Follow the River

That morning, Mary and Ghetel reach a part of the New River lined with high mountain cliffs. They have to either walk in the river or grapple along the cliff face. Mary thinks about Will to keep her going. She points out to Ghetel that she should take a shortcut over a hill. After a difficult moment walking through the water, Mary is resting when she sees Ghetel waving at her from the hill. She sees that Ghetel should stay high on the hill because closer to the riverbank, the cliff is very steep. She tries to warn Ghetel, but her voice has gone. That night, Mary sleeps under some leaves between a boulder and a log.

She wakes to Ghetel’s voice. It is hard for Mary to get up because her limbs are so stiff from the cold. She eats some moss to keep her going. She estimates that she is only about 15 miles away from Draper’s Meadows. She sees Ghetel by a creek that she cannot cross. Mary motions to her to go around, and Ghetel is upset. Mary continues for two miles, clinging to a cliff face while it snows. Then, she comes to a portion where she cannot grapple along the cliff face and must walk in the freezing water.