“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” I tease.
“Let’s get going,” he says, pushing me out of my comfortable position.
A muffled complaint escapes my lips. “Fine,” I sigh. Our chatting has woken the boys and they unwillingly stir.
“Time to get up,” Eric calls cheerily. “I’ll go get breakfast.”
Though I dread the initial act of changing back into hiking gear, I’m more than excited about food. Especially because we saved the best food for today. Warm muesli, using Eric’s microstove to heat the water. We couldn’t bring much fuel, but breakfast and dinner today seemed worthy of it. I can almost feel the warm nuts, seeds, and dried fruit on my tongue. I cling to that sensation as I expose my skin to the outside air.
“We’re at mile six,” Eric announces excitedly, his voice coming in fits and bursts. The boys and I are panting too hard to be able to answer, but I glimpse a small celebratory arm motion from Tal.
“Eric,” I huff. “I need to take a break.”
“Let’s do it,” he agrees, stopping in his tracks. “Does anyone need a snack?”
The boys shake their heads. Tal leans against a small, twisted pine and Bentley collapses to the rocky ground, both of their faces beginning to show signs of exposure.
“Water?” I ask, pulling their hats lower over their foreheads.
They nod gratefully. Eric has been carrying Bentley’s pack since mile three. I’ve been carrying Tal’s since mile five.
“Ready to do this last mile?” Eric asks. “This will take us over the top, and then it’s smooth sailing. We can stop whenever we want after that, though the lower we go, the warmer it will be for camp tonight.”
Though our breathing has returned to normal, no one replies.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” he says, physically pulling Bentley up from the ground. I have no idea how he still has energy to continue urging us onward, but somehow he does it.
When we reach the top, I nearly cry with joy. The relief of reaching a flat surface is so overwhelming that I find myself laughing hysterically.
“Whoa,” Eric says, “keep walking and breathe deeply. I think you might be reacting a little bit to the lack of oxygen.”
“I’m…just so happy...to be done,” I stammer.
“I know,” he laughs, taking in my euphoric expression. “Just keep moving a little bit so I don’t have to worry about you.”
I nod.
“Actually, let’s just take it slow until we get back below the tree-line. No sense in stopping up here where our bodies aren’t acclimated.”
We follow Eric as he checks the map, leading us in a slow zig-zag down the other side of the mountain. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a flash of blue. Unsure of what is happening, I stop, attempting to make sense of what just happened. Tal is screaming on the ground in front of Eric, gripping his leg. I rush to him, but Eric gets there first.
“Tal, deep breaths, buddy. We can’t have you passing out.”
I can see that he’s trying to follow Eric’s instructions, but he physically can’t stop shrieking. Something is really wrong.
“Tal, I need to assess the damage before it swells. Kate, can you grab the icegel in the bottom compartment of my pack?”
Of course he thought of first aid essentials. My fingers fumble with the zipper, but eventually I am able to pull out the pack and crack it. Holding it under Tal’s shaking hands, Eric begins to press slowly down the length of his leg, starting at the ankle. As he moves higher, Tal’s voice becomes more high pitched.
“Okay, okay. I know it hurts. Just a little further. I’m being as gentle as I possibly can.”
Tal nods, his face dripping in sweat.
“Kate, can you hand my one of those chewable pain relievers? They should be in a bag under where you got the pack. Sorry, I should have thought of that first.”
I again reach into the pack and retrieve the small foil packet. Pressing one of the pouches, I accidentally pop the tablet out and it falls into the dirt. Picking it up quickly, I blow on it, then hand it to Eric.
“Put this under your tongue and press down,” Eric instructs Tal, and he does as he’s told. Eric waits patiently while the drug takes effect. While it doesn’t completely kill the pain, it at least allows Tal to breathe normally.
“Okay, Tal. I have to feel your bone right where it hurts. I’ll make it quick, but I want you to take a deep breath when I count to three, alright?”
Tal nods nervously.
“One, two, three—”
Tal inhales sharply and Eric—his hand already up Tal’s pant leg—presses quickly against the bone. Tal groans.
