Chapter 4

Caleb cut her off right there.

"It's exactly because another mudslide is coming that we need to evacuate immediately."

"As for Bri and Chessie... they've survived ten days already. I believe they can last a little longer."

"We're pulling out now. Anyone who disobeys will be removed from the team."

The team members had no choice. They began to withdraw. And then my daughter's breathing stopped.

No matter how hard I shook her or called her name, she didn't respond.

I wanted to give her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, but the boulder that had shielded us was gone, and the mud filling the space blocked her mouth and nose.

Soon, the mud swallowed my whole body.

The phone beside me buzzed.

It was a message from Caleb.

[Now you finally know how helpless Nessa felt a year ago when she came to me for help, when you pretended Chessie had an allergic reaction and forced me to drive you to the hospital, leaving her alone at the intersection, holding her daughter and waiting for a ride?]

[Don't worry. I won't really leave you and Chessie to die. Once I get Nessa down the mountain, I'll come back for the two of you.]

But by then, the mud had already flooded into my mouth and nose, and it cut off my last cry for help before it could escape.

An hour later, Vanessa was safely evacuated to the temporary shelter at the foot of the mountain, escorted by the rescue team, by my parents, and by Caleb.

The sky was a dull gray. There was a damp smell in the air.

Someone muttered.

"Isn't it going to rain? It might set off a second mudslide."

"I hear there are still people who haven't been pulled out. If another mudslide hits, they're done for, aren't they?"

"Don't joke like that. It's been ten days since the first mudslide. Even if there's no second one, anyone up there's been dead a long time, right?"

Caleb heard it, and an uneasy feeling cut through him for no reason he could name.

He walked over to the aid station, to Vanessa, who was directing a volunteer to spray medicine all over her completely uninjured ankle, and asked.

"Are you sure you received a message from Sabrina yesterday?"

"She said she and Chessie were fine, that they had food and water, that she'd just twisted her ankle and was stuck on a shallow ledge and couldn't come down for now?"

Vanessa had thought Caleb came over to check on her.

Hearing that every question was about Bri and Chessie, her mood soured instantly.

But she kept the carefully controlled smile on her face and answered gently.

"I already showed you the text! How could it be fake?"

Caleb still wasn't reassured. He pressed on.

"What about the weather? What does the weather report say? Is there any risk of heavy rain or a second mudslide?"

Vanessa's face fell at once.

"The forecast updates every hour. Clear skies all week. The data syncs straight to your phone."

"If you don't believe me, go check it yourself. Why ask me?"

"Or is it that you regret leaving Bri and Chessie behind on the mountain for my sake"

Caleb frowned.

"That's not what I mean. I'm just worried about Bri and the kid's safety..."

Vanessa's eyes reddened. "So my safety doesn't matter?"

"A year ago, I was out there at night with Tansy, trying to get a cab, and no one would stop for us."

"When I finally got through to you, you told me you had to take your wife and daughter to the hospital."

"Caleb, Tansy is your child too. How could you treat her like that!"

My parents scolded Caleb too.

"Nessa lost her own parents when she was little, and she's been with you for three years without a proper place in your life, and she gave you a child. She's suffered enough as it is!"

"How could you even think that of her?"

Caleb couldn't get a word out. In the end, all he could do was apologize.

Vanessa turned away in silence.

Then her phone rang. It was a call from a neighbor.

"Vanessa! Tansy was home alone and starving, she tried to make something to eat and forgot to turn off the gas."

"She's already been rushed to the hospital for gas poisoning!"

"Get back here now. The doctor says they need a family member to sign the consent forms."

Vanessa staggered to her feet. Caleb moved to go with her, but she shoved him off hard.

"I don't need you pretending to care! Go find your wife and your kid! What are Tansy and I to you?"

By the time Caleb finally calmed her down and arrived at the hospital with my parents, they learned that Tansy had been lucky. A neighbor had noticed almost the moment she passed out and brought her in. There was nothing seriously wrong.

The knot in Caleb's chest finally loosened.

He wanted to go back to the rescue site and get me and our daughter out.

But Tansy was shaken, and she clung to his arm and wouldn't let him leave no matter what.

He looked at poor Tansy, and at Vanessa beside her with her eyes rimmed red.

Just one night, Caleb thought. As a father and a husband, he told himself he should stay with them for one night.

First thing tomorrow morning, he'd take his team up and bring me and our daughter home.

The next morning, Caleb was woken by his phone ringing.

A member of the rescue team was on the line, his voice heavy as he delivered the news.

"Captain Mercer, the weather turned on the mountain last night. It rained hard all night and set off a second landslide."

"After the rain stopped we went up to search, and less than ten meters from yesterday's survey point, we found the remains of your wife and Chessie…"