Chapter 8: Grace

                                    

                                          
I couldn't believe the mess we were in, the mess I put us in. Sure, I was mad at him; he should not have said the things he did. But, I should not have ran off like that. He was my trail guide and we were in an area I was nowhere near familiar with. It was dumb and reckless.
                          
Not to mention, completely out of my character. I wasn't sure what had gotten into me lately. He was absolutely infuriating, that was for certain. I could not explain the feeling he provoked in me. And now, I had to be stuck with him in literally a life or death situation. Like it or not, we were in it together. 
                          
We walked for awhile in quiet solitude. I was lost in my thoughts, and I am sure he was too. Either that, or he did not care to talk to me. It was probably the latter. The silence soon became too much to bear when the racing thoughts turned unpleasant. 
                          
"So, what's the plan here?" I asked, dodging a tree branch from its' potential assault on my face. 
                          
"Exactly what we're doing. Walking."
                          
I rolled my eyes at his annoyingly insouciant answer.
                          
"I mean, how long do you think we are going to have to walk before we see anything recognizeable?"
                          
"Well, the ride up was about 10 miles. Your little adventure probably added another mile or so, and then counting in our little moose escape, I would say we've got about eleven and a half miles of walking. Completely doable. Of course, that would be if we knew where we were. If we're going in the wrong direction, then who knows."
                          
"But what about a search party? Don't you guys have people to come looking if we don't show back up?" I came to a stop, suddenly hopeful. He matched my halt and faced me.
                          
"That depends. No one's going to be looking for me until mid-morning. My parents don't exactly check up on me to do my job. I'm sure my mom will assume I finished the ride and went home. My dad will assume I'm in bed or out. So, Grace, that leaves--"
                          
"Mark." I finished. 
                          
"Exactly. Will Mark notice you're not there?"
                          
"Of course!" I insisted. "I'm sure he'll be wondering where I am at when it's late, and I am still not back." 
                          
"Great. Then it's up to Mark to help find us. Nothing to worry about there, I'm sure." He scoffed and walked ahead of me. I immaturely stuck my tongue out behind his back and followed. He was such a pain. Mark would notice. Of course he would. Right? 
                          
The longer we walked, the thirstier and hungrier I became. My stomach soon groaned in protest, thinking of the promised dinner it would no longer see. Rubbing my belly, I quickly remembered I had packed a couple of granola bars in my shoulder bag. I unzipped my bag and went to reach for one when I saw my phone. 
                          
"Of course!" I ran up to Colt and grabbed him on the shoulder. He turned around looking startled. I waved my phone in his face, grinning from ear to ear. I guess he was denser than I thought, because he stared back at me blankly.
                          
"Colt! My phone. I have a phone! We can call someone! I can't believe I did not think of it before." 
                          
He pushed my arm down away from his face looking completely annoyed. For someone who was just rescued, I did not understand his problem. I was starting to think he was cursed with resting bitch face. 
                          
"Grace, you are aware this isn't the city, right?"
                          
I jerked my head back in confusion.
                          
"Um yeah. I am very well aware considering a moose run is not exactly my typical day. Hence the excitement over a phone to get us out of this dangerous wilderness!"