Page 16 of See You at the Finish Line

A pit grows in my stomach as I think of her, wishing I knew her name. I hope she found a companion to help her through this difficult weather. Maybe we’ll catch up to her and I can keep her safe. Brightening at the thought, I pick up my pace.

“Easy there, Adam,” Caleb warns, my quickening footsteps causing me to slip and slide. “You won’t be any help to her if you fall off the damn cliff.”

Though I know he’s right, I don’t slow down.

The rain eventually lets up and we make our way to the Base Camp aid station in a little over three and a half hours. Not ideal timing, but we couldn’t have planned for the sudden thunderstorm.

“128,” I say, checking in.

“69,” Caleb says behind me.

I crane my neck, looking for the blue rain shell matching the shorts she was wearing this morning, but I can’t see her.

“She’ll be here, man,” Caleb reassures me as volunteers hand us warm towels.

“Has Bib 145 checked out?” I ask one of the volunteers named Lucy. She looks at her clipboard and then slowly shakes her head.

“No, it looks like Paige hasn’t even checked in yet.”

Paige.

Finding out her name hits me like a bolt of lightning.

“She was in front of us when we left Amasa Back.” I try not to let the worry overtake me.

“It’s possible you passed her. Or she found some shelter and hunkered down to wait it out. The rain was pretty heavy.” Lucy pats me on the arm and then goes to check in the next runner, who is also not Paige.

My leg bounces up and down in my chair as I eat my third slice of watermelon. I’ve already downed a whole cheeseburger, but my body feels empty. It’s been twenty minutes and she’s still not here. Caleb is chomping at the bit to get going, but I want to wait a little longer, so I take my time eating. I take my time going to the bathroom. I take my time changing my socks and getting my gear back on.

It’s been thirty minutes now and she still has not shown up. I stand abruptly.

“Finally,” Caleb mutters.

“You should go on ahead,” I tell him, jogging over to the check-in point.

Caleb follows me. “Adam, what are you doing?”

“Any sign of Paige?” I ask Lucy.

“Sorry, Adam, she’s not here yet and hasn’t made contact.” Worry crinkles the sides of her face and that’s the last straw. I turn to face Caleb, bracing myself for his temper.

“I’m going back.”

“You can’t.” Both Lucy and Caleb speak at the same time.

“You’ve already checked in, you could be disqualified,” Lucy insists. I yank the clipboard out of her hands and use the eraser until no trace of my name exists.

“Are you going to rat me out?” I ask her. She stares daggers at me, but I don’t care.

“If you’re not back in two hours, I’m letting the race officials know,” she says under her breath.

“Thank you.”

Caleb grabs my arm, stopping me. “Adam, you don’t even know her.”

“What do you want me to do? She could be in trouble.”

“You don’t know this woman, and you’re going to ditch me for her?”

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