As Sarah hurried down the rugged trail, she knew she would not beat the thunderstorm rolling in. The tree-shaded path was already slick with moss, and she had trouble finding her footing as it wound downhill. The incoming storm would make it more treacherous. Stopping, she glanced to her left and shivered at the drop-off next to the trail. The side of the mountain fell like a waterfall into the gorge below, and she could only imagine what lay in that dark abyss. She would need to tread slowly or find a place to shelter until the storm passed. Just as she considered her options, the earthy smell of rain hit her nostrils, the sky opened up with a loud crack, and rain poured from the opening.

The path began to look like a stream as the rain fell in sheets. Her damp hiking boots failed to bear up against the deluge as the rain soaked her pants and ran down into her socks. Just as she took three more steps down the path, another crack of lightning split her eardrums and a tree behind her, and the smell of ozone charged the air. The tree collapsed across the path behind her with a ground-shaking thud and sent rocks the size of cantaloupes rolling down the hill in her direction. She narrowly missed the avalanche of stone, landing herself against the trunk of a thorny locust tree in her escape. She let out a yelp as she pulled herself away from the trunk of the tree, and the thorns dislodged from her back. What had she gotten herself into?

Gathering herself, she took a deep breath and started down the trail again. She remembered that there was an outcropping of rocks just about a mile ahead, if she could get to them, they would provide a solid cover until the storm passed. She slid on some moss and landed on her tailbone. She swore as she righted herself, starting her downward trudge again. The sky

grew darker, mirroring her darkening thoughts. Maybe Paul was right. Maybe she was a magnet for trouble, and she wouldn’t get far without him. This trip had been one thing after another that had almost convinced her that she was weak and incompetent and would never be able to stand alone on her own two feet. That’s what he’d said to her after their final conversation before she changed her phone number: “You’ll be back, Sarah, because you’ll never make it without me.”

For ten years she had loved him and made one excuse after another to her friends and family for his volatile temper. She cowered under his thumb, met his every demand, and bore the weight of his scrutiny and criticism. The month she turned thirty, something had finally snapped in her, and while he was at work, she packed what she could carry and made the 10-hour drive back to Maryland. For the past three months, her family had pampered and pet her, treating her like a bird with a broken wing. They meant well, but she was suffocating under their constant caregiving. She had set out on her own along a trail near the Potomac River that she and her family had traversed at least a hundred times throughout her life. It was a small step, but she had hoped it would build her confidence so that she could take step two, moving into her first place solo. Now, here she was. Soaking wet, cold, and bruised under a gloomy sky. She probably wouldn’t make it down the mountain in one piece, and Paul would be right about her again.

An hour later, as Sarah reached the final slope before her resting spot, she saw something poking out from under the rock hang that looked like another pair of boots. “Oh great,” she muttered to herself. It appeared she would have to share the shelter with a stranger, and judging by the size of the boots, that stranger was likely another man who would remind her of how incapable she was.

“Hello?” she called out questioningly while peering into the opening of the overhang, shining her flashlight into the space. There, leaned against the back wall, was the ashen and

bloody face of the man who belonged to the boots. “Are you ok?!” Sarah exclaimed as she moved under the rock overhang.

“I am not sure. I fell and hit my head on a rock, and a tree limb cut me. It’s hard to say, but I think I have lost a fair amount of blood from my side. I don’t have cell service here, but I needed to stop and wait out the storm.”

Sarah glanced at the side the man had gestured to and noted that under the hand pressed tightly to him, was a dirty white t-shirt soaked in bright red blood. She gasped and looked back up into his face. “I have a first aid kit. I’m not sure if it will help the side, but it could help your head. Let me see what we can do while we come up with a plan.”

Sarah crouched down to avoid hitting her head on the narrowing rock roof and paid careful attention to not trip on any of the rocks jutting out of the hard-packed earth. As she got closer to the man, the iron-rich smell of his blood invaded her nostrils, and she had a moment of panic. She had never done well with blood. It always made her feel faint and nauseated. Even now, the smell had bile rising in her throat. Her thoughts began to speed as panic threatened to overwhelm her. How on earth would she help him? She wasn’t the person for this job! It was too much for her weak stomach. She paused and tried to breathe shallowly through her mouth, hoping to keep the smell of his blood out of her nostrils and to calm her racing mind. After about thirty seconds, she noticed the man observing her with a worried look on his face, and she straightened her shoulders and moved forward to help him.

Sarah rinsed the man’s head with her water and dried it with a spare t-shirt she had in her pack. The head wound wasn’t deep, and a few band-aids would do the trick. The side was another story. She lifted his shirt and tightly tied her geometry towel around his waist, trying to

apply pressure and coverage to the wound. “So, your head isn’t bad, but we are going to need more than band-aids for your side. It is already seeping through the towel. My car is only about an hour down the path here. It could take us twice as long, but I think we need to start moving now. I know we don’t have any cell service here, but when we get closer to the parking lot, it should get better. If we could make it to that point and call for help, we should be able to stop and wait for paramedics. If I leave you here and go alone, it might take too long to get help back up here. Do you think you can walk?”

