Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
“I don’t get lost,” Zahra denied, shouldering her pack.
“You get lost in a parking lot at the mall,” Harlow told her.
Zahra’s dark brows drew together. “Those parking lots are huge. Why do they even have malls that size? No one can find their way out of them. Everyone gets turned around, it’s not just me.”
“Yosemite is bigger than a mall parking lot,” Stella pointed out. “And I don’t want to lose my best friend.”
The narrow trail was stony with loose rock everywhere. The sun reflected off the rock on one side of them and off the churning water below as they began the climb.
Zahra laughed. “I suppose I do get turned around. I did learn after the last time not to go alone at night to find a place to pee. And this time I have a whistle.”
“Good to know,” Vienna said. “You need realistic survival gear, even if it’s the minimal gear.”
Zahra rolled her eyes. “You always tell me that. I do carry a water filtration system. If I get lost, I plan on sitting in one place until all of you find me.”
Vienna had drilled it into her enough times that she needed survival gear when they hiked, even with all of them together. It didn’t matter that she didn’t plan on being separated. No one ever planned to get lost, but it happened all the time. Each time Vienna had organized a rescue and brought home a dead body or bodies, she had more talks with her friends about necessary survival gear and what to do in circumstances based on the time of year.
Zahra listened to her, and she was carrying more gear, but sometimes Vienna felt as if it was pulling teeth to get her to do it. Vienna knew part of Zahra’s resistance was fear. She told herself she wouldn’t ever get separated because the thought of being lost and alone in the forest was terrifying to her.
The views were gorgeous, and no matter how uncomfortable the heat was, it was well worth it to see the amazing panoramas. Vienna looked out over the cliff edges as she walked up the steep slope and immediately set her foot down on an unstable rock. It rolled out from under her foot and she went down. As she did, what seemed like a series of angry bees struck the rock face where her head had been, sending splinters of granite bursting back at them. The sound of gunshots followed as the shards cut into packs, hair and skin.
Shabina screamed. Raine shoved her forward. “Run. Run to the bend. We’re sitting ducks out here. Pull out mirrors and reflect them back on the shooters, they’re on the ridge.”
Stella crouched down to help Vienna, who was trying to scramble on her hands and knees. The next bullet hit the granite above them and sent rocks sliding down on top of them. Raine rushed to help Stella and Vienna as the others fled upward.
Vienna’s ankle was twisted, but she did her best to push up into a crouch as Raine came around to assist her. A bullet caught Raine and slammed her into Vienna so that they both hit the slab of granite hard and slid to the trail floor. Stella dropped her pack instantly, screaming at Vienna to get up.
With her ears ringing so loud they hurt, Vienna still heard Stella’s voice in the distance calling her name. Vienna forced her body to roll over and found herself almost on top of Raine. There was blood on Raine’s face and leg. She wasn’t moving.
“Is she alive?” She might have yelled it. Her ears weren’t working very well.
Stella dragged Raine’s pack off in order to lay her flat so she could check to see if she was breathing.
“Get out of here, Stella,” Vienna said. “If they shoot you too, none of us will get out of this. Go, I’ll try to get her to you. I can carry her.” She didn’t know if that was the truth. Her ankle was definitely twisted. Adrenaline and need made up for a lot.
“She’s alive,” Stella said with obvious relief, waiting until Vienna reached down to lift Raine’s slight body into her arms. Raine’s head lolled back against her shoulder. Seeing her leg, Vienna was grateful she was unconscious.
She hobbled toward the bend that would take them out of sight of the rifle. She couldn’t imagine what was stopping him from shooting until she saw the rest of the women holding mirrors and reflecting the sun back at the shooter.
“How bad is it?” Harlow asked as Vienna lowered Raine to the ground.
“I don’t know yet. I didn’t have time to assess.” Vienna did her best not to snap the answer. What had they expected? That she would keep Raine exposed so the shooter could kill Stella, Raine and her?