“Luke! Luke, wake up! You promised me!” Libby yelled out.
“Stop yelling, Lib. My head fucking hurts.” Libby began kissing all over my face. I opened my eyes and looked at her.
“I can’t find anyone. There is no one. It’s dark now and everyone will be at their campsites.
Libby’s lips were trembling. “You’re cold, Lib.”
Shaking her head. “I’m scared. I’m fine.”
“I’m so thirsty,” I whispered. Libby grabbed the backpack she had put on and took out a bottle of water. She placed it up to my lips and I took a small drink.
“So. Good.”
I barely had any energy to talk. “Lib, you’re gonna … have to … leave me. Go … find … help and leave me.”
She stared at me as a tear rolled down her cheek. “Lib, if I don’t get help soon—”
“No! Stop talking like that. Stop right now. I can’t leave you alone. You have to stay awake, Luke! You’re going to be fine. We’re going to be fine.”
I SAT WITH my knees pulled up to my chest as I rocked back and forth. Luke was drifting in and out of consciousness. My throat was hoarse from calling out and I was so cold.
Looking up I began crying. “Please, please don’t do this. I beg of you. Please.”
“Libby, darling. It’s so cold out here.”
Turning, I looked to see Mr. and Mrs. Lambert standing there. Jumping up, I went over to them. “W—what are you two doing out here? It’s dark and so c
old?”
Mrs. Lambert placed her hand on my cheek. “Are you giving up, Libby?”
I jerked my head back. “No? I just don’t know what to do. I can’t leave him. He keeps trying to sleep and—” I began crying. “I can’t leave him. Please … can you … will you please go get help? Please!”
Mrs. Lambert nodded her head. “Of course, darling.”
Mr. Lambert rested his hand on my shoulder. “Libby, you have to give him hope. He’s giving up.”
“I—I don’t know how to!”
Smiling he looked over at Luke and then back at me. “You do, darling. You do. Tell him your news.”
Luke let out a moan I turned and looked at him. “I need y’all to go and find—” I spun back to talk to Mr. and Mrs. Lambert and they were gone. “Hello? Mr. Lambert? Mrs. Lambert. Wait! Please get help!”
“Libby,” Luke called out in a weak voice. I made my way back over to him. My knee was killing me. I dropped down next to him. He smiled as I put his head in my lap.
“I saw Mr. and Mrs. Lambert. They’re going to get help, baby. Please hold on.”
Luke closed his eyes and opened them. A single tear rolled down his face. “I wanted to get married, have a baby. I had so … many plans.”
I thrashed my head back and forth. “No, don’t you give up, Luke Johnson.”
“I dreamed of us walking along with a little girl. We … we were swinging her as we walked.”
Tears flowed from my face as Mr. Lambert’s words came back to me. “You have to give him hope. Tell him your news.”
“We’re going to, Luke. We’re going to have that little girl.”
He slowly nodded his head. “Libby, no one is going to find us until tomorrow. I can’t wait … that long. I’m so sorry, baby.”