The jungle had thinned around them and the forest floor had changed over to large slabs of rock interwoven with some tall grasses. The older blond checked the crinkled map again. They were in the middle of the National Park, far away from any roads or city. Matthew was hoping to keep them away from all urbanization until the hit Mexico City and he could get them to the American consulate.

They'd been hiking uphill for a few hours which Matthew expected from the route he had planned out. But god, was it a rough hike. They crested another hill then stepped into the sky. Blue stretched out on either side of them. Green hills faded in the difference. White clouds slept in the sky above them. Matthew didn't think he had ever seen so much world all at one time. The massive canyon split open the world below them.

"It's beautiful, but..." Alfred paused.

"Depressing?" Matthew finished the thought.

"Yeah," Alfred sighed.

The two continued staring out at the world. A breeze licked at the sweat clinging to the back of his neck. If Matthew was more of an optimist he'd say that the small blue-ish rectangles were the outline of Mexico City in the distance. A cloud passed overhead. The darkened world spurred both boys into movement again.

Matthew's eyes flickered along the gulf trying to spot a good way down. Eventually he found a deer trail cutting through the grass. The boys set off along it slowly heading down into the canyon.

His shirt was soaked with sweat. He wanted a glass of water more now than he wanted after eating a spoon of peanut butter. A really large glass of water with a straw, big hunks of ice and condensation dripping off the side. The teenager's mouth watered.

Alfred's breathing was labored, but that could be because he'd been talking for the last hour. The last time Matthew tuned in Alfred was going on about the possibility of building wings out of branches and grass so they could fly home. Anyone else would mistake Alfred's rambling for dehydration Matthew knew better.

But they did really needed water. It was wicked hot and both of them were sweating like beasts. Matthew slid himself down the side of a rock face. His hands burned as he slowed his descent. He didn't notice the crashing sound of water at first too lost in his daydreams. It was Alfred that broke his visions of tall, dripping, icy glasses of water for the real thing.

"Listen!" Alfred gasped, "That's water!"

The younger boy pushed around him, moving faster than Matt for the first time all day. Matthew chased him down the side of the slope. The sides of the ravine obscured his sight of the river at the bottom. Short piney trees sprung up as the sound of the river got louder.

"Come on!"

The two boys races down the slope until the trail disappeared as rocks emerged. With the change of scenery Matthew was able to spot a stream twisting through the foliage. The boulders looked stable, but Matthew had heard of hikers being crushed from unsteady rocks. He did not want to start an avalanche, thank you very much.

"We have to get down there," Alfred declared.

"Test all the boulders before you climb on them."

Alfred rolled his eyes but kicked on the boulder below him. It dropped away and went careening down the cliff side. The rock smashed into a tree below and splintered the wood.

"Whoa," his brother breathed.

Matthew rolled his eyes and wanted to say I told you so, but settled for pushing around him, "Let me go first."

After a heart stopping hundred foot scramble they were at the bottom. Matthew felt like he was being reunited with a long lost best friend. The water was clear enough to see there were small multicolored pebbles tiling along bottom. Drunk trees stretched far out over the banks. Down the way plumes of vapor drifted up into the air.

The sky was narrow above them only a stripe of blue still visible. The canyon walls created an umbrella of shadows which protected them from the glare of the sun.

The brothers turned to each other. They laughed as they stumbled into the river. Matthew felt like a toddler as water splashed up around him. He bent and drank gulping mouthfuls of water that spilled over his hands and darkened his shirt. He'd never been so elated to see a river before in his life.

Alfred sank down until he was kneeling on the river bottom with the current swirling around him. He declared, "I love this river!" grinning at Matthew.

Matthew let himself fall back into the silkiness of the river. Invisible watery fingers pulled the sweat and grim from his forehead. He rubbed his hands across his face smiling at nothing.

When he came up for breath, Alfred was sitting at the edge of the water. His legs and feet in the shallows with his shoes sitting behind him on the shore. He messaged his feet. Matthew joined him.

The two gazed at the vision before. Matthew's body ached from his spine out to the tips of his fingers. Matthew watched the plumes of mist waft around the pine trees.

"That's a waterfall," Alfred pointed out.

Matthew sighed, "yeah."

"Do we have to go that way?" his brother asked.

Matthew nodded, "or back up over the other side."

Alfred grimaced, "that doesn't sound enjoyable in the slightest."

"Agreed," Matthew said, "I think it'd be easier to stick the river bank. It should be flatter once we're past the waterfall."

"But how are we going to get down that?" Alfred wondered.

The two sat staring at the waterfall for several minutes.

"What if we climb down the trees?"

Both boys went silent as they stared at the tops of the trees in thought.

"Yeah, that could work."

The two boys stared at the tree, "Uh, I'll go first then." Alfred mumbled.

He hoisted himself onto the branch. His palms bit into the wood.

"It seems sturdy," he said. He climbed down a few branches.

Matthew climbed onto the tree and followed his feet. He couldn't look down at his brother to much once he started climbing and prayed that he was following the same path.

A branch snapped. Alfred shouted. Matthew looked down between his legs and the tree trunk. Alfred had disappeared below him.

"Al?" Matthew called, perched in the tree.

There was no answer. The blond stared climbing down faster. Alfred was never quiet. A few branches down were broken and Matthew had to shuffled around to the other side of the tree. His hands were killing him now.

"Alfred?" Matthew called again, "Alfred, say something!"

He finally reached the bottom to see Alfred sprawled out on the rocks. His eyes were glazed and he was wheezing. A hand was pressed against his chest. Matthew's heart stopped. He scrambled to his brother's side. His knees scraped against the rocks. His fingers pushed into Al's neck. His pulse tap danced against Matthew's fingers.

"Alfred are you ok?"

The other boy didn't response. Matthew took a deep breath and tilted his brother's head back to keep his airway clear. His hands were shaking. Maybe that was for choking on food... his brain was all scrambled. It couldn't hurt. He tried to calm himself down. What had he learned about falls in Boy Scouts? Spinal injuries were most serious then concussions. A deep rasping sound was coming out of Alfred's mouth and tears were leaking from the corner of his eyes.

"Yes," his brother finally gasped almost inaudibly.

"What hurts?"

One shoulder came up in a half shrug. The younger boy kept trying to regain his breath. He didn't sit up. Matthew took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Check for spinal injuries, his Den Leader yelled.

"Al I need you to wiggle your toes."

The younger boy gazed blankly at the sky above him.

"Al?" Mattie whispered scared.

An falcon shrieked overhead. The waterfall's mist caressed Matthew's cheeks and Afred lay still on the cool rocks.


AN: Hey guys, sorry for the long delay. I've had two family tragedies in the last two months and it's been really hard to focus on writing... But things are getting better and I'm going to try to get back into it. I promise! And I'm thrilled to see all the recent favs and alerts go up. As always thank you so much.