I don’t know how long I had been at the camp, but it must have been a couple of days or so because I was still alive. I hadn’t been kidnapped and eaten… Just the kidnapping part had happened. The only thing that was true about any of that was that it was raining and I was almost drowning. The cliff I had built my quick lean-to under was a waterfall and it was coming down on me, pounding me down into the mud, drowning me. If it had been much earlier, I may have drowned. I had to get up and get out of this. And that was no easy doing.

Pulling myself up involved a lot of rolling to the side and getting my legs unstuck. My left leg had a dull ache to it, but otherwise seemed alright. Getting out of the rain was the first priority, before I drowned or froze to death. I was already shivering. It was pitch black, and the rain didn’t help me not seeing anything. I found what should be my hat with my hand, and, wet as it was, squashed it down on my head. It might do a little to keep me warm at least.

A couple more rolls and I was free from the muck. I felt my bag at my side so I grabbed it and tried to stand. OUCH my leg was still not okay and I almost went down. But I could hobble my way out of here, and if that was what it took, then so be it. Down the mountain side, clutching at this and that. I could just barely make out the trees as they were coming up in front of me, so that’s how I went. Blurry tree to blurry tree to tree downward. Thank God it wasn’t too steep, I had good footing. Wait. Did I just thank God?

Fuckin A.

Why not? I had nothing to lose.

“God! If you can hear me! Let me live!” I cried at the top of my lungs.

If I had been out for only hours, the night eyed would still be on me. If I had been out for days, then they had given up on me and left me to the elements. At this temperature, I didn’t have long.

“God! If you’re there, let me know!” I screamed again.

“How did you know my name was Bob?” a voice hollered back through the rain.