“I think I might have to try” he said, frowning. “I think you’re right. What is your name?” “Sorry, the name is Marcus. Marcus Gable.”

“Ok Marcus, what do you say we get a move on it since the rain seems to have let up?”

Sarah watched as Marcus slowly pushed himself toward the edge of the rock opening. It was painful to watch, with every move, more blood seeped from the wound in his side. She worried her lip between her teeth, hoping he would be able to make it at least far enough to get cell reception. He was a large man, at least 6’3 and 200 pounds, and she knew carrying him was not going to be an option. As he reached the edge of the trail, she came along beside him and helped him to stand. He wobbled a little but shot her a half smile and started walking.

“So, Marcus, what brings you out here on this fine day?” Sarah asked laughingly.

“I could ask you the same thing” he smiled down at her. “I hike this trail pretty frequently because I live about five minutes away. I had planned to get back to my bike before the rain started, but my plans changed slightly. I was sitting in that cave thinking I wouldn’t see anyone

else out here today in this weather, and I really messed up coming out here alone.” At that, he laughed and winced at the pain that shot through his side.

“I guess it was just pure luck that I happened along when I did.” she shrugged.

They carried on a light-hearted conversation as they made a mile in good time, but Sarah noticed that Marcus was starting to look more pale than he had initially, and he had begun leaning heavily on her, needing more help. “Hey, Marcus, we should stop and get you a drink of water while I check the phones to see if we’re in cell range yet. There is a big boulder just to the side of the trail there. Maybe you can sit on it or lean against it?”

“Yeah, thanks. I do need to sit down for a minute.”

They hobbled over to the rock, and Sarah helped Marcus ease down on it. His side wound had continued to soak through the towel and his shirt, and his coloring was not good. She handed him the water out of her pack and checked their phones again. She walked around, holding them up, checking the bars repeatedly. Nothing. Sighing, she started to put the phones back in her pack, when Marcus slid off of the rock, landing with a hard thud. Startled, she ran over to him, just as his eyes were fluttering open.

“Marcus, I think you just passed out. Are you ok?”

“I don’t think I am going to make it to the car, Sarah, and I don’t think you are going to be strong enough to help me the rest of the way. I’m weighing you down. Can you go without me and send help my way?”

“Marcus, I am going to say this as nicely as I can. I am sick and tired of men telling me what I can and can’t do. Don’t tell me I’m not strong enough for this! You have no idea what I

can do because you just met me. I can get you there. We are already almost there, and we aren’t stopping now. I want you to finish that water I gave you, and then you’re going to have about thirty more seconds to feel sorry for yourself, before I haul your ass up and out of here” Annoyed, Sarah crossed her arms and glared down at him.

“Ok, ok. I’m sorry. You’re right. I just don’t know if I can get myself to the car, and I feel bad that I have gotten you into this situation.” Marcus drank his water dutifully and wiped his sweaty forehead with the back of his hand. “I’m ok now. Help me up?” he looked up at her questioningly.

Sarah helped him up and told him to lean on her as she wrapped her arm around his waist. Together they continued the trip back down the mountain path.

Their walk had slowed considerably, and they had both quieted as they conserved their energy, but the trail was much smoother, and they were making progress. Half an hour later, both of their phones started dinging and chiming, indicating that service had returned. “Yes!! You hear that? We have service! Let’s stop here, and I will call 911.”

Easing Marcus down onto a fallen tree, Sarah smiled into his pale and sweat sheened face. “You’re going to be ok Marcus. We made it as far as we need to go.” She dialed the phone and answered a series of questions. Minutes passed as she relayed the information that was needed to the woman on the other end. Finally, the dispatcher notified her that help had arrived at the trailhead and should get to them in about 10 minutes. Hanging up, Sarah released a breath and felt the weight lift off of her shoulders. They had made it! She wanted to hug herself and cry in relief.

Reaching into her pack she pulled out two protein bars and two sports drinks. “Here, I know you’re probably not hungry, but I am starving, and I don’t want to be rude. I do think the protein will help if you can stomach it.” As they sat on the log waiting for help, they nibbled on the bars and sipped their drinks. Marcus thanked her for coming along and helping him. “And Sarah, I am sorry I doubted you and discounted your ability to get us here. You were right to put me in my place,” he said, bowing his head humbly “I am so thankful you came along when you did. Without you, I might have bled out in that cave.”

Sarah shuddered at the thought. “You know, Marcus, I came out here alone to try to figure a few things out, and I feel like I have. I am much stronger and more capable than I ever realized. I also think we’re both going to be just fine. You especially. I mean, “It’s just a flesh wound right?”” she said laughing. “Sorry. You probably don’t know Monty Python”.

“Tis but a scratch,” Marcus laughed.

Sarah smiled widely at him with that “I do wonder, maybe if we ever hit the trails again, we might hike one or two together? I don’t know about you, but I think hiking with a friend is much better.”

Marcus smiled at that and said, “You bet. It’s nice to know I have a friend who can save the day when I get in over my head”.

“I think we both stand on our own two feet pretty well, all things considered” She smiled and bit into her protein bar as the sun broke through the clouds and the rescue team rounded the bend.