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While Sandra tipped the liquid she’d mixed earlier into the lid of the water bottle, Graysen dropped to his knees behind Andrew. ‘Clive, if you can kneel beside me, we can gently lift Andrew’s shoulders a little higher so he can swallow the liquid.’

Clive knelt beside him.

‘Go slow and easy. I’m pretty sure he’s got a broken rib.’

Andrew opened his eyes as Clive and Graysen propped him up at a forty-five-degree angle.

‘Andrew,’ Sandra said softly. ‘Are you able to sip this a little easier sitting up?’

Andrew tried to nod.

Jenny sat beside Sandra and watched quietly as she slowly tipped a little of the Panadol and water mix into his mouth a sip at a time.

‘We’re done,’ Sandra said to Graysen. ‘Good man, Andrew, would you like some water too? To get the taste of the Panadol out?’

Another nod.

Clive and Graysen held Andrew for a few more minutes, until Sandra nodded. ‘Okay, down slowly. Go back to sleep, Andrew. It’s the best thing for you.’

Once he was settled, Clive took his jacket off and laid it over Andrew’s chest and shoulders.

‘His eyes are clear. I don’t think he has a bad concussion.’ Jenny said. ‘And I just thought, I’ve got a beanie in my pack. That’ll stop him losing warmth through the top of his head.’

It wasn’t long before Andrew was wrapped up in Clive’s jacket and wearing Jenny’s beanie, and had fallen into a deep sleep again.

Clive and Jenny sat with Graysen and Sandra in a close semi-circle around Andrew to protect him from the chilly wind.

‘Are you carrying much water?’ Graysen asked when they were settled.

Clive nodded. ‘That’s why my damn pack is so heavy. We’ve got six bottles left plus our metal canisters are topped up too.’

‘Clive has the water in his pack and I’ve got about ten trail mix bars and four apples in mine,’ Jenny added. ‘Have you pair had anything to eat this afternoon? What about your water?’

‘We’re low on water, and we shared an apple and a couple of jubes for dinner.’

Jenny picked up her pack and took out four trail mix bars. ‘Here, you must be hungry.’

Sandra’s stomach rumbled at the thought of food. ‘Thank you.’ She and Graysen opened the packet and Clive and Jenny sat quietly, holding hands as the trail mix bars were eaten.

‘Thank you,’ Graysen said.

Jenny smiled. ‘I’ll never doubt my dear husband again. I said there was no need to carry so much food and water because Andrew had the pack with lunch and morning tea, but he insisted.’

‘I wasn’t fussed on some of the food at the camps we’ve had along the way, and I need to keep my energy up,’ Clive added.

‘I’m pleased you did.’ Graysen screwed up the wrapper, reached for Sandra’s and put them in his shirt pocket.

‘Okay, let’s share what we know.’ Jenny’s voice was brisk. ‘To try and make some sense out of what’s happened. And to figure out what we need to do.’

‘I guess you’ve been settled here because of Andrew?’ Clive asked.

Graysen nodded. ‘Yes, but we’d stopped here for the night before Andrew literally stumbled on us.’

‘So, he hasn’t been with you the whole time?’

‘No.’ Graysen quickly recounted what had happened and told them of his plan to head alone to Standley Chasm in the morning to get help. ‘Andrew is a priority. He needs to be in a hospital.’

Sandra leaned forward. ‘But we’ve been worried about coming across Zed and Miska.’ She glanced across at Graysen. ‘I’ve made Graysen promise that he would stay off the trail tomorrow.’