“You’re bleeding.”
Sam touched his fingers to his forehead and looked at the blood. “Scalp wound,” he muttered. He grabbed a handful of dirt from the ground and patted it on the wound.
Remi said, “Sam, don’t—”
“See? All better.”
“Anything broken?”
“Not that I can tell. Help me up.”
She ducked under his shoulder, and they stood up together.
Sam asked, “Where’s the—”
In answer to his question, water washed across their feet. Within seconds, it rose to their ankles.
“Speak of the devil,” Sam said. In unison, they turned around. Water was rushing through the northern end of the ravine.
The water was roiling around their calves.
“That’s cold,” Remi said.
“Cold doesn’t even begin to describe it,” Sam replied. “Our gear?”
“Everything worthwhile is in my pack,” Remi replied, turning her shoulder so he could see it. “Is he dead?”
“Either that or unconscious. If not, I think he’d be shooting at us by now. We need to get that thing started. It’s our only chance to outrun the flood.”
They headed toward the Toyota, Remi in the lead and Sam limping behind her. She slowed as she reached the vehicle’s rear bumper, then crept around to the driver’s door and peeked inside.
She called, “He’s out.”
Sam shuffled up, and together they opened the door and dragged Thule out. He plunged into the water.
To R
emi’s unspoken question Sam said, “We can’t worry about him. In a minute or so this is all going to be underwater.”
Remi climbed into the Toyota and across to the passenger’s seat. Sam followed and slammed the door shut behind him. He turned the key. The starter whined and clicked, but the engine refused to start.
“Come on . . .” Sam muttered.
He turned the key again. The engine caught, sputtered, died.
“One more time,” Remi said, gave him a smile and held up crossed fingers.
Sam closed his eyes, took a breath, and turned the key again.
The starter clicked over, the engine coughed once, then again, then roared to life.
Sam was about to shift into gear when they felt the Toyota lurch forward. Remi turned in her seat and saw water lapping at the lower edge of the door.
“Sam . . .” Remi warned.
Eyes on the rearview mirror, Sam replied, “I see it.”
He shifted into reverse and pressed the accelerator. The Toyota’s four-wheel drive bit down. The vehicle began inching backward, the quarter panels shrieking as they were dragged along the rock walls.