Eric’s grim face tells me all I need to know. “I’m not going to mince words with you, Tal. You broke your tibia. It’s displaced—I can feel the two pieces of bone and they’re not properly aligned.” He sighs, closing his eyes. “I haven’t done this in a long time, but remember when I hurt my arm falling off of that ladder last year?”
Tal nods.
“I had to fix that and I figured out how to do it. I think we need to reset your bone and splint it. It’s going to hurt a lot, but hopefully then the pain will be much more manageable and the bones will heal properly. Do you trust me to try?”
Tal nods again, his lower lip shaking, tears streaming out of his eyes. Bentley’s face is nearly colorless as he watches from a few feet away. Noticing him for the first time, I rush to him and pull him to me.
“It’s going to be okay,” I whisper. “Dad knows how to do this.”
“Kate,” Eric calls. “I’m going to need your help.”
With shaking hands, I follow Eric’s directions. Tears stream down my face as I grip Tal’s arms and hold them tightly across his chest. Tal’s eyes—red and swollen—are closed, and, while the medicine has helped him calm somewhat, small whimpers still escape his lips.
“On the count of three, I’m going to pull the bone back into place,” Eric says gently, meeting my eyes and giving me a serious expression that silently communicates: This is going to hurt, hold him tight.
I hold.
Eric pulls.
Tal screams.
Chapter 113
“We aren’t going to be able to make it,” I whisper to Eric, our faces inches from each other. Though he doesn’t answer, I can almost hear his brain troubleshooting. “Tal’s too heavy for one of us to carry him. We still have seventeen miles…”
“We could trade off,” he suggests, but his tone indicates that he knows it’s not a viable option. Tal’s breathing is shallow and labored next to me. The shock of the injury, along with the aftermath, was too much for him to bear. He passed out before we could finish splinting his leg. My initial reaction was to wake him up, but when Eric confirmed that all of his vitals were normal—if slightly stressed—we decided to let him sleep.
“I need to send a message to Jessica,” I say. Even as the words leave my lips, I feel like a coward. There’s literally nothing she can do for us. Why would I put that stress on her shoulders? Yet, lying here and feeling completely helpless doesn’t seem like a sustainable situation either.
“Let me,” Eric says. “I have an idea.”
“What is it?” I ask, taken aback.
“Is it okay if I don’t want to talk about it?” he sighs.
“Not really…” I respond, slightly annoyed by his comment.
He turns away from me, which only angers me further. “Eric, seriously? I asked a simple question.”
“Kate,” he sighs, “I’m just maxed out and I want to go to sleep. Can we talk about it tomorrow?”
“It doesn’t seem like time is really—”
“I can send a message tonight and explain it later, if it works.”
“Fine,” I say, thrusting the sensor into his hand and turning away from him this time. Even as I do it, I feel ridiculous, but I can’t bring myself to be vulnerable. Everything is spinning so quickly out of control that I find myself becoming rigid and inflexible. Ra
tionally, I know that reacting this way isn’t helpful, but my emotions are so strong that they’re difficult to ignore. My breath comes quickly as I try to reign it in. Very rarely have I felt my anger flare like this. What is happening to me? Tears spring to my eyes and, in that instant, the energy pours out of me. Crying relieves the pressure in my chest and I give into it.
Eric’s hands slide over my shaking shoulders, and he pulls me close.
“I’m sorry,” he says.
“You don’t need to be sorry, I’m the one—” I stammer, but can’t quite finish my thought.
“Shhh, it’s okay. We’ve all had a really stressful night.”
We hold each other in silence—with an occasional sob—until my breathing returns to normal. Wiping my nose and eyes on my hands, and then on my pants, I turn again to face Eric.
“Did you send it?”
“I did.”
“Okay,” I say softly.
Eric’s fingers play with my hair as I drift to sleep.
Blinking awake, the previous evening rushes back to me and I startle, looking for Tal. He is still sleeping peacefully and I breathe a sigh of relief. Eric is gone, as is Bentley, and I quickly get dressed and step outside the tent. The tree bag is down, but I don’t see them.
