AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’ve got him. He’s hurt, and we’ve got to get him to the hospital over in Big Sky.”
“How do I get to you?”
“Drive the access road toward the ridge, and park where it switches back to go down to town.” Hunter had a plan to get Nathan to that point. In optimal situations, they’d walk there in less than ten minutes. Obviously this was significantly less than optimal. “I’ll call you when I get him out of the scree field. Don’t panic when it takes us a while. We’ll get there.”
“Can I help you after I park the car?”
“Yeah. Grab Hazel and have her lead you toward the old trapline trail.”
“Got it. Can I talk to Nathan?”
“I’m here,” Nathan said.
Hunter didn’t need to shine the light on the boy to know he grimaced. The pain rang clear in his voice.
“Man, it’s good to hear your voice. Hang in there, okay, Nathan?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re in good hands.”
Nathan looked up at Hunter, a mix of pain and fear in his eyes. “I know.”
Hunter squeezed his shoulder. “I’ll get him out of this, Bennett. But keep praying. He’s got a long road in front of him.”
With the phone call over, Hunter handed Nathan his cell. “I’ve got a plan, buddy. We’re going to go up the same way you came down. It’s a scramble though, and I’m going to have to carry you.”
Wide eyed, Nathan nodded. “Can you do that?”
“Yeah. But we’re going to try it with you on my back. It’s gonna hurt.”
“I can handle it.”
“Yeah?”
Gritting his teeth, Nathan nodded.
“I need you to hold the light so I can see where we’re going. Can you do that?”
“Yeah.”
“If you’re going to pass out, you’ve got to tell me, okay?”
“I’m not going to pass out.” For the first time since Hunter found him, determination overrode the panic and terror in Nathan’s voice. “I can handle it.”
Hunter nodded, keeping a firm look on Nathan. “Yes you can. Ready?”
Nathan reached for Hunter’s shoulder. He grunted as Hunter moved into position, and when Nathan pushed off the rocks and onto Hunter’s back, a painful grunt sounded from Nathan’s chest.
But he held a firm grip around Hunter and kept the light shining forward. Hunter began the scramble back up to the trail, trying hard not to make the pain in Nathan’s leg worse. He couldn’t imagine how the jostling didn’t hurt, but Nathan’s grip remained firm, and the light stayed steady.
Once they reached the top of the boulder field, Hunter hefted them both up. It took his arms pulling, his knees and feet pushing, and every bit of his strength, but he got them safely over the drop and back onto the trail.
One miracle at a time.
Please, God, don’t stop them now . . .
With strength he didn’t know he had, Hunter jogged the trail, making his way to the spot where he’d need to veer off to find the vehicle. Not once did he need his inhaler. It didn’t even occur to him that he might.
