It was pitch black; nothing was visible. Someone's hands gently grasped her wrist and pulled her back.
"Dr. Lowell, are you all right?"
She couldn't see the person, only hear his voice. There was no panic in it, just a feigned warmth.
Erin Lowell bumped into his arm. She endured the stinging pain in her palm and looked up at him.
It was the man from earlier in the day who claimed to be a local.
She took a step back, steadying herself and politely creating some distance. "I'm fine." Her voice trembled slightly. "Thank you."
"It's not safe here." He took the medical kit from her and, through her jacket, steadied her by the arm. "Let's cross the bridge first."
Perhaps from walking it so often, he carried the kit and supported her, each step unusually steady.
Once they were across the chain bridge, he patted the medical kit. "Are you heading to the rescue site?"
Erin Lowell's expression was grim. "Yes."
