Summer Hike - Part 4

Vivie's gaining speed down the switchback trail that will soon swallow her up in the pines flanking the hill. Bonnie and I take a rest, with our packs off, to survey and figure out the terrain ahead of us.  My bandanna gets another soaking of water and I reknot it around my neck, feel its cool touch there.

"I think I can already hear the river.  Sounds like rapids are pretty big still.  This is August and it's still going strong.  Must be a fall, right?  Odd it's so strong with the drought and dry weather." I was puzzled.

"We'll see.  I think it's just beautiful here.  Feels like we have the whole world to ourselves," Bonnie is peaceful, happy to take a breather after the uphill five miles.  I hand her a piece of jerky and offer her a bite of my apple.  I like to pack fresh stuff like apples for the first night when I hike.  I have a collapsible pole to  cast for fish later at dusk.  She hands over a bagel chunk and raisins.  We sip our water and fall into silence.

Vivie is now out of sight in the pines.  She's got energy to burn today, the fittest of us.

"Let's go, Toob.  Viv's gotten away again.  I think she plugged into some nuclear energy plant."  I rise and shoulder my pack, adjust the hip belt.  "See those clouds over there?

"Yeah."

"Think we'll get rain?"

"Could."

"I think they've gotten bigger or more of them since we first started out.  Might just be rain up high there, but let's keep an eye on them.  Ready?"

"Yeah.  Ready.  That was a nice break.  Let's go find Vivie."

Bonnie set off ahead of me this time, her ponytail swinging gently with her strides.  Downhill felt good.  The dust and pebbles sounded dull underfoot.  The trail was gently winding back and forth on the downhill and we were striding along, lost in our own thoughts.  Suddenly Bonnie pulled up.  I nearly piled into her.

"I think I heard something.  It sounded like a scream.  Did you hear anything?"  Bonnie' head was tilted up, concentrating on any sound she could hear, intense in her focus, eyes closed.

"No.  Are you sure?  I was just thinking about..."  She cut me off with a wave of her hand.

"There.  I heard something.  I think Vivie's in trouble.  Hurry!"  She took off with a new energy she hadn't shown before.  I could barely keep up, but my mind began to race.  It looked like we had about a quarter mile to get to the pines where we'd last seen Vivie.  We moved quickly down, adrenaline giving us wings.  Bonnie began to call out.

"Vivie, you there?  Vivie!"  No answer.  No sound at all when we stopped to listen.  It was very quiet.