A Wilderness Honeymoon

The bride and groom both want to have an athletic honeymoon.
They select a wilderness hike, followed with camping by the lake.
Their first two days – hiking all day, making love under a full moon --
fill them with happiness and talk of the future they will make.

Mid-day on day three, off in the distance the lake comes into view.
Flushed with eagerness, they start down the treacherous decline
leading down to the lake. Suddenly, he trips and falls headfirst into
her, knocking both sprawling, rolling, bouncing into a large pine.

They lie against the rough bark of the tree, gathering their senses.
When he tries to move, pain freezes him – both his legs are broken!
“Honey, are you okay? I can’t get up. Can you?” She commences
to stand. “My ankle is twisted.” Her eyes convey her panic unspoken.

He stays calm. “Find the cell phone, and see if you can call the ranger
station for help.” She searches and locates the phone. It has been
broken during their fall! Both fully realize he is now in grave danger –
he cannot walk out, and she cannot carry him. She gives a brave grin.

“Looks like you get to lie around here waiting for me to walk out and
bring back aid. Help should arrive in three days.” They prop him against
the tree, provisions close at hand. They act cheerful, but both understand
their honeymoon has gone from glorious to grim, because both now sense

the urgency of their situation. “I’ll be fine,” he assures her. “Just you
be careful. Don’t walk after dark, and don’t take chances.” She is limping
badly as she sets off. He can see it will take her more than three days to
make the walk out…That’s a long time to wait. His pain will be agonizing.

The rest of that day and the first night pass uneventfully. The next morning
he awakes to great pain. His legs are swollen grotesquely, and there is blood
caking his left leg. The skin has been broken, which he knows is a warning
sign for infection to occur. He washes the site to clean away leaves and mud.

Soon he becomes feverish, falling in and out of consciousness. When awake,
he drinks water, eats a nutrition bar, and takes pain medication. He loses all
track of time. He thinks two nights have now passed…wouldn’t that make
this day three? His condition is critical. He hears a noise! He begins to call,

“Over here! I’m over here.” Then he sees it approaching – a large brown bear.
Terror overwhelms him. He cannot escape; he has no weapon; he is helpless.
The bear sniffs the air, detecting food and blood. The man is filled with despair.
He knows he will never see his wife again, never kiss her, nor share a soft caress.

The bear, growling fiercely, is almost upon him when they first hear the sound.
“whop … whop … Whop … Whop … WHOP … WHOP … WHOP” as overhead
a helicopter soars, sending the bear scampering away. Saved! He’s been found.
Taken aboard, medics begin treatment. “You’re lucky we didn’t find you dead.”

“My wife. Where’s my wife?” “She’s in the hospital, might lose her foot still.
She walked out on a fractured ankle, swollen like a balloon. Most heroic thing
we’ve ever seen. She must really love you to have endured such pain. You will
be reunited with her soon.” As pride fills his heart, “Yes, my wife is amazing.”


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