Narrator

We stayed under that rock for what felt like hours.

My body shook violently.

My teeth chattered until my jaw ached.

Tessa pulled an emergency blanket from her pack, crinkly foil, and wrapped it around my shoulders like she was wrapping a child, then put half over herself.

It did almost nothing, but it was something.

At some point, I heard footsteps in the creek.

Deliberate splashes, not animal.

The splashes moved upstream, then stopped.

Silence.

A voice called out softly, close enough that I felt it in my ribs.

Tess.

Tessa went perfectly still.

The voice came again, gentle.

Tess, don't be like that.

Come on out.

It was Glenn's voice.

real not mimic tessa's eyes were open wide in the dark reflecting a sliver of headlamp glow she didn't respond glenn sighed theatrically ain't no need for this he said we just talking you know me tessa's jaw tightened glenn's voice shifted slightly less friendly you got yourself in a mess he said

Bringing outsiders down here like you own the place.

Tessa's throat moved as she swallowed.

Then Glenn said something that made my blood ice over.