Marshall playfully bobbed his eyebrows up and down. “Pretty sure our moms planned burritos for tonight’s supper.”
Laughter erupted out of me. Maybe it was the hunger and fatigue mixed with the stress of the unusual last two days, but regardless, I laughed uncontrollably and had to drop to my knees. Marshall and his Mexican food! My stomach muscles started to ache from hysterical laughing. “You–” I tried to say, but was cut off by my own giggle.
Swallowing a couple more giggles, I tried again, “You sure don’t want to be late for that meal!”
Marshall was doubled over laughing too, but between fits of laughter, he managed to say, “It’s the best food anywhere, especially when your mom dices up jalapenos.”
“It is good,” I agreed with him, “but I never knew food could be such a motivator!” I took a few breaths as the laughter subsided. “Wow, I’m not sure why that struck me as so hilarious, but it sure was good to laugh!”
Marshall’s laughter dwindled into a final chuckle and he nodded his head, “Yeah, laughing is good.”
“What’s so funny over there?” Sawyer called.
Marshall erupted again, and I supported my tired abdominal muscles with a hand. Hunching over, I socked Marshall’s shoulder and then made my way over to Sawyer and Ellie.
“Burrito night,” I finally squeaked in explanation. “Marshall is hoping we make it in time for our moms’ burritos.”
Sawyer threw his head back in laugher, and Ellie shook her head with an amused smile. “Here we are stranded on the side of a mountain with two injured hikers, and your priority is supper?” Ellie teased.
“Food is my motivator. Hey, I’m growing!” Marshall shrugged with a comical glint in his eyes. Changing topic with a tilt of his head, Marshall asked Ellie, “What did you do to Sawyer’s leg? It looks like you built him a cast.”
Ellie nicely explained that by wrapping his lower leg with tape, she hoped to provide support for his fatiguing muscles. “We don’t want the injury to progress, so I hope this works,” she added quietly. I could tell from her tone she was worried that Sawyer might soon be in a similar condition to Lydie.
Wanting to lighten the mood, I suggested, “Maybe you could tape Marshall’s stomach until we get some supper in him.”
“Now you’re talking!” Marshall exclaimed. Sawyer and Ellie cracked up and Marshall jokingly reached for the tape.
After another minute, Sawyer pointed to the topographic map draped across his lap. “We camped here,” tapping his finger to show us, “and we’re here now,” he said as he dragged his finger about six inches on the quadrant. “The ranger station is there, and it’s 11:05 right now. If we can continue at the pace we had this morning, I think we will arrive about 4:00 this afternoon.”
“Do you think we can continue the same pace, Bro? Seriously, is your leg up to it?” Marshall quietly inquired.
“All I can do is pray and keep taking one step at a time,” Sawyer squarely said. “But I have to keep going. I will do everything in my power to get you girls back to your parents, and Lydie to the hospital. When this is all over, I’ll kick myself for years to come for dragging you into this dangerous scenario. But right now, my focus is getting you to safety. I should never have brought us on this–” he was cut short by Ellie, who gently placed a hand on Sawyer’s shoulder.
“Sawyer, we wanted to come. We agreed to join you. Don’t beat yourself up over this. I’ll even tell your parents that the natural consequences of the avalanche have been a suitable enough discipline and no further reprimands are necessary,” Marshall and I laughed at Ellie’s determination of how Sawyer should be punished for his idea of our moonlit summit. Wow. Ellie had her perfect opportunity to chew out Sawyer, but she chose to build him up instead. Good going, Sis! I thought.
Based on the rapport between Ellie and Sawyer the last two days, I expected him to gaze at her again, but instead he hung his head and was silent.
Deciding I should check on Lydie and give Sawyer some space, I rubbed his shoulder in a sisterly way and said, “Captain, I’m going to check on Lydie. Whenever we need to load up again and go, let me know and I’ll wake her.”
I wondered what Sawyer was thinking. Did he feel unworthy now to be called Captain? Was he mad at himself? Disappointed in us? I didn’t have a clue how to handle his emotions, so as I made my way toward Lydie, I was relieved when Marshall joined me so I could ask him.
“Was that totally the wrong thing to say, Marshall? Did I sound sarcastic? Do you think I made him feel like a failure? I was trying to build him up, but what if I came across as patronizing?” I quickly asked.