Rummaging through the bag, I find a quick breakfast. My body nearly revolts when I place the same food that we’ve been eating for three days to my tongue, but I force it down. Without new information, I have no idea what to do next. My curiosity gets the better of me, and I quietly return to the tent.
Carefully lifting Tal’s sheet, I expose his right leg, finding it bruised and swollen. It looks awful. Panic rises in my chest as my mind immediately brings to life every negative outcome. Maybe the bone isn’t set right and he’ll never walk correctly again. Maybe it will get infected and he’ll lose it. He won’t be able to survive out here with only one leg, will he? Maybe the infection will spread…Stop! I command. Right now. That’s all that matters.
Suddenly, I hear voices. They seem afar off, but one is high pitched. Could it be Bentley? Replacing his pant leg and sheet, I silently scurry out of the tent, trying to find where the sounds are coming from. After a few interminably long minutes, I see figures appearing through the trees.
It’s Eric and Bentley, but there is someone else with them. A woman with long blond hair. Jessica? How is that possible? The hair on my neck prickles, and I can’t force myself to move, so I stare until they get closer. Eric meets my eyes with an uneasy expression, only making me feel more unsettled. When he sees me, Bentley runs to greet me with a hug, which serves as a perfect distraction.
“You’re awake!” Bentley exclaims.
“I am,” I answer, laughing at the relief of having something to do. I stretch out the embrace, not knowing if I’m ready to join the discussion that is sure to happen when I resurface. Finally, I stand. Eric and the strange woman are facing me, and for some reason, it seems like I’m interrupting by joining them. Bentley runs off to find Tal.
“Bent, he’s still sleeping!” I call after him, but it doesn’t do much good. Hopefully it will at least make him tread carefully as he enters the tent.
Eric laughs and reaches for me.
“Where have you been?” I ask, more sure of myself now that his hand is in mine.
“I’m sorry, I got the message early this morning and I didn’t want to wake you. I knew we would be awhile.”
“And Bent—”
“I couldn’t sneak past him. He insisted on coming. Kate,” he says, motioning toward the woman, “this is Val.”
“Hi,” I greet her, extending my hand. Unexpectedly, she pulls me into a warm hug.
“So glad to finally meet you,” she says.
Smiling—how could I not smile after a greeting like that—I turn in bewilderment to Eric.
Almost apologetically, he explains, “Val and I became good friends when I was in Tier 2. She helped me through a lot. That was my message to Jessica last night. I knew that we wouldn’t have any help from Tier 1, but I hoped that if I could somehow get a secure message to Val, she may have the connections to be able to help.”
“It was perfect timing, actually,” Val jumps in. “I was supposed to be going outside of the city to visit another farm. Unfortunately, that means that you’ll have to come with me on that run, but fortunately...we have a vehicle, so no more walking.”
“Aren’t you taking a risk—” I start.
“A risk worth taking,” she interjects. “But we do need to hurry. I don’t mean to rush you, but I don’t want to raise any red flags by being gone too much longer than expected.”
“Won’t they be tracking your location?” I ask.
“This is Tier 2,” Val laughs, “and I have a squeaky clean record. Nobody will be checking if I don’t give them a reason to.”
I nod. “Well let’s get going then,” I say gratefully. “How far to the car?”
“About a fifteen minute walk. We couldn’t get it all the way up here, but we came fairly close,” Eric explains. “I’ll give you more details when we’re driving.”
We scurry around packing our things, helping Tal get comfortable. Val brought some medication that should significantly help his pain, but it hasn’t kicked in. Though he is trying to be brave, the grimace on his face communicates his level of true discomfort. Within fifteen minutes, our packs are loaded and cinched.
“Kate, what do you think about me carrying Tal on my chest, with his leg extended behind me. You could support the splint while we walk?”
“It sounds doable,” I say. “Since we are on a decline, you will have to go slow.”
He nods. “Let’s try it out. If it isn’t working, we can figure something else out.”
“I can help Bentley,” Val offers, and I thank her.
