“Come on guys, we need to hurry if we want to be back by nightfall.” Chris adjust her backpack as she stands near the picnic table waiting on the rest of the guys.

She was feeling better and had her ankle wrapped up. She took some aspirin for the pain.

“We’re coming.” The guys finally come out to join Chris.

Anthony look at Chris “are you sure, you’re up to this?”

“I’ll be fine.” Chris grabs the walking stick she brought back with her from Crabtree Falls.

They head into the woods and find the map of the route they were going to take. It was going to take them up to the ridge top and around the ridge and back down again. The toughest part was going to be getting to the ridge top. That was going to be a rough path up.

Jimmy was hiding nearby watching the group. He was hidden in the woods near the campsite. He had been waiting to see what they were going to do. He watches as they headed towards a trail. He had a map of the trails around Sherando Lake and saw where he could ambush them.

He heads in that direction. He figures if he moves swiftly, he could beat them to the area. Jimmy was excited about this and felt thrilled. He wonders if this was how hunter’s felt when they went after their quarry.

Chris was finding the trail a little difficult, but she wasn’t going to stop her. She looks at Edward and Bruce. They were ahead of her and Anthony. Anthony had hung back to help her on a few climbs.

They continue up the trail. They were almost to the top of the ridge. Chris’s calf muscles were screaming at her.

“Guys, once we reach the top. Let’s take a break. My calf muscles are screaming at me.” Chris could feel the burn in her calf muscles.

“No problem, Chris. We’re almost to Turkey Pen Ridge Trail.” Edward had the trail map with him and was looking at it.

“Thanks.” Chris holds digs her walking stick in and follow Bruce and Edward.

“You know, I could get used to living out here. It’s so peaceful and beautiful.” Bruce looks around at the woods as they continued up the path.

“You say that now, but how about when the roads are covered up by snow and such?” Chris hated driving in snowy weather.

“That’s why God created snow chains and snowmobiles.” Edward loved the outdoors.

“You saw what happened the last time we went skiing. I hit myself in the mouth.” Chris still couldn’t figure out how she managed to hit the inside of her mouth without breaking any teeth.

When they finally reach the top. She leans against her walking stick for support and was trying to relax. Maybe she shouldn’t be pushing herself as hard as she was, after the ordeal, she went through. She grabs a cold-water bottle from her pack and drinks some of the water.

Edward munches on a beef jerky strip he picked up at Food Loin when they went. Bruce and Anthony were doing the same thing as Chris and drinking from their water bottles. It wasn’t hot out, but it did feel good for the water to be going down their throats.

“Come on, let’s push on.” Edward puts the empty wrapper in his pants pocket.

“If we must.” Chris follows Bruce and Edward.

They follow the trail map for the next hour or so. Every once in a while, Chris or one of the guys would stop and take pictures of some Eagle’s flying or some deer or fox they spotted. Chris couldn’t believe how nice the clear blue sky looked.

“God, this is so beautiful.” Chris was enjoying their hike.

They continue, till they come to the halfway mark. Chris locates a nice spot for them to sit and enjoy some lunch. Instead of the MRE’s, she packed last time. She made sandwiches and packed some fruit cups as well.

Jimmy spotted Chris, Bruce, Edward and Anthony sitting in a clearing enjoying some lunch. He looks through the scope at Chris.

“This is almost too easy.” As he pulls the trigger.

Chris was raising her bottled water to her mouth when it exploded after the sound of a gunshot. She dives to the side, as another bullet hits right where she was sitting. The guys had moved as well.

Edward reaches for his backpack and unzips it. He had packed his handgun this time. He didn’t know when Jimmy was going to strike, but he wanted to be prepared just in case. He fires back in the direction he figured the shots were coming from.

Jimmy hears gunshots and several of those shots landed near him in the trees. He spots Edwards with a gun firing towards him. He fires off several shots. The first one missed, but the second one hits Edwards in the right shoulder.

Chris was laying flat on the ground. Anthony was lying next to her. Several bullets whiz over their heads and hit the trees behind them. She spots Edward peek up and fire a gun. She didn’t know he carried a gun. The next thing she sees is Edward being hit in his right shoulder. He falls face forward towards the ground.

“Is that Jimmy firing towards us?” Chris pees her pants from being frightened.

“I don’t know. Bruce, how is Edward?” Anthony was concerned about his friend.

Bruce looks over towards Edward and notices he was moaning. He could see where the bullet existed Edwards body.

“He’s still alive. It might have gone through.” Bruce couldn’t tell.

Jimmy gathers his stuff and moves. He didn’t want them to be able to shoot back at him. He didn’t know Edward carried a gun.

He moves quickly to get away from them. He’ll have to think of another way to get at Chris. He walks away and heads towards another trail that will take him back to the road.

After a few minutes, Chris moves over towards Edward to check him out. She could see where the bullet exited his shoulder.

“We need to get him back to camp.”

Anthony takes his shirt off and was about to use it, to bind his wound.

“Here, use my pads to help stop the blood.” Chris digs into her backpack and pulls out three of her pads.

She hands two of them to Anthony. She realized that during the excitement, she had an accident.

“Thanks.” Anthony accepts the pads and places them on each side of the bullet hole.

He uses his torn shirt to secure them in place. He makes sure they are tight, before helping Edward stand.

“Chris, are you going to be okay if we hustle to get back to the camp?” Anthony was concerned about Edward and Chris.

“I’ll crawl if I have too.” Chris picks Edwards backpack up.

“Let’s move it, people.” Bruce helps Anthony with Edward.

Chris follows behind the guys as they carry Edward down the trail they took to get where they were. Anthony and Bruce were setting a fast pace. Chris could hear that Edward was in pain.

It takes them half the time it did to get up to the trail. Chris runs towards the camper and grab Anthony’s car keys and dash back outside with them. She presses the remote to open the doors.

Anthony helps Edward into the SUV. Chris hops into the back seat with Bruce. Anthony stops at the gate guard to the campsite to let them know they might be back late.

Anthony heads towards the hospital as fast as he can. He runs through several stoplights and almost causes a few accidents.

“Anthony, are you trying to kill us?” Chris couldn’t believe how reckless Anthony was being.

Anthony just smiles as he steps on the accelerator. He pulls up to the emergency room and helps Edward out of the SUV and into the
emergency room.