The Companion

Everyone else had gone to bed.  The campfire was barely hanging on but I was not at all tired.  I had two small flashlights with me; if I were real adventurous I’d just head off into the darkness.  I’d test my own mental stability just to see how far I could get before I scared myself listening to all the noises and imagining various creatures sneaking up on me.

What the heck.  I tossed one more log onto the fire just to keep it going so I might look back at some point and get a reference as to how far I’d actually gone.  I was already telling myself this was a dumb idea.  If I got myself lost or hurt I’d have zero options.  I’d have no idea where I was, I’d have no food or water and no way to communicate.  Cell phone towers were nowhere to be found out this far.  There would be no hope of getting a signal, that’s for sure.

OK, I stopped at the edge of our campsite.  I had already worked myself into a tizzy about the hazards of wandering off like this.  Just how stupid was I?  That’s when I heard a voice ask me what I was doing.  I looked back at one of the tents and saw the campfire light reflecting off of Steven’s face.

“I’m thinking about going for a short hike.”

“Now?” Steven whispered.

“I’m not at all tired.”

“Wait there, I’ll get dressed and go with you.”

“It could be dangerous.” I said, but Steven had already ducked back into the tent to get ready.

Steven would not have been my first choice for a hiking companion but hey – strength in numbers, right?

When Steven finally climbed out of the tent I was surprised to see him with a full backpack.

“You look ready for action” I said.

“Just thought I’d try and be prepared, you know – for whatever.”

“Did you bring your own flashlight?”

“Right here.”

“OK, stay close behind me and try to be quiet as we go through the woods.”

Fifteen or twenty minutes into our hike I turned around to check on him.  He wasn’t far behind but had a look on his face that told me he was sorry for tagging along.  “I think some thorns went right through my jeans and got me” he said, rubbing his leg.

“Just what are you lugging in that pack, anyway?”

As he caught up to me he hoisted it off of his shoulders. 

“It is a little heavier than I thought it would be.  I brought a first aid kit, extra batteries, four cans of Coke, some peanut butter crackers, gummy bears and two rain ponchos.”

“Give me the pack.  I’ll carry it for a while.”

“No, it was my bright idea to bring it, I’ll carry it.  What do you think about the things I brought?”

“Well, I’m sure animals out here can easily smell the peanut butter.  I think I would have left that behind.  Bears especially, if they get the scent of those peanut butter crackers we’re sure to have company.”

I turned and headed off again.  I was positive I had him second guessing his choices and couldn’t help myself from feeling a little devious. 

“How far are we going?” Steven whispered, in a somewhat exhausted voice.

“Let’s stop here.  We can rest up and then try to find our way back.”

We both sat against a tree and Steven opened the pack and pulled out two Cokes.  The sound of them opening was loud in comparison to the night.  Neither of us had been very quiet clomping through the woods so I doubted there were any animals around we needed to be concerned with.

“I know you said you have extra batteries with you but for now let’s conserve.  Keep your light off whenever we’re not walking.”

Steven clicked off his light and the two of us sat quietly.  I could hear the coke fizzing in the can and random scurrying in the bushes.  Steven hadn’t said anything.  I couldn’t tell if he was tired or scared;

maybe both.

At the same time we both noticed a light flickering off in the distance.  Neither of us said anything but Steven had nudged my arm to get my attention.  “I see it.” I whispered.

The light seemed to be getting closer to us but it was still a ways away.

“Do you think they’re looking for us?” Steven asked quietly.

“No.  If it was anyone from our campsite they’d yell out.  They would call our names and wait for a response.”

We just sat still and waited.

Apparently I nodded off while sitting there.  I hadn’t realized how tired I was and once we sat and rested against the tree, well… it was off to dreamland for me.

When I awoke Steven was not around.  I couldn’t believe he would just wander off by himself.  I’m not sure how long I had been asleep but everything was wet with morning dew.  The clouds were light and wispy and moving fast over the tree tops. 

I remembered the light off in the distance we’d both seen last night.  Maybe Steven had gone off to investigate.  Whatever it was he’d done, he took the backpack with him.  Even the empty Coke cans were gone.  I was quite hungry and just keep an eye out for him as I tried to find my way back to the campsite.

Nothing looked familiar and I hadn’t a clue as to which direction to head.  At least it was light enough to see now.  I wouldn’t have to follow the small circle of light from my flashlight.

Every now and then I’d stop walking, just to listen for voices.  So far there was nothing.  There was just the sound of me, making my way through the branches and the scampering squirrels.  On two occasions I saw a line of wild turkeys making their way someplace important.  Who knew what was important to a wild turkey but they seemed to be on a mission.

If I had picked the right direction I should be getting close to the camp by now, but still no sign of Steven.  Hopefully he was already back and cooking breakfast.  I knew that wasn’t realistic but where could he have gotten off to?

Off to the left, which I assumed was East, I heard a siren.  I didn’t think we were anywhere close to a highway but it was definitely a sheriff or ambulance.  I turned in that direction and kept making my way through the woods.  It was about another half mile when I could see our campsite as well as the emergency flashing lights.

Through a small clearing I could make out an ambulance and two police cars.  Now I was very concerned and found myself almost running to get there.  Not that running was much of an option through these branches.

When I finally reached the camp I could see someone on a stretcher being loaded into the ambulance.  Everyone else was looking stunned.  Nancy was sobbing.

“What’s going on?  What happened?”

Bill looked up at me but said nothing.  Aggie looked up and headed towards me. 

“Where have you been?” he snapped.

“I couldn’t sleep last night so Steven and I went for a hike.”

Suddenly Aggie was just staring at me.  I couldn’t really read his facial expression.  “What’s going on here, what’s happened?” I asked.

“Steven was with you?”  He questioned.

“Yes, why, isn’t he back yet?”

“Steven’s dead.  He passed away late last night in his sleep.”

“That’s impossible, he was with me.  We hiked a few miles into the woods just for something to do.  He brought his backpack, we drank Cokes.”

“Ned, you must have dreamt it.  According to the coroner, Steven must have died right after crawling into his sleeping bag.  He was bitten by a snake and died within seconds.”

I couldn’t believe this.  It just didn’t make any sense.  “Who called for the ambulance and how?  There are no signals out here. I’m sorry, but this can’t be.  I was with him, we talked to each other.”

Aggie walked back to be with the others.  He must have thought I was nuts.  I had to see for myself.  I headed for the ambulance but it was taking off just as I was getting there.

I could see Aggie talking to the others and pointing to me.

I wanted to walk over to them but I couldn’t.  I just stood there, stunned.  I know what I saw.  He was with me, we talked.  I remember looking back at the tent and seeing the campfire light reflect off his face.  I remember we both saw the light in the woods.  I didn’t dream that.

What I couldn't remember were any thorns.

      Zobostic Corwin