The River

Chapter 9

Eventually, the teeth loosen up and the wolf fell on the ground. Logan started roaring again and stabbing the wolf’s body several times to make sure it was dead. Then he himself fell beside the wolf too. His right hand and shoulder were wounded.

Suddenly he remembered about Laura. He stood up and started shouting her name and going in different directions. There was no answer, but before he knew it, he fell down again and passed out from the pain.

Logan opened his eyes, the sun was up and he could see around. He was inside the labyrinth of the hills. His hand was in much pain, he looked at it and saw the dried blood on it. He could see the wolf’s teeth marks on his hand. Logan tried to get up but his shoulder started to hurt. He looked at it, fortunately, the wound was closed, but there was some small bleeding on his shoulder.

Logan remembered all about last night and started shouting Laura’s name again. He ran in all directions shouting. There was no answer, he was going crazy. He found the body of the wolf he had killed last night. His dagger was still in the wolf’s body, grabbed it, and started searching for Laura again.

Hours passed and he could not find any sign of Laura. He was thirsty and hungry, his wounds were not helping him. Logan decided to find the river again, maybe Laura had gone back to their camping place.

Finding the river was harder than he thought, he searched a lot and saw the wolf’s dead body two times in his search inside the mountains. Finally, after tiring hours he heard the sound of water streaming and knew that it was near now.

Logan found the river and after drinking some water ran toward their camp. Everything was still there, Laura had not been back. But before thinking about anything he started eating some of the food from the bags.

With a full stomach, he started to think of a way to find Laura. An idea came to his mind for a fraction of a second but he preferred not to even consider her death.

Logan remembered about the rope they had found, he took one side of the rope in his hand and started walking, this way he could at least make sure that he was not turning in small circles. He did not tie the other end of the rope to anywhere and let the rope follow him after its length finished. It was not the most brilliant idea, but still better than nothing.

With a bag full of food and water, and his dagger in hand, he grabbed the rope, and with a more focused mind, could recognize the general direction of his walks. Now he was searching every corner and coming back to the main passage using the rope and continuing in one direction.

Logan planned to do the same for the trip back, this way he would probably find the river fast enough.

It was almost dark, and he could not find Laura. There was not enough time to go all the way back, so he decided to spend the night in a corner inside the hills. It was closed from three sides and made a feeling of safety for him.

Nothing happened that night, and like recent nights, Logan did not see any dreams. In the morning he woke up early and ate breakfast in silence and continued his search.

He was getting farther and farther from the river, and his food and water supplies would end in a matter of days if he wouldn’t find a new source. Of course, insects were all around him, the main problem was the water, but it was too soon to be worried about water supplies. Around noon he decided to go back and try some other ways.

Two days Logan searched for Laura and nothing, not even a torn part of her clothes or a trace of fighting with the wolf or even a drop of blood was there. Logan was disappointed, he did not have any more energy left, not to search for Laura nor to continue the journey to find the source.

Finally, Logan went back to their last camp together with Laura. Still, no sign of her was there. He started digging the entrance of the passageway alone. 

He was working slowly. The next day he thought to himself, that there might be nothing to eat inside the cave and his food supply was enough for three or four days, including the smoked meats that Laura had prepared and stored months before for a fist or celebration. So he decided to go alongside the river and gather some plants and insects.

Logan gathered some cactuses and cut the outer parts with his dagger. He also found a colony of cockroaches and killed as many as he could and put them inside his bag to eat later.

He went back to the entrance of the passageway, it would be over soon and he could continue chasing the river inside the tunnel, but he was tired and couldn’t finish the job before the dark. He didn’t want to finish the job, he still had hope, Lara was alive, there was no doubt about that, but he had to wait more or even search again for her. As Logan was thinking about these matters and deciding to start a new search in another direction for Laura after the hole was carved completely, he fell asleep beside the river.

The next day he continued his work and finished digging the tunnel forenoon. He went inside, it was not a big tunnel, but he could walk inside it as Laura had told him so.

He came back and packed his stuff, Laura’s bag was there, he couldn’t decide whether to leave her bag or carry it with himself. He sat by the bag for a while, if he would go in alone it was not for sure to come back soon, as much as he was eager to see what's inside the tunnel and go deeper in it, he could not leave Laura behind. So he decided to put Laura’s bag on the corner of the entrance and go search for her again.

Suddenly he heard a sound, it was the sound of footsteps, he got prepared for a fight, it might have been another wolf approaching in daylight. From behind a turn, he saw Laura coming toward him. She had something on her shoulder, Logan ran toward her and they hugged.

