot to charge it. You?’

‘I haven’t used mine since we left Alice Springs. It’s in my kit bag too. I relied on Andrew saying he had the sat phone for any emergencies. I’m kicking myself now. We’d probably have service as we got closer to Standley Chasm. There was a new tower there. We’d probably have emergency access, and we’d be able to get a map of the terrain.’

‘Don’t kick yourself.’ Sandra turned to him and slipped her arms around his waist. ‘Never in a million years could we have expected this situation.’

‘You’re right.’ Graysen rested his chin on the top of her head. ‘Let’s make a move. We’ll go easy on our water, and share one of those apples now.’

She shook her head. ‘I couldn’t eat. My stomach is churning.’

‘We both have to keep our strength up if we’re going to get out of this.’

Sandra stared at him. ‘And we are going to get out of this. I will not put my family through any more grief. My girls have suffered enough over the past ten years.’ She dropped her arms from around his waist and picked up her backpack and took out an apple. ‘Let’s go.’

***

Sandra was surprised how calm she felt once they set off up the gully, following it in a north-easterly direction. With every stop, she knew they were getting closer to help.

‘As soon as we can we’ll head due east again,’ Graysen said after they’d walked for half an hour. ‘I can see a break in the gorge ahead, I think.’

‘There seems to be a gap both sides.’

‘Yes, we need to be careful in case there’s a view from one of the ridges.’

‘Do you think—’

‘Get down!’