Day 103 - Wilderness Story

Wilderness Story

Matthew Ryan Fischer

The CR-V hit an ice patch and slid off the road, crashing into a tree stump and ejecting Valerie from the front driver side seat, through the front windshield and out into a thick patch of fallen snow.

Snow fell and a cold breeze shook whatever few remaining scattered leaves there were that still clung to the trees. Slowly and quietly the sound of crunching footsteps broke through the cold winter wind as someone trudged on.

Valerie lay in the snow, half her face buried. She could see the CR-V and its crumpled remains looked like she felt. She had to get up. She knew she had to get up. But her body hurt so much. And it was so cold. It was just so easy to lie in the snow just a little bit longer. She blinked and the world went in and out of darkness.

Staggered steps, dragging out a random path. Little bloody drops of red marked her way in the snow.  Her movements were painstakingly slow. One foot in front of the next, she told herself. One foot in front of the next. Just keep pushing. There was no stopping or turning back. There was no one driving through the woods. There was no one on this road that would ever find her. She had to get back to the state road or to the highway. It was late afternoon, and the sun was already going down. She had to push through. There was no way she was going to make it after the sun down.

Valerie lay in the snow, her face half buried. It was winter break and none of her housemates would be back for a week to miss her. She was going to be on the road all day and all night to get home so no one would know she was missing until the next afternoon. She could not lie in the snow that long. But her body hurt oh so much. It was just so easy to lie there a little longer.

‘No!’ she shouted at herself in her mind. She was replaying the crash over and over and over and it was not going to do her any good. She had to get up. She strained and struggled and found some strength in her arms and lifted herself up. She screamed out in pain. Something was not right in left forearm, but she could not think about that. She didn’t want to look for fear of what she would see. She couldn’t worry about that. She had to get up. Not getting up would be a much bigger problem than breaking something a little bit more that was already broken.

She screamed in pain and pushed. No one was anywhere close to hear her cry.

The sun had gone down hours ago. Her watch had been shattered in the crash. She had lost her cell phone. She had no idea what time it was or how long she had been going. Cold, alone, and bleeding – she put one foot forward and then dragged the other one along. Valerie made her way through the wilderness – with labored steps and labored breathing. She knew things were not right. She was light headed and hungry and cold and her eyelids were just so heavy. She could drop at any second, but her will kept her standing and made her move on.

Valerie sat in the snow, blood running down her arm, and collecting in her cupped hand.  Little drops dripped down from the fingertips and from between the closed fingers. ‘Don’t think’ she commanded herself – ‘Get up and get MOVING!’

She reached a dirt road, the snow was partially cleared. She followed it until finally she saw it – the state road. Valerie stared at it for a long time. She let out a triumphant sigh – she had made it!  This was it. She began to smile.

Down the road a car approached. Valerie noticed it and pushed herself harder and faster than she thought was possible. She had to make it to that road.

“Help…”

She pushed herself. Step after painful step.

“Please!”

She waved her hands. It was dark, but dawn was breaking. It was moving fast, but she was so close.

Please stop… please see me… I need this… I need this…

She tried to hurry, but it was too late. The car did not stop. It was there and then it was gone.

Valerie stopped, sobbing. It was enough to break her spirit and end things. She could sit down now. No one could blame her. She tried. She tried so hard and it just wasn’t enough. No one could say she didn’t try. There’s no shame in coming up just a little bit short.

She could sit and stop and die, but instead she willed herself forward. She was no quitter.

The long and lonely walk continued.

The semi sped along the road, heading into an upcoming curve. The driver had been driving all night. It had been a long haul and he wasn’t all there. He wasn’t paying that much attention, but he was making good time. He just wanted to get to a rest stop so he could find some time for a nap.

Valerie saw the semi heading her way. This had to be it. She wasn’t sure if she could keep going long enough for another chance.

The semi didn’t slow down.

Valerie hurried up, arms raised as much as she could muster, screaming as loud as she could. She made it to the middle of the road.

Screeching brakes and a blaring horn rang out. For a moment Valerie thought the worst and feared she had made it this far only to be hit.

“You okay?” asked the semi driver. 

Valerie was silent for a moment; she was beat and worn, and frostbitten.  She had been through hell. 

Finally she nodded.  “Not yet. But soon.”

Valerie lay in the snow, her face half buried. She knew it was time to get up. She knew if she didn’t she was dead. No one knew where she was. No one was going to look to find her. She was on her own. She had to get up or she would die out here. It was so cold and she hurt so badly. She just wanted to sleep.

Her eyes blinked. They stayed closed for too long. They were staying closed longer and longer with each blink.

“Soon,” she whispered to no one in particular. “Soon…”

She smiled and blinked again.

The Ranger pulled the driver’s license out – Valerie Sumter. She was only twenty. Had been only twenty. Valerie lay in the snow, her face half buried.