The Harp Star Lesbian Story

Need

40: Need

River pulled the line up, the equipment all there. She worked as quickly as she could to set new anchors and run the rope through the new pros tightening slack. Her body was beginning to shut down, she watched her hands work from muscle memory because feeling was diminishing quickly, "All secure up here!"

Tim sighed relief, tears spilled over and he shook quietly weeping.

"I need to pull you up before I lower you down. I need to make sure you're secure. Okay?"

"Okay, I'm all yours."

River set the locking pulley and pros, she began to slowly pull the line grunting with exertion moving Tim up to the ledge. As he crested the edge he used his good arm to help shimmy himself over and he collapsed with River in the small space. They lay there exhausted from the night. River felt a cold that ached in her bones and she was so tired.

"Jesus Riv, " Tim looked down at her pants. "You've lost a lot of blood." Her entire right pant leg was stained deep red. "Can you feel your toes? Wiggle them?" No immediate response. "River! River! Tell me what you need? What do you need me to do?"

River whispered, she just wanted to sleep, "I need Alice. I need you to get her."

Tim groaned as pain shot through his arm but searched through the pain for his emergency whistle tied into his pocket. River heard him blow it but slipped away, her last thought of Alice.

Kyle came over the radio, "I'm close! Hear a whistle! I'm 15 north of a climb River loves." Kyle pulled out his map and relayed the coordinates to Roger and Jax.

Jax's voice broke over the radio, "Alice?! Did you hear that?"

"Yes! Yes!"

"Okay hold tight, wait for confirmation. Do you have signal?"

"No!" Tears were beginning to spill over, hysteria rising. "Please hurry Kyle, please."

"Don't leave yet! Wait for confirmation!" Fifteen minutes was more like 10, but it felt like ages. Kyle was moving quickly, he blew his whistle in response and when Tim looked over the terrain he saw the flash of his mirror moving from the north.

"Hang on Riv. They're coming." Tim blew his whistle again in a broken response, he stood up and yelled "HERE!"

Kyle looked up, he knew exactly where River and Tim went. He was on the radio as he moved. "Confirm Tim, no visual on River." Alice's knuckles were white on the radio. Jax and Roger were at full sprint through the rock terrain. "Confirm Tim shoulder injury. Confirm River ankle injury, blood loss, unconscious."

"Alice?! Alice?!" Jax's voice was urgent and filled with barely muted fear.

"Jax?! What do I do?!"

"Get to cell service, call 911 first we need an air lift. Write these coordinates down ..."

Alice tore down the road holding the phone waiting for bars.

"Kyle! My shoulder is shot. I can drop a line but I can't pull you up!"

"Two more coming Tim, drop the line we'll get up there quick. How's River?"

"I don't know. She's lost a lot of blood! She's not responding! I think she passed out from exhaustion! We had to spend the night on the line, hanging. She cut loose and bouldered up this morning and then pulled me up. Deep cut on her thigh and her ankle is wrecked."

Kyle dropped his pack, he unloaded all unnecessary gear leaving him light and fast. He tied the gurney, splint, and IV to the line and sent it shuttling up to the ledge for Tim to untie. Roger was there next, already realizing what was happening he and Kyle worked quickly and silently with the ropes. "Are we secure?!"

Roger nodded his body tight with concentration. "Yeah, good to go!" He belayed the younger and faster climber up the rock with dizzying speed. Once Kyle reached the surface he made sure Tim was still anchored in and stable then moved to River.

"Riv? Can you hear me?" Nothing. Kyle checked her pulse. "Oh my God. Roger! She barely has a pulse!" Kyle used his belt to tourniquet River's wound. He shifted her into the gurney, secured it into the ropes, covered her with a thermal blanket, and started an IV to rehydrate her. "Ready Roger?"

"All set!" Within minutes they had River on the ground and Tim on the way. Jax looked up, he could hear the helicopter.

----

"Kelli?!"

"Alice what is it?" Kelli focused on remaining calm.

"They found her." Alice was not doing a good job at staying calm.

"Alice, are you driving?!"

"Yes."

"Pull over, now." Alice dropped the phone in the passenger seat and cursed. She slowed and pulled onto the shoulder.

"Kelli?!"

"Yes, go ahead."

"They found her, them. I don't have all the details, they had me call for a helicopter." Alice struggled, her voice cracking, "She's hurt. Lost some blood and she was unconscious when they found her."

"Okay, head to St. John's. Roger will ride with River, I'm sure. I'll send someone to pick up the guys. Go. Now. I'll meet you there. Alice, don't you dare get back on the road until you are ready to be safe." Silence. "Alice?!"

"Okay, I promise." It was all Alice could do to drive at a reasonable and safe speed. Her whole body ached with need. Tears streamed down her face and she blinked and wiped furiously.

----

"River?! Sweetie, can you hear me?" Roger glanced down at the dark and drenched leg of her climbing pants. River did not open her eyes, she did not respond. Roger seized with emotion and leaned in hugging his daughter's body as she lay waiting for the helicopter. "I love you River. Please, please stay with us."

Jax and Kyle set Tim down beside River. "She saved us both, Roger. She cut herself loose and bouldered up that." Tim nodded to the mountain "On one good leg." Tim's eyes shifted and again filled with tears of release and emotion. "Who's Alice? She asked for 'Alice.'"