Together, we begin the short but arduous trek to the vehicle. Eric’s plan works fairly well, but it’s nearly impossible to keep Tal’s leg steady. Eric’s gait is longer than mine and even when I try to mimic it, we still somehow get out of sync. Tal doesn’t complain, though I know it can’t be comfortable. Hopefully the medication is at least active in his system at this point.
Our fifteen minute walk turned into about twenty-five with our slower pace and frequent stops to readjust and rest Eric’s arms, but we finally arrive. This is hardly a car, more of a utility vehicle. I had wondered how we were all going to fit, but am grateful I didn’t voice my concerns.
Eric lifts Tal into the back storage area, making him as comfortable as possible. Tal’s eyelids droop and he rests his forehead—slick with sweat—on his pack that Eric props next to him.
“Is he okay?” I ask worriedly.
“Drowsiness is a side-effect of the medication,” Val explains. “We will get him the help he needs as soon as possible. I’m sorry we can’t go straight there.”
“No, no apologies needed. Thank you so much for coming,” I say, truly meaning every word. I don’t know what we would have done without her.
“I know it’s not very comfortable back there, but I will need you all to stay in the back cab. Though I don’t expect to be interrupted on the drive, I think it’s safer. We have about a thirty minute drive down to sea level and then another thirty minutes or so to my agricultural stop. I will make my assessment as quickly as possible, and then it will be approximately an hour and fifteen back to my facility. I have made arrangements for us there.”
We nod appreciatively and climb into the back, grateful to be sitting, even if it is on a metal slab.
“Eric, message me if you need anything,” she says, moving to the driver's seat.
I look at Eric in concern. “Is she—”
“Yep. This is not a self-driving car.”
My jaw drops.
“Tier 2, remember?” Eric laughs, giving me a boost.
Chapter 114
“Okay, I want to hear everything. Start from when you sent the message last night,” I demand good naturedly. Bentley sits at my side, stret
ching out his legs. Tal is already asleep across from us.
Eric puts his hands up in surrender after slumping next to Tal. “Alright, alright. Let’s see...Right, so you were angry with me because—”
“Skip that part,” I say, smacking his arm. “That was before the message.”
He laughs. “I sent the message to Jessica—”
“What did it say?”
“Here, you can read it,” he offers, handing me the sensor. Bentley stretches his head to read over my shoulder. Pulling up archived messages, I find it.
Jessica, this is Eric, Kate’s pair. We are in a bit of a situation. I’m hoping I have enough signal here to reach you. I need to contact a woman in Tier 2: Val Daye. She is an agricultural specialist. Shouldn’t be difficult to track down. I don’t know if this is possible, or if I will need to transmit the message through you. Just let me know what works best. Thank you for everything.
--Eric
Her reply shows at 4:30am
Eric, got it. I’ve tapped Val into this line. Go ahead and reply with whatever message you need to transmit. Hope you are safe.
--Jessica
4:35am
Hey Val, this is Eric. I know I am probably the last person you would be expecting to hear from, but I need your help. It’s a long story, but my family and I have been making our way to Tier 2 and my son Tal broke his leg yesterday. He’s stable, but we need help. I’ve attached our coordinates. I don’t think there’s any way we can make it to the border by our deadline without help. Please don’t feel like you need to put yourself at risk—you’ve taken enough risk on my account already—but if there is anything you can do under the radar, please let me know. Thank you, Val, and I’m sorry to always be the one asking.
--Eric
I read this message again. He said that they were good friends...remembering the energy I felt earlier and then reading this, I can’t help but wonder if they were closer than that. A hint of jealousy surfaces, but I quickly push it away. How dare I make any assumptions or judgements when we were both living with false memories. Eric hasn’t said a word about Nick and me, and we had children together. A deep sadness opens within me, not only for my loss, but for the realization that I haven’t asked. Not once did I ask Eric about his loss, about the people he may have had to leave behind. My selfishness is staggering. Tears sting my eyes as I read the last messages in the thread.
Tier Trilogy: Books 1-3 Page 58