Zander

Zander hadn’t waited to hear more after Megan’s declaration of defeat. His pulse had been hammering too loud to make out words after that point anyway. He didn’t even deem a response. Besides, what could he say? He’d ruined everything, including himself. Something had snapped within him, and an insatiable need to flee took over.

He was on the verge of breaking down and all he knew was that he needed to be alone when he did. He could barely face his own weakness, but having Megan witness it would be unbearable. A twisting emptiness filled his heart, fueling him on, and he was desperate to outrun it.

Zander had a vague recollection that his feet were carrying him upward as he scrabbled up the steep terrain. He could hear the rush of the waterfall growing near, but its sound was nothing beyond the screaming turmoil that was echoing in his skull. He pushed harder, punishing himself. Heart, lungs, muscles—they all must pay for his inadequacies. He needed something to hurt worse than the brokenness inside him.

Physical pain was something he knew, something he could master. Pain centered him. It gave him something to focus on. It was all he thought of as he charged up the side of the sheer mountain running dangerously close to the waterfall.

Megan

“Where are you going?” Megan shouted after Zander.

He’d fled like a spooked deer, bounding up the mountain away from her.

“I’d like to point out that you’re the one leaving!” she called.

Stubborn Irish bastard.

“People always leave, my ass,” she grumbled under her breath.

Zander had another thing coming if he thought he was going to add her name to his list of deserters. She tied the laces of her boots tighter and charged after him.

* * *

Megan’s progress up the slick rocks was painfully slow. She was still trying to figure out how Zander had made it look so easy when she heard a bone-shattering scream.

Her heart jumped to her throat. “Zander!”

His answer was another gut-wrenching cry that sent a chill racing down her spin.

She doubled her efforts, her lungs burning as she scrambled up the rocks as if chased by a demon. By the time she got to him, her fingers were bloody and raw from gripping the unforgiving terrain.

Zander lay on his back, a gash dripping blood from just above his eyebrow. But the worst of it was his leg. It jutted out at an impossible angle and he writhed in pain trying to unpin it from the rocks that weighed it down.

“Zander!” Megan rushed to his side. “My God! What happened?”

He grunted, unable to get words out through his gritted teeth as he shoved at the rocks that trapped him.

“Stop moving! Let me help you.”

Slowly, Megan worked at the rocks, cringing each time Zander screamed in pain. When his leg was finally free the relief she expected didn’t come. Blood pooled around his ankle and it was clear that his injury was severe.

“Can you stand?” she asked.

Zander tried and failed. Megan steadied him, putting her shoulder beneath his arm. But even with her supporting his full weight, Zander could barely manage to stay upright for more than a minute at a time. It became apparently clear that Zander wouldn’t be able to walk out of forest on his own, and Megan feared her help wouldn’t be enough.

Mist from the waterfall cloaked them like a fine silk, making the mossy rocks even slicker. Megan had barely been able to manage the climb on her own. There was no way she could do it supporting Zander’s massive frame and he knew it.

Panting, Zander sat down, leaning against the damp mountainside. “There’s an access road about two miles from the base of the waterfall.”

“No!” Megan objected. “I’m not leaving you.”

“Ye have to. I’m not gonna make it down the mountain.”

“You just need to catch your breath. We’re making progress,” she argued.

Zander shook his head and Megan’s hope weakened as she realized they’d only traveled a few feet from where she’d found him. They were probably somewhere near the middle of the falls. Climbing up wasn’t an option on his leg, and down wasn’t much better.

Zander continued. “When ye get to the base of the falls there’s a trail. Follow it to the road. It’ll take ye back to the ranger station. It’s a far hike, but if we’re lucky there could be a ranger patrolling the road.”

“No, Zander! I’m not leaving you.” How could she when he’d just admitted his biggest fear was abandonment? If she walked out on him now there’s no telling the emotional turmoil he’d suffer.

Zander closed his eyes tightly. Megan could tell he was fighting against the pain that must be eating him alive—from his injuries and the prospects of being left behind. “Megan.” He said her name like a plea. “Ye have to go.”

“It’s better if we stay together. Someone will come.”

“No. They won’t.”

“They will! We’re near the falls. It’s a tourist attraction.”

“Not in February,” he muttered.

“Then Sam and Devon. They’ll send someone when they don’t hear from us.”

“Not in time. We’re not due back for another day, we have no cellphone service and my leg . . .” he swallowed. “It’s bad, Megan. Ye have to go for help.”

“I’m not leaving.”

“If ye don’t—”

“No!” she yelled. “If you think we’re going to fail then we will. You have to stay positive.”

Zander closed his eyes again and leaned his head back, grunting as he tried to find relief, shifting his weight further from his injured leg. Megan’s heart was tearing itself in two. She couldn’t stand to watch him suffer. She knelt close to him taking his cheeks in her battered hands. She didn’t know what to do to take the pain away but she was desperate to do something. Megan pressed her lips to his forehead. “I can’t leave you,” she whispered.

Zander opened his pain-shot eyes, giving her a long, pleading look. He pulled her toward him and kissed her lips. “Please,” he begged. “Please go, Megan.”

Tears welled in her eyes as the mist turned to rain. Their situation was getting worse by the minute. Zander wasn’t wearing a jacket and their packs had been left behind—cast aside in the heat of their argument. The sun was already making its descent. Even if someone did come, it wouldn’t be until morning, and Megan and Zander’s odds of surviving the night weren’t great. He was right—she had to find help.

“Okay,” she whispered. “But I’m coming back.”

“I know.” But his eyes said he didn’t believe it.

“I am, Zander. I promise.”

Zander

Before Megan left, she’d insisted on finding Zander a more sheltered spot to wait out the rain that had turned from a fine mist to raging downpour. It had been absolute agony trying to move the few yards to the rocky overhang she’d found, but at least it was dry.

Zander wiped his mouth as he leaned back against the cold cave-like outcropping. He had vomited twice from the pain trying to get there. He was almost certain the gash to his shin was deep enough to reach bone, but the searing pain that radiated through his knee was worse. It had finally given out when he was blindly charging up the mountain.

When his knee buckled, he’d heard a sickening pop. Something snapped and the sudden pain had made him lose his footing. He tumbled down the steep ridge, sending an avalanche of stone behind him. He was lucky to be alive, or perhaps unlucky. Zander could feel death waiting to steal him.

There was no way he and Megan would survive a night in the elements without proper shelter. He didn’t even have a jacket and his clothes were soaked through from the rain. Hypothermia was a very real risk in this situation.

But he’d be damned if his stupidity would cost Megan. He needed to get her to leave him. If she kept moving, it would keep her core temperature up and there was hope that she’d make it to shelter.

“Megan, ye need to go, now. Yer losing light.”

She stilled. She’s been doting on him, cleaning the wound on his head with the soft lining of her glove. He knew she was procrastinating.

Her face was etched with worry. “What if I can’t find my way back?”

“Ye will.”

She looked at their surroundings, doubt swimming in her beautiful blue eyes. Suddenly, she pulled off her boots and tugged off her red socks. “I’ll leave pieces of these behind.”

Zander did his best to give her an encouraging smile. “Good. Now get going.”

Megan leaned in, wrapping her arms around him one last time.

Zander tried to memorize her touch.

“I’ll come back,” she whispered desperately.

“I know.”

She kissed his forehead lightly and shrugged out of her jacket, draping it over his chest.

“No, Megan. Take it with ye.”

“You can give it to me when I come back,” she murmured before backing out of the overhang.

Zander’s heart hammered as they stared at each other for a long moment. And then she was gone.