The Challenge(17)

Justin had another thought and looked at his younger brother with concern. “How are you with your pump? How much have you got left?” Justin knew from classes he had taken in order to help his brother that Noel’s pump would last three days, and no more. After that he would slip into a coma. Without insulin in the pump, he would die.

“I’m okay,” Noel said in a low voice, embarrassed to have his frailty revealed so openly. “I’ve got about two days left in it. We’ll be home by then.”

“You don’t have a spare with you?” Justin asked, looking tense, and Noel shook his head. It added another element of drama to the situation. “You know you’re always supposed to carry one. Why the hell didn’t you?”

“I didn’t think we’d be out overnight, or that we’d get stuck up here!” he shouted back at his brother. At worst, they’d be found by morning, and he had two days left. It was worrisome, but it wasn’t a disaster…yet.

Unconsciously, Matt pulled Benjie close to him and put an arm around him, while Juliet moved nearer to Peter. Benjie suddenly seemed so little, like such a baby. He was only six, and had been a good sport all afternoon as they hiked up the mountain with the flood rushing past them, getting more and more lost. They should never have crossed the riverbed, even if it was dry. They all knew better. They lived in the mountains. They knew what one should and shouldn’t do when hiking, and the risks of Granite Peak at the upper elevations with unexpected crevasses and sheer drops. They had forgotten all of it that afternoon, in a festive mood, sure that they were safe, and excited by the adventure. None of them had hesitated or sensed potential danger.

As night fell, they still hadn’t decided if it was best to continue up the mountain or head down. Peter and Justin still thought they would get above the flood, but the others were afraid to go up any farther. And heading down, they would run into the overflowing riverbanks, which seemed even worse, especially at night. The rain had started again and was coming down heavily. Juliet found an empty cup in her backpack, which she had brought for Benjie, and she set it on a rock to gather rainwater. It started to fill quickly. They passed the water bottle around again, and each took a careful sip. Juliet cut several small pieces out of one of the sandwiches, and everyone took one, and she carefully rewrapped the rest. They needed to take care with the supplies they had, since they had no idea how long they’d be there. They were grateful she had thought to bring anything with her on the hike. Without that, they’d be starving, and very thirsty.

“What if we get attacked by wolves?” Benjie screamed as it got darker.

“We won’t,” Matt said, sounding nervous and trying not to, to reassure his brother. “They don’t attack people.” But they all knew wolves did, particularly if they were hungry or desperate themselves, which they would be after a dry summer. And it was cub season. Many of the animals on the mountain would be protecting their young from hunger and the flood.

“Or a bear!” Benjie offered as an alternative, and they all laughed nervously at the way he said it. But that was a distinct possibility if they stumbled on a bear who felt a threat to herself or her cubs.

“Or an elephant!” Justin added to lighten the moment, and even Benjie laughed.

“They don’t have ephelants up here,” Benjie said with a knowing look. “But tigers maybe.” Or an elk or a moose, even an antelope. There were said to be bison on the mountain, but none of them had ever seen one. Getting charged by one didn’t sound too appealing.

“What if we try to find a cave to sleep in tonight?” Tim suggested.

“Not if there’s a bear in it,” Peter answered. “I think all we can do is sit under the trees tonight, try and stay as dry as we can, and get moving again in the morning. If we stay on one of the trails, they’ll find us tomorrow after first light.” But which one? Up? Down? Or a trail they hadn’t found yet?

“We should take turns keeping watch. One of us should be awake all night. Let’s take it in turns for an hour each, just to make sure we’re not all asleep if a bear wanders by.” It was Peter’s idea and they all agreed that he was right. Juliet had an alarm on her watch and set it for an hour later. Matt volunteered to take the first watch. They were hungry and tired, and they wanted more water but were afraid to drink too much. The rain had stopped by eight o’clock, and they huddled together like puppies to keep warm in the chill mountain air. It was going to be a long night, but they all agreed that by morning they would be found. It would be an adventure they would remember forever. The night they could have been eaten by a bear on Granite Peak.

“We could call this the Granite Peak Challenge!” Matt said, looking excited, and Peter laughed.

“Or the Challenge! We could make it an annual event.”

“I’m not signing up for the next one,” Noel said. It had seemed like such a good idea when they decided to have a picnic at the waterfall, and then cross the riverbed when they found it dry. Who knew there would be a flash flood, and they’d get stranded up here?

“They’ll think we’re heroes and call our names out at the rodeo,” Benjie said and liked the idea as he cuddled up to his brother.

“I’d rather not be a hero and be home in bed,” Tim said, wondering if his father would be impressed the next time he called and Tim told him about spending a night on the mountain. His father always liked demonstrations of manhood.