Laura had brought a leg of the wolf with herself, she was wounded, not as deep as Logan, but she had lots of scratches all over her body.

“What happened?” asked Logan with cheer in his voice, “Where were you? I knew you are still alive,” “Long story,” answered Laura, “First I need to rest, do we have water left?” “Yes,” said Logan while helping Laura to sit beside their stuff and taking off her bow, and he continued, “Your flask still has water, I did not use it that much,”

Laura drank some water, rested her eyes and as she was lying with her eyes closed in Logan's arms started to tell about her adventure with the wolf.

“After you threw the fire at the wolfs I ran toward a random direction that night,” said Laura, “ But I didn’t want to go very far, I thought you would need my help, I heard howling from your direction as I reduced my speed and turned back, I saw a wolf right behind me, without thinking I put an arrow inside my bow and shot at the wolf. The arrow went right through its eye and made it howl, but the wolf was still following me, though at a slower speed. Now I could outrun it, I was in a better situation overall, though I just had one arrow left with me,” suddenly Laura opened her eyes and said “where are my other arrows? I should have four arrows left here,” Logan pointed at her bag and there could be seen four arrowheads out of her bag, Laura relaxed again and continued as she was closing her eyes, “With one arrow left, I could not risk shooting at the wolf, and I had no idea of my where beings, I was running inside this neverending labyrinth and the wolf was running behind me, I tried to hear any sound coming from you, but I couldn’t hear anything from any direction. Eventually, I came to myself, I knew you can take care of yourself, I should have found a solution for myself, I could not run forever, then I gathered all my energy and ran as fast as I could, after some time I turned back and didn't see the wolf behind me. Though I was sure that it could smell the blood coming out of my wound on my arm and find me anyway. But now I had some time to plan an attack. I kneeled on the floor and listened carefully, I could hear the wolf’s footsteps coming toward me, I detected its direction and prepared my bow with my last arrow in it, I pulled the bow as hard as I could, I had to shoot a fatal shot and I only had one chance. I heard a wolf howl from far away, I thought you might have killed your wolf then. But immediately after that the wolf appeared where I expected it to do so, I shot my arrow and it went right in the wolf’s body behind its left arm. He howled in pain and started to walk away from me. We both knew that it was a fatal shot. Good thing, wolves can’t count how many arrows you still have, so he was afraid of me and started to go away. I took a deep breath but something frightening occurred to me.

I was lost in nowhere with a small knife and a bow without any arrows, I had no foods, or drinks so I thought maybe it's better to get back my last arrow from the wolf’s body, I ran toward him before he got far away. The wolf started running when he saw me catching up on him, so there we were doing the chase again, this time in the opposite situation. I was the chaser now.

I jumped on him when I thought it’s close enough and grabbed my arrow inside his body, but the arrow did not come off and the pain made the wolf go faster, I could not let go of my last defense tool so I grabbed it hard, but could not pull it out because I was being pulled on the ground by the wolf.

The wolf ran for a long while before giving up and falling on the ground. And I had scratches all over my body from being pulled that long. But finally, I was victorious, I stood by the wolf's head and saw it dying. There was hatred in his eyes before death. I pitied him for a moment, then I remembered that he was the one who attacked first and made me suffer this much, so I grabbed my knife and blinded his remaining eye too.

He didn’t have enough energy even to howl. Then I grabbed my arrow out of his body and cleaned it from his filthy blood.

It was at this moment when I realized I am not inside the hills anymore. It was dark and I could not detect my situation against the hills. The pain in my arm was getting worse so I laid down on the ground just beside my predator and fell asleep till morning.

By the morning I was already feeling better, but still had pain in my body, especially my arm, my right ear could not hear very well, there was blood inside it and lots of scratches on it, and it did not get better until recently. I needed to eat something, I was very hungry, so I tried to find some food, not many plants were around and I could not walk, suddenly my eyes fixed upon the wolf. There was fresh meat beside me and I was looking for food, so I took my knife and started cutting the wolf’s arm.

After eating some food, and resting for a long time under the sun, I stood up and found the hills. Before walking toward them I took one of his arms off to have something to eat for the future.

Of course finding my way inside the labyrinth was impossible. I searched everywhere and at some point, I realized I was going in circles. Until yesterday I heard the sound of digging, then I knew you are alive, and back here, I just needed to follow the sound, but it got dark and you stopped working till today. And finally today I could follow the sound and find you back here.”