The Mountain of Doom

The underside of Blake's minivan scrapes over one last inconvenienty placed boulder before arriving at the trailhead parking. With the energy of a three 8 year olds on Christmas morning Blake, Aaron and yourself all burst out of the minivan and into the empty dirt parking lot eager to fill your lungs with the [[cool mountain air]].

Finally free of obligations, deadlines and updates... at least for the next 64 hours, the three of you set to work doing the last minute checks and panic grabs that are part of any overnight trip into the wilderness. The sound of the [[rushing creek]] and the smell of the willows growing along its banks remind you why came all the way out here. "Everyone ready?" You ask. Blake whines something about his sleeping bag zipper already being broken. Aaron answers "Yuck fes my dude! I was born ready for this shit." Map in hand, you all start down the [[trail]].

You take the side trail down to the creek. Even though it's after 5pm, it's still in the low nineties so you kneel down and let the frosty flowing water fill your cupped hands. Brought on not by the fidget water now dripping from your nose but by the visceral sensation of being closely watched by an [[unseen entity]], the overwhelming urge to get back to the [[guys]] consumes you.

As the three of you make tracks into the back country, you all jockey for position on the single track mountain trail all desperatly wanting to avoid being at the back of the pack. Naturally competative and always willing to suffer, it isn't unusual for you guys have light hearted races on these hikes but something about this [[adventure]] feels different.

You quickly get to your feet in time to see a mountain lion bounding through the under brush 16 feet at a time. Before you realize it, this appex preditor is on top of you swiping at your neck and chest letting your warm sticky blood flow serenely into the passing water of the creek.

Almost running back up the trail from the creek, you try to not seem short of breath and act casual while passively commenting on how beautiful everything is. As the three of you resume hiking you wrestle with the question of whether or [[not]] to [[tell]] the other guys that you just got some super sketchy vibes down at the creek.

After about a quarter mile you decide that you're probably over analyzing the situation and you should avoid killing the mood so early on this [[adventure]].

After about a quarter mile you decide that your gut is rarely wrong about these sorts of things and if the roles were reversed, damnit, you would want to know for fuck's sake! As you walk you collect your thoughts, take a deep breath and [[spill the beans]] on your private little freakout you experienced back at the creek.

Sitting down on a trail side boulder to consult the map while Blake curses and screams as he tries to locate the source of the leak from inside his pack, you take a moment to reflect. You realize that you've known these guys since middle school and they've always been there for you on every occasion, bad or good. You look up from the map and notice that Aaron is [[gone]].

Silence. Your candid confession, your moment of vulnerability, is met with silence. Finally after a hundred yards or so Blake and Aaron stop in front of you and share a brief glance before Aaron turns and tells you that they can't begin to understand how difficult your recent divorce must be and how it's normal to feel hyper-aware when your going through stressful life events. Then he turns and suggests that we'd better make some progress in the next couple of hours if we want to have a nice place to camp tonight and avoid a crappy start to this [[adventure]].

You figure that he's just relieving himself around the corner but after 10 minutes you begin to look for [[him]].

"This is rediculous!" an exasperated Blake exclaims. The only sign of Aaron is his pack that sits right where you saw him last. You look at the time and realize you've just spent the last two hours looking for Aaron. Furthermore, the temperature and the sun have both dropped alarmingly low and now you need to decide. Continue [[looking]] for Aaron and risk hypothermia and your own safety or [[make camp]], build a fire and get warm.

"Yeah, I agree" Blake says as you both put on your headlamps and prepare for a full night of searching. Agreeing to stay together you set out on the [[search]].

"Potatoes or ramen?" "Dude!" Blake shakes you to get your attention. "Do you want these [[instant potatoes]] or some [[ramen]] for diner?" he askes again more forcefully.

"Oh, um... gimme the potatoes" you say as you look up to answer through your malaise. A few minutes later Blake hands you a cup of warm salty instant potatoes complete with dehydrated chives. "Yum, thanks." you say as you try to come up with something positive to say about the [[plan]] to find Aaron.

"Oh, um... ramen" you say as you look up to answer through your malaise. A few minutes later Blake hands you a cup of warm salty ramen which you quickly shovel into your mouth. Chicken flavor complete with a little swirl of Siracha on top from a packet some sage backpacker stole from Panda Express. Nice. "Yum, thanks." you say as you try to conjure up the trappings of a positive [[conversation]] on the prospects of finding Aaron tomorrow.

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After about a mile you come across a set of shoe prints that match Aaron's shoes and lead off into the [[underbrush]]. Blake isn't so sure and what's more, he's starting to get a little agro because, as he puts it, "you keep blinding me with your headlamp dude!". You spot a second pair of [[tracks]] that continue down the trail but look a little to big to belong to Aaron.

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