Chapter 35

"How much further can it be? He's right behind us, I just know it!" Emily made her statement in the form of a question. Even though she was one of three people carrying their fallen leader, her arms were quickly becoming fatigued.

"Shh, keep your voice down! If he is near us we don't want to give him any help finding us!" Joanne chided her; she felt the same fear but knew that allowing it to control her actions would only serve to get them killed.

She now felt a sense of weightlessness as she was being carried by her friends. It didn't take decades of medical training for her to realize that along with her obvious blood lose; her right lung was at least partially collapsed. Her breathing was becoming more and more difficult on her right side.

The rest of the desperate hike went by fast as lightening, which matched the speed in which they seemed to be running. Their bodies once again defying the odds by wrangling up more power, even though their fuel reserves were drained. The sun was now all but blistering; its intensity was even felt among the thickness of the forest's canopy.

The sound of the rushing water could be heard above the chatter of the forest. The gigantic beast now lay before them, its cascading water barreling down the face of the cliff it began on. Behind the white foam caps lay their only chance of concealment.

"OK, don't have much time. How are we going to carry her to the cave?" Sandy wondered out loud.

There was a narrow ledge that ran up beside the flowing water. It was steep and the rocks lining it were slick with moss. With all of them mobile it was going to be a treacherous climb, much less trying to carry a person at the same time.

"Dixie, do you think you can walk if we assist you?" Joanne whispered to the nurse, her face twisted with the pain that was ebbing throughout her chest.

"Don't think that I have much choice...." She cried out when her response was followed by spasms that torn through her.

"I'll go first and then when I get to the ledge guide her up to me." Emily decided which gave her a much needed sense of empowerment.

"Alright, Sandy you follow behind Dixie and try and support her as much as you can. I'll keep an eye out until you the three of you get into the cave." Joanne was sure that she wasn't the only one praying that Alice would be waiting for them inside. If she were in there the noise from the pulsating water would keep her ignorant to their arrival.

Joanne quieted her mind and concentrated on focusing her eyes; praying that she would notice anyone approaching before they were right on them. Never in her life did she want to be rescued as she did this day. Although she never really considered herself to be a feminist, she did take pride in the fact that she was able to take care of herself in any situation; that is until now.

Emily managed to make her way to the ledge with little trouble. The real challenge lay in keeping secure footing; the green moss coated both the rocks and the ground they were nestled in. As gingerly as possible she took Dixie's hands in her own as Sandy gently guided her up the trail and into her grasp.

Her breathing was becoming increasingly difficult; her entire chest cavity felt as if it were collapsing on itself. If she were able to she would have chuckled a bit to herself, climbing cliffs and walking around with a punctured lung seemed like something she would have yelled at Johnny Gage for doing.

Sandy watched with relief as Emily took the brunt of Dixie's weight and led her into the mouth of the cave. She then turned and signaled Joanne to accompany them. She remained outside of the entrance, watching her newly appointed leader struggle in her efforts to reach her.

"DAMN IT!" Joanne cursed loudly as her foot slipped over the edge; the water quickly soaking her boot. The deafening sound of the waterfall muted anything she was screaming. The profanities continued when she noticed the jagged slices in her right palm after she used it to catch herself from careening over the edge.

Seeing that she was in need of a little extra boost; Sandy latched onto Joanne's water logged shirt and yanked her towards the entrance. Once she was sure that her friend had found her footing she let go of her and they both made their way towards the other two.

The first thing they took note of was Emily's sobbing. She was sitting down with her legs crossed 'Indian style'. Dixie was slouched against her with her eyes closed and her breathing labored.

"Get my medical bag....." Dixie requested her voice was surprisingly strong and firm.

"Where is it? Who has it?" Joanne was already on her knees frantically searching through the many canvas bags.

"It's one of the khaki green ones....I picked it up when she fell...." Sandy replied as she knelt down to join in on the search.

"I GOT it!" Joanne declared with pride.

With her chest heaving Dixie started to give them further instructions. "Take out one of the alcohol pads and swipe it here......" She fought to maintain her composure when she coughed again. She pointed to an area on her right side, just below the collar bone.

"Now take out one of the larger syringes...." She paused while her orders were carried out. "Now I need you to take it and jab it straight into me....you need to push hard....." Another second or two went by as she paused again to catch her breath; her finger still marking the exact spot that she wanted them to drive the needle into her spasmodic chest.

With a grimace contorting her face Joanne did as she was instructed. At this point she was counting her blessings that Dixie was still conscious enough to walk them through this endeavor. She did as she was asked and after taking a deep breath she plunged the needle all the way in at the area that was indicated.

"Alright, now slowly pull back on the stopper...." She was using her depleted reserves just to stay awake and talking. "Then take some small pieces of tape and secure the needle to my chest...."

Joanne's hands were starting to shake from fatigue and fear as she once again followed the nurse's instructions. It took some effort to pull back on the plunger while not extracting the needle from its' burial spot.

She and the others were awarded with a shuttering sigh or relief coming from their fallen friend as she drew in almost a full breath from both lungs. Her coloring improved ever so slightly as well.

Emily's hands during all of it had not left the bullet wound that had ripped into her friend; she continued to hold pressure against the crimson stain. Although it had not stopped the bleeding had subsided, Em wasn't sure whether or not that was a good thing.

The other two friends not had the opportunity to survey the dimensions of the cave itself, which wasn't exactly roomy. Now that Dixie was at least temporarily taken care of they all had a chance to absorb the reality.....that Alice had never made it to their meeting place.