Page 27 of Gone
“Fucking great. Another night waiting to be washed away,” said Tommy.
“We’re too high up,” said Frank, gazing out the opening. “We’ll be fine in here for tonight, but we need a fire, or we’re going to freeze to death. Do you think you can catch a fish or maybe a rabbit or something?”
“Do I look like fucking Daniel Boone?” Tommy growled.
“Look, asshole. We’re in this together. We have to work together until we find the money, and then you can go wherever the hell it is you want to go. For now, we’re both hungry, tired, and cold. I’ll get the firewood if you can find us some food.”
Tommy glared at him for a long moment and then nodded.
“Fine. That’s fair.” Frank turned to leave the cave, and Tommy called out to him. “Frank? You’re right. We’re just tired and hungry. We’ll find the damn money and get to Mexico.”
Seeing a small area of flat outcropping ahead, Frank skirted the edge and found some loose branches and a few stray spruce trees. Using the lace from one of his shoes, he tied the bundle together.
Looking at the tree, he realized he could crawl up and maybe get a good view of what was around them. He couldn’t get more than about seven feet up, but it was enough to see that they were alone. So far.
The river below was already raging, and the rain was starting to come down once again. With the ledges being so narrow and slick, no one would be chasing them tonight.
Edging back down the tree, he crawled back to the cave and started the small fire.
When they’d escaped from their work group with the prison, they were smart enough to take everything they could find along the way. Clothing, shoes, sheets, but especially items they could use later.
After finding a small general store just outside the national park, they waited until dark, broke the windows, and took as much jerky, granola, and water as they could carry. They’d even stolen a backpack.
Coming across that scout master and the kids was just luck. The other three wanted nothing to do with kidnapping kids, but they didn’t give a fuck. It would keep the cops back if necessary.
Now, they didn’t have that advantage. It was just the two of them, and neither trusted the other. He was careful to not make the fire too large, hoping his small wood haul would last through the rain and the night.
When Tommy walked through the cave entrance, he pointed the weapon at him, then shook his head, realizing who it was.
“Thanks for not shooting me,” he said with a small grin.
“You’re welcome.”
“I caught two fish. It wasn’t hard with that river raging like it is. Although I have to confess, I wasn’t sure I’d make it back up the ledge.”
“I don’t remember it being this hard to get to when we hid the money.”
“We’re older and, as much as I hate to say it, slower and fatter. Prison didn’t do me any favors,” frowned Tommy. He took the small knife in his pocket and began cleaning the fish, then spearing them on sticks to cook over the fire. They weren’t very big, so it didn’t take long.
“Not bad,” said Frank. “Or I’m really hungry.”
“I think we’re really hungry,” said Tommy. He looked around the cave and shook his head. “Has anything we’ve passed looked familiar to you?”
“Only that big boulder we passed yesterday. I remember it because some kids had carved their names into it. It was still there.”
“Then we’re headed in the right direction,” said Tommy. “Should we take watch turns?”
“Nah. No one is coming out in this slop, and if they did, we’d hear them.”
“Alright then,” said Tommy, lying back with his hands behind his head. “Tomorrow’s the day. We find that money and get to Mexico.” Frank nodded, lying back as well.
“Mexico here we come.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“It’s too dangerous to try and maneuver the ledges in this rain and wind,” said Zeke. “I think we take shelter, build a fire, catch some food, and start again in the morning.”
“Hey, guys, if you stay where you are, I can have climbing gear dropped by the drones first thing in the morning. As long as the wind isn’t whipping, it shouldn’t be a problem.”
