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hideout and sat studying the map. It was wet and torn, but I found the Tuichi and Ipurama rivers and the X that marked Curiplaya. I tried to use the map's scale to calculate the distance. A large river that fed into the Tuichi was shown on the map before Curiplaya. I hoped it would be passable.

It was raining again; the rainy season had begun in earnest. I knew the date; it was December 3. It was easy for me to remember that because I knew that the accident had occurred on the first and was careful to keep track of the date. I debated whether to begin walking toward Curiplaya or to wait for Kevin. Last night's hallucinations were still tormenting me. Kevin needed me and I needed him. We had to find each other. Together we could make it through anything. I decided to walk back toward him, hoping I would meet him on the way. Maybe we would at least come within hailing distance of each other.

I packed carefully and hoisted the pack onto my back. My feet were on fire, and I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to walk very far. I took an upper out of the small box of pills in the first-aid kit and swallowed it. It did as promised. I trotted along hastily, skipping over rocks and hopping over fallen trees. I walked on without rest for hours, calling out, 'Kevin, Kevin,' every few minutes, but I was answered only by the roar of the river below. I felt no hunger, was unaware of the pain in my feet, didn't feel the weight of the pack or