But I didn’t know how alive or well he was.
“Lane,” I called out his name again.
This time he lifted his head, I could see his body shaking each time he coughed.
I reached for the guardrail to climb over. It proved a bit difficult with wet jeans, but I made it over. The hillside was steep, and I slid on purpose more than walked to get to him faster.
By the time I made it to him, he was on his hands and knees.
I reached for him, grabbing on, so grateful he was alright, grateful I didn’t have to navigate it alone.
“Don’t move.” I crouched down, bracing under his arm. “Are you hurt?”
“Don’t move? Did you …” he paused to cough. “Just tell me not to move?”
“I did.”
“Like, you’re gonna call for help?”
I just stared at him.
“I don’t think I’m hurt. Just can’t stop coughing. I took in a lot of water.”
“How the hell did you get this far without getting hurt?” I asked. “You have to be hurt.”
“I’m sore. Yeah, like real sore, but not hurt. I was in the water until I got caught up.”
“Look down there,” I said with a point to the river. “Be grateful you did get caught up.”
“Good thing.” He stood upright and hit himself on the chest, this forced a cough.
“Are you alright?” I held on to him, walking him back up the hill. He moved wobbly, but I understood why.
“I have to cough it out, but I’ll be fine. I don’t swim, so I’m surprised I didn’t drown.”
“Yeah, I do swim and it was useless.”
“It got you?” he asked.
“Oh, yeah, carried me until I was able to grab the sign.” We reached the guard rail.
“How far did I go?”
“Not much farther than me, but you went over the steep side.”
“I’d say.” Lane looked back.
“I’ve been calling and looking for you for a while.” I climbed over the rail, then waited on the other side to help him.
“How bad are things?” he asked stepping over.
I didn’t need to answer, the second he made it to the highway he turned left, and all expression dropped from his face. “The bridge is gone.”
“Yep. It’s gone.”
“Did the RV go with it?”
I shook my head. “It’s back there. Not far. And Lane, I am so happy you’re okay.”
“I’m happy you are. But Jana, with the bridge gone … what now?”
“I don’t know. We’ll work on it. But first …” I reached into my jacket and pulled out the radio.
I turned on the radio to check in and let them know we were okay, and we were figuring things out. Martin and the kids were so relieved.
I promised to try to check in again, but the radio would die and if they didn’t hear from us they needed to know we were fine, and we’d get over that river one way or another.
I didn’t know when or how long it would take us, but we would join them again.
I was certain.
✽✽✽
My map was useless, wet and falling apart. But I really didn’t need it, I swore I knew it like the back of my hand. “About fifty miles,” I hollered to Lane who was inside the RV.
We had made it there in little time. A lot faster than when I walked at a snail’s pace looking for Lane.
If we were to try to find an alternative way across the river, we needed supplies.
The RV had them.
“Fifty miles?” he asked.
“Either way.”
“I think I found that fire starter kit.” His head emerged from the side RV door and he tossed the pack at me. “Is that it?”
“That’s it. With wet wood we’ll need this.” I set it down with the other things he had thrown from the RV.
“At least it stopped raining.” He looked up then submerged back into the camper.
I heard him coughing again, it was muffled by the metal of the camper. He had taken in a lot of water, but I took the coughing as a good sign, his lungs were trying to get clear.
“You don’t think the other bridges were destroyed?”
“I don’t know. I’m using common sense. It was a funnel of water that burst when it hit the bridge. Had it hit another it would have burst earlier, right?”
“Right.”
“Are you sure you don’t want my help?”
“No, I’m finding food. I’ll toss it out.”
“Look for those silver blankets.”
“Found them.” He popped up again, threw them out and went back in. “Two days. It’ll take us two days to walk there. I think we can do it in two days. Three tops.”
“It’ll be another fifty to the resort or wherever Martin is.”
“Then get a hold of him, use what radio you have left and give him an idea of where we’ll be.” Lane emerged. “Maybe he’ll find a vehicle.” He tossed a duffle bag. “I think that will do it. Let me take one more look.”
“I’ll radio Martin.” I pulled out the radio and powered it up, turning up the volume to see if I heard any noise. I did. “Martin, come in. Are you there?”
I released the button.
“Jana, yes, everything okay?”
“Yes. We made it to the RV and are getting supplies. Looks like we’re going to have to go on foot. We’re headed back to Crow and will take Route Three south and across the bridge. Not sure what’s there. Give us three days. We’ll meet you at the end of that bridge. Can you do that?”
“Can I? Not a question,” Martin replied. “I will.”
“Is everyone safe? Did you get close to the resort?”
“We’re on our way. We should be there tomorrow. Listen, I’ll find a way, there are cars on the road. We’ll get you.”
“Thank you. And Martin, again, the radio will die, so I’m shutting it off. I’ll call out only if there’s a problem. So, no news will be good news.”
“Roger that,” Martin said. “See you soon.”
I absolutely hated powering down that radio, but I had to. “Lane, did you hear?”
“Yeah.” He coughed a few times, then whined out. “Aw.”
“What?
