MEADOW
Jenkins hobbleson my side his way into the cave and I help lower him down to the dirt floor. I try to radio for help but am greeted by nothing but static.Shit.
“Still nothing. I guess there’s nothing to do now but stay holed up in this cave until the rest of the team finds us.”
He leans back against the wall. “I think you’re right. There’s no safe path back down the mountainside from where we are. Between the fire and that crashed tree, we’re stuck up here. Not to mention my foot. I’d never be able to outrun the fire in this condition, even if there was a way around.”
I set my supply bag down on the ground, exhaling deeply and pulling out the flashlight he clipped to my belt for a little glow. “Well, I can at least get you bandaged up and taken care of in the meantime. Your ankle is going to hurt like hell for the next few days, Jenkins. At least if I bandage it, it’ll have a little extra support.”
He grimaces as he tilts his head back. “I know you’re right. Doesn’t make it any less crappy, but I know you’re right. How did you know about this cave?”
“I come hiking here on the weekends I don’t work.”
“That’s cool,” he says. “Well, consider me impressed.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, his attention snapping towards me.
“For what? You don’t have anything to be sorry for, Tate.”
“If I’d been paying attention, you never would have had to push me out of the way of that tree. Your ankle wouldn’t be fucked up. We’d be back down the mountain with our crew and probably fighting that fire out there by now. The fact that we’re in this situation is all my fault.”
“Come on, Tate.” He flashes a smile so brilliant it lights up the cave. “Let’s not play the blame game. That tree was coming down fast, it’s not your fault it landed where it did. You were busy evaluating the severity of the fire and coming up with a plan. The tree falling down was just an unhappy circumstance. Nothing you did could have changed that.”
My logical side tries to meet him, but right now my emotional side is winning. “Yeah. Okay, I guess so.” I open up my emergency first aid kit and fish out a roll of gauze and some medical tape.
He takes a deep breath and see some calm in him. “Can I give you a friendly piece of advice, Tate?”
“Shoot.”
“If you beat yourself up every time something bad happens, you’ll never last in this career.”
I let his words sink in as I lift his pant leg. I take his hiking boot off as gingerly as I can, but the way he’s chewing his bottom lip indicates how much pain Jenkins is in. “Sorry.”
“It’s all good. It’s gonna hurt, but it’s gotta be done.”
The way he stares into my eyes, that brown burning with flecks of gold makes me wonder if he’s the pot of gold at the end of my rainbow. Our faces not all that far apart, causes a burning deep in my belly, a yearning deep in my soul, and a hope deep in my heart.
I don’t know if the fire outside has gotten closer, but the cave seems to have jumped several degrees. I wipe a bead of sweat from my forehead and smile.
“I’ll be quick,” I say, and a mischievous smile plays on Jenkin’s lips.
“Under different circumstances, I’d likely argue, but…”
He groans and shuts his eyes tight as I pull his sock off and start wrapping the gauze around his ankle. It’s already swollen and purple, and I’m happy he doesn’t look down and see it. It’s best if he thinks it isn’t that bad. Sometimes things hurt worse once we see the extent of them, and I’d rather he try and relax while we’re trapped here.
I find a large rock and drag it over to him, propping his leg up on it. “There. How’s that?” I’m proud of my handiwork, especially when Jenkins smiles again.
“It’s good. It’s really good. Thanks, Tate.”
I sit down beside him and plant my head on his shoulder, giving into the drought of adrenaline. “No problem. How long do you think we’ll be stuck here for?”
“That eager to get away from me?”
I turn and see the ridiculous grin on his face. Then I do the unthinkable.
I lean over and kiss him.