“I can’t believe this,” she said. “I’m going to die a virgin on this mountain. God, why didn’t I fuck Keith when I had the chance.”
“Jesus Fucking Christ, enough, stop it, Abby. First of all, I don’t want to hear that, and second, we’re going to live, so you can fuck your loser boyfriend later, okay?”
“He’s not a loser!”
I shook my head and climbed off the roof, turning back to lift my daughter down by the waist. Back on the ground, we came around to the front of the cabin, looking at the door.
“Should we knock?” I said.
“And who’s gonna answer, the bear?” she said.
She went forward and pulled the door open, leaving it wide to let in the last of the light. It was barely enough to survey the inside, not that there was much to see. It was just a square, no furniture, no bathroom, just an old wood-burning stove with a pipe that led outside, as well as a bear-fur rug on the floor.
“God, nothing,” she said. “No food, no water. Nothing.”
“Abby, it has a roof. It has protection. It has a stove we can use to make a fire and get warm.”
“I’m not cold,” she said. “It’s hot outside.”
“It’ll get cold tonight,” I said. “And we need light.”
Abby sighed and went over and sat on the bear fur. “Probably fleas and ticks in this thing. Gross.”
I came over to the wood-burning stove. I didn’t have long before there was no light left. I knew I was out of luck if I needed to make fire, but to my good fortune, there was a small stack of matches on top of it. I opened the kiln under the top. There was no wood.
I headed outside and grabbed several logs before bringing them back in. By the time I got them all in, there was no light left. Abby was digging through my pack in the dark, pulling out some papers. We stuck them under the wood and used them as tinder. I struck the match, holding my breath if it still worked, and breathed again as it took flame, lighting the paper.
Abby and I watched it closely as it burned, teasing the wood, and then the wood started to take the fire and we both took a sigh. Soon, the fire was burning. I finally closed the front door, hoping the bear didn’t come looking to borrow a cup of sugar.
“Daddy, what are we going to do?” Abby asked softly, staring at the fire.
I came and sat down next to her on the fur. “Your aunt will send rescue. We’ll be okay.”
“So we stay here tomorrow?”
“Yes, I think we should.”
“What if the text didn’t go through?”
“It did, I’m sure,” I said.
She put her head on my shoulder. “I’m sorry I’ve been a bitch today.”
“You haven’t. It’s okay. I know you didn’t really want to come on this trip to your aunt’s. You’re a city girl.”
“I am, and, yeah, I didn’t want to come, but I love you, Daddy. I like to spend time with you, even doing boring things like hiking.”
I laughed. “Thanks. I love you too, kiddo.”
“If we live, I’m never hiking again though.”
“Neither am I,” I said.
“God, I am starving,” she said. “My tummy is rumbling so much.”
“I know, mine too. Here, let’s eat another granola bar.”
I took my bag and opened it. This time, I took out two and gave her a whole one while I had my own. She picked at it again, and I took mine down quickly.