"I don't think you should try to cross alone." Jake's hand rose to stop Lucas' snail pace down the steep slope.
"I can make it alright."
"I don't care. Nate, see to your dad. Lucas, I really prefer not to carry you back myself..."
Luke met his friends eyes, nodded in defeat. It wouldn't be fair, go forging ahead, perhaps injuring himself to the point of complete helplessness.
"How deep do you think that water is?"
The party of four stood silent, eyes mapping out the foaming waves, white froth slapping against erratically placed rocks.
"It won't be easy." Dan brushed at a shock of dark hair, careful to use his good arm. For some reason, he couldn't quite include Lucas in his stern perusal. "We'll have to work together. Team up."
"Dad, you think that's such I good idea?"
"What do you want, Nathan? Piggy back? No thanks."
"We should all go in together. Human chain."
"Good point, Jake. You and Nate, over here." He threaded a rope between the two. "Not too much-if someone goes down, you've got to be able to pull yourself out. Okay."
"Mr Scott, shouldn't one of us be going with Lucas?"
"I make the decisions, Jagielski. Buddy up."
Lucas stood, uncomfortable and irritated the river had put them in this position.
"Alright. You put your arms through this-"
Dan gripped his son's wrist, pulling the rope across. Luke winced involuntarily, hiding his reaction with a careless shrug.
"I know it's not silk sheets, but we want to survive this." Dan tied the rope off and nodded. "'Kay, boys."
Lucas' expression was a culmination of dread and nervous anticipation. Dan stared into the three pairs of eyes, exuding a confidence they clung to.
He pulled his "buddy" rope taut, testing it.
"Lucas."
"Ya?"
"Why didn't you have that taken care of?"
The blond turned his arms away, self conscious at Dan's disapproval.
"Playing hero isn't going to get any of us back home. You should have brought those up."
"I didn't need to, okay? I'm fine."
"Sure. You better be ready, because I'm not turning back. For any of you."
"I still think we should build a raft-"
"It's raining up in those hills. Reach us soon. Now, when the water starts pouring down and turns this place into a bucket, Nate, I'd prefer to be clear."
The water was cold. So cold. It felt like liquid ice-Nathan had the uncanny feeling he was wrapped in a stick of icy gum. Arctic Blast.
Jake smiled quietly. "Let's do it."
Lucas shivered when the water rose, lapping at his knees. Jake and Nathan waded out slowly, but Dan plunged in up to his neck, and he'd no choice but to follow.
The freezing spray hit him with the force of a blow. He couldn't breath for a full moment, gasping at the wet shock. He lost his footing, a moment of blind panic, then his legs began to kick automatically. The current drove him into Dan, he had the overwhelming urge to grip his arm, hang on.
"Swim!"
Dan's harsh bark brought him back to reality. He wondered if they were all going to succumb to hypothermia...
Jake rose again, a human beach ball floundering through ebony shadows.
"You see them?"
"Looks like-they're over there!"
Nathan braced himself against raw granite, breathing hard. The stab in his lungs did nothing to ease the tension.
"Looks like Dan's taking 'em in!" Jake washed up against him, straining to stay afloat.
The nearing shore wasn't too far away, now. Just another minute-
"I asked you to stay with me!"
Lucas tried to process the words. Sounds, really. A hand wrapped around his chin, squeezing so hard it hurt.
"Uh, stop-it!"
Dan slapped him, a backhand blow that brought tears to his eyes.
"Get up! Come on. It wasn't that cold."
Too warm on the ground. Luke curled into himself, feeling moss and dry leaves against numb skin.
Someone started dragging him. It hurt.
"Stop."
Lucas forced himself into a sitting position. "Leave-leave me alone."
"You get up and start moving or I'll really give you something to whine about."
If he could get his teeth to stop chattering, Lucas had plenty to say. Unfortunately, he couldn't.
"Wood! Get more wood!"
Nathan, shaking miserably, plodded through the forest on feet without feeling. Jake stumbled alongside, dumping the dry branches into a messy pile.
"You boys sit down, you'll look like Lucas. Pathetic."
"Dad-"
"Keep going!"
"I hate you!"
"Tell me something new. Now!"
The knapsacks unpacked, thermal blankets, cups of boiling coffee...Jake hunched against a log, unwilling to leave the welcome warmth of the fire for his tent. Nathan was buried inside already...a breathing mound of covers and triple socked feet.
He reached out to touch Luke's hand, connect with him.
But he still stared into the orange flames, mesmerized by the shaping flames.
"Hey, Luke. Luke."
"I'm okay." The blond Scott sank deeper into the slippery silver blanket.
"You don't feel very warm."
Dan leaned past Jake, clamped a hand on his son's exposed forearm.
"Lucas, on your feet. Up. Now."
He stepped over Jagielski, scooping Lucas up by the shoulders, giving him a sharp push.
Luke fell back against him, angry at the intrusion.
Dan shook his son.
"Um, Mr. Scott, he has some bones I'm pretty sure are cracked-"
"Wouldn't hurt his head." Dan moved away in disgust. "Fine. Kill yourself."
He turned back abruptly. "In the tent-now."
Lucas curled up in one corner, content to remain silent, in this ethereal little ghost world of his. The only downside was, everything seemed wrapped in frost.
Frozen. Minutes slipped into hours...
The cold started seeping out of his body, and then the pain began to return, little by little. Maybe something was cracked. The burning sensation in Lucas' chest seemed to take up all his concentration. And it grew comfortably warm in the close tent.
"I cannot sleep. I cannot dream tonight...I need somebody and always...strange darkness creeping up..."
"Nate, get off me!"
"Warm."
"You're a pig. I have about two square feet-"
Scott only grunted contentedly, pulling the covers tight.
"That was my blanket!"