He didn’t even realize he was crying until the officer beside him gently said, “Let’s get you out of the cold.” The sky had begun to lighten by the time the snowmobiles pulled away from the site. Caleb sat behind one of the officers, bundled in a spare jacket, hands still trembling from adrenaline and cold.
They didn’t speak much on the ride back. There wasn’t much to say. At the cabin, the warmth of the stove hit him like a wave. One of the officers handed him his pack—what was left of it. Inside, tucked beside his damaged notebook, was the radio he’d used.