CHAPTER THREE
Three Plans
Stop thinking about how bad the problem is, Aron. You need to be sensible. The voice in my head is right. I must be sensible. This has to be my rule from now on. The first thing I need is a drink. Without stopping to think, I take the water bottle from my bag and drink a third of it in five seconds.
I suddenly realize what I'm doing and pull the bottle out of my mouth. Already, I have broken my rule to be sensible. I have no idea how long I will be here. This means that the most important thing of all is to save water. Damn it, Aron! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!
6 hrs 43 mins
3:28 pm
It's almost forty-five minutes since my accident. I am calmer than before. For the last half hour, I've been thinking of my best chance of escape. I said I would meet Kristi and Megan after the hike. If I don't appear, will they go to my truck to find me? I won't be there. But will they realize that something is wrong and go for help?
The answer is probably 'no'. Kristi and Megan don't know me very well. They'll just think that I decided not to meet them. What about other hikers? Will they find me by chance? Again, the answer is probably 'no'. Very few people travel to the Great Gallery from this end of the trail.
My friends won't worry, either. They weren't completely sure I was going to the party. Even on Monday evening, my housemates will just think I'm late getting back. No one will miss me until Tuesday morning. When I don't arrive for work, Brion After, my boss, will know that something is wrong.
I am never late for work. He will probably call my family and they will tell the police that I am missing. But I didn't tell anyone exactly where I was going, so it will take the police days to find me. If I don't escape before then, I will die.
All of this means that I will have to get out of here alone. But how? I can think of three possible plans. The first plan is to use the large knife on the multi-tool to chip at the boulder. This might take away enough of the rock to free my hand. The second plan is to try and lift the boulder using some of my equipment. The third plan is the worst. I could amputate my arm using the multi-tool. It's too soon to think of that idea.
I try plan one. I take the multi-tool from my climbing bag. It has two knives. One is longer than the other. I use the longest one, which is not so sharp. To free my hand, I must remove a piece of rock over fifteen centimeters wide and seven centimeters deep. That's a lot of rock.
10 hrs 15 mins
7:00 pm
I've been chipping at the rock for almost three and a half hours. I stop for a drink of water. I lay the multi-tool on the boulder and reach for the water bottle. This time I am more careful and take only a sip. I wonder how long I'll be able to survive with the water I have left, only two-thirds of a liter. Until Monday night, maybe? Tuesday morning at the latest.
