Fallen

“Let’s go,” she said.

They began jogging again, Scarlett’s feet screaming with so much pain she wanted to cry out from the agony of each step, but she didn’t. She wouldn’t let them know. She wouldn’t put her burden on them as they were burdened enough as it was. They moved as fast as possible through the dense woods, but not so fast that they couldn’t see objects in front of them. It would do no one any good to trip and break an ankle.

“Mommy,” Haddie said, pointing ahead where the trees opened. Deep relief fell over Scarlett when they stepped out of the tree cover onto a hiking trail. She pulled both girls to her and let out a soft laugh of triumph. They squeezed her and rejoiced under the light of the moon.

After a few moments, they began walking, traveling on the edge of the trail so that if they needed to seek cover again, they could do so immediately.

“There,” Millie said, and when Scarlett looked where she was pointing, a small sob came up her throat. It was a tall pole next to an enormous pine, an emergency satellite phone box attached to it.

They ran for the phone, Scarlett’s hands shaking as she opened the box, lifting the receiver. A dial tone sounded in her ear and she let out another quiet sob. Scarlett dialed 9-1-1, tears streaking down her face as she told the operator where she was and what she needed. She forced herself to speak clearly, not to give in to the hysteria bubbling inside of her, and to explain that the operator must not alert anyone from the Farrow Sheriff’s Department. State police. Only state police, and on a private channel.

The operator asked her to hold on for a moment and when she came back, she said, “Ma’am, there’s an overturned logging truck on the highway leading to Farrow, and the spot where you are. I’m going to have our officer take the back road. He’ll be there as quickly as possible.”

“Hurry, please hurry.”

Scarlett hung up, taking a few steps and lowering herself carefully to the ground, holding her arms out for Haddie and Millie. They rushed forward, each curling up to her, their heads on her shoulders, hidden in the shadows of the massive tree.

They waited that way until a light cut through the darkness, a person approaching on the trail from below. Scarlett stood quickly, pulling the girls to their feet, and holding her finger to her lips and then indicating they should follow her behind the trunk of the tree.

They huddled there together, Scarlett peeking out, watching as a man in uniform walked closer, squinting up the trail, his flashlight held out in front of him. Haddie pulled at her shirt. “It’s okay, Mommy,” she whispered. “He doesn’t want to hurt us. He’s going to help.”

Scarlett released a gust of breath. “Okay, baby.” They stepped out of the trees and began waving to the officer.

When he caught sight of them, he hurried forward, his eyes moving over the three of them, lingering on Scarlett’s feet for a beat. He put an arm around her shoulders, holding her up. “Don’t worry, ma’am. I’m going to get you three help. Are you able to walk to my car? It’s just about a quarter mile from here. I couldn’t drive any closer.”

She leaned on him. “Yes. Yes. We can walk.”

They began moving down the trail, when a noise sounded in the brush. The officer let go of her, pulling his weapon out and pointing it at the sound. No. No. We’re so close. Please, God. Please. Scarlett stepped back, her heart drumming, drawing the girls close to her side as they took cover behind the officer.

A second later, a man came stumbling out of the trees, his arm wrapped around another man as he supported his weight . Scarlett let out a strangled gasp. “Camden!” She rushed toward them and he opened the arm not around his brother, the ghost of a smile tilting his lips. His brother blinked at her.

“Oh my God! You’ve been shot.” She ran her hand over his chest. So much blood. So much blood. “Oh my God.”

“You made it. You did it,” he breathed, and even through the exhaustion evident in his voice, she also heard the pride.

Tears streaked down her cheeks as she took them in. They both looked half dead, one from his injury, one from fatigue. Cam was shirtless, with his uniform button-up wrapped like a tourniquet around his chest. His brother had a brown leather satchel strapped around his body. “So did you. You both did. Oh my God. Hold on. Hold on for us.”

Camden looked at the man he was leaning heavily on. “His name is Alonzo. He saved my life.”

They’d walked miles and miles. That had to mean Camden would survive his wound. Please. Scarlett reached for Alonzo’s hand and brought it to her cheek. “Thank you, Alonzo. You did so well.”