Marshall shook his head, “No, Marlee. Actually I came to thank you for handling that perfectly. You knew that he needed space, and you knew that he needed to hear something positive. You said just the right thing, as always.”
“Phew, am I glad to hear that. Thanks,” I sighed.
About eight feet in front of us, Lydie stirred in her sleep, so we stopped walking and looked at each other. “Marlee,” whispered Marshall, “can I tell you something?” I noticed for the first time that Marshall’s eyes looked dull, not as much as Lydie’s, but concern washed over me.
“Anything,” I nodded.
“Please don’t worry. But someone needs to know that I’m not doing very well. Remember how you were yesterday? Headache, weak? I feel like I’m beginning to reach that point now,” Marshall confided.
As he spoke, his expression reminded me of how I felt yesterday before the stick was removed from my head. “We really should have packed more electrolytes,” I muttered in frustration. “Let me ask Ellie if we have any electrolyte solutions in the first aid kit,” I rapidly thought.
I figured Marshall would stop me, so when he slouched against a tree near Lydie, I realized how quickly he was deteriorating. It couldn’t have been 15 minutes ago we were laughing our heads off about burritos, and now he was weakening faster than a flower wilting in the hot sun.
“Hey, El,” I said as I returned to her and Sawyer, who was looking a bit perkier, “I wondered if we have any electrolyte solutions in the first aid kit. I just thought with no food or snacks, we should probably each have some.” I sounded so calm that I surprised myself. I felt like God had put the words and easy tone in my mouth for me.
Ellie mock-slapped her forehead, “I can’t believe I didn’t think of that! How stupid! I should have had us all take some first thing this morning!”
Now it was Sawyer’s turn to encourage. “You probably did think of it, but decided to wait until the last resort. You’re right, Marlee, we should each have electrolytes. I’ll test out my taped leg, hope it works better than the action figure from my fifth birthday when his leg had to be taped, and mix each of us a liter.” Ellie and I smiled when he mentioned the broken toy, and I watched in awe as he practiced standing on his sore leg and gathered water bottles. He sure was strong, physically and spiritually.
One glance at Ellie told me that she was thinking the same thing. It was exciting to see Sawyer and Ellie working together so well, and even admiring each other! I playfully elbowed her and waggled my eyebrows, which made her blush and fight a smile.
A moment later Sawyer delivered us two bottles with the electrolyte solution mixed into our water. I intended to slowly sip on the mineral-loaded water, but my thirst and hunger took over, and I had guzzled over half the liter within a few seconds. “Slow down, Marlee,” Ellie cautioned. “Rehydrate too quickly and you’ll make yourself sick.”
I nodded, remembering a time when I had rehydrated too quickly after a hot hike. That time my stomach let me know I had made a mistake – painfully and visibly! I appreciated Ellie warning me instead of me needing to dart off trail to be sick.
Meanwhile, we watched from a distance as Sawyer and Marshall each sipped their electrolyte solutions. It was impressive to see how quickly it helped perk up Marshall. I was glad for the quick turnaround, but scared of what would happen in the next few hours. What we were drinking now was the last of our electrolytes. Sure, we had plenty of water with the nearby streams and our water filter, but we all knew that all water and no food, or at least electrolytes, would further weaken us. I was making every effort to ignore the dull headache threatening to take control over my positive mood. I had no doubts that the others were battling similar symptoms. Lydie was still resting, and Sawyer turned around and motioned us to come.
Ellie stood first and held out her hand to help me up. Yikes, that half liter feels like a melon in my stomach! Good thing Ellie told me to slow down. I would be careful to sip the rest over the period of the next few hours.
“Since Lydie is resting and we’re all perking up thanks to tape, electrolytes and God, maybe we ought to pack up and head out. We can probably load Lydie so smoothly she’ll keep sleeping, and I like the idea of her being able to rest until we find help,” Sawyer stated.
Marshall nodded, and I noticed his eyes looked brighter. ‘Thank you,’ he silently mouthed to me, and I smiled. I thanked God that Marshall told me he was wilting so we could take action before he collapsed. Thinking of God reminded me that we should really pray again. When I suggested it, Sawyer asked Marshall to lead us in prayer. I could tell that he wasn’t as confident as his brother, or even Lydie, at praying aloud, but he was sincere.
“Girls, would you please pack up the first aid kit and re-gather our packs? Marshall and I will lift Lydie back onto the stretcher. Let’s keep her water bottle with her for when she wakes up,” Sawyer instructed.
