26. Mustaf

Blinding sunlight floods my vision as hands pull me from the cave. I"m barely conscious, trembling uncontrollably as the frigid air hits my skin. Urgent voices surround me.

"Over here! We need a stretcher!"

"Mustaf, can you hear me? You"re safe now, just stay with us." The medic peers into my eyes, checking my responsiveness.

I try to nod but only manage a weak groan. His gloved hands palpate my limbs, assessing injuries. I wince as he probes my shattered leg.

"Looks like a nasty compound fracture. We need to get him to the hospital, stat." He calls out more orders to the team.

Soon, I"m being strapped onto a stretcher. As they lift me up the rocky slope, each jostle sends agony stabbing through my battered body.

The medic grips my hand firmly. "Hang in there, buddy. You"ve made it this far, we"ll have you fixed up in no time."

His calm encouragement helps ground me against the pain. I force words through cracked lips. "Meiko… my love…"

"We"ve already contacted her. She"s going to meet you at the hospital. Just try to relax."

At last, we reach the ambulance. The bright lights inside assault my sensitized eyes, used to the dim light of the cave I've been trapped in for more hours than I can count. Hands transfer me onto a gurney and suddenly there are IV lines snaking into my arms.

I"m only half aware of my surroundings now, drifting in a twilight state. But the medic"s voice keeps intruding, offering reassurance.

"Your vitals are low but stable. We"re getting you rehydrated… Your leg will need surgery but the doctors will take good care of you..."

I cling to his words like a lifeline, anchoring me. As the ambulance swerves and careens down the mountain, I focus everything on the promise of seeing Meiko again soon. I made it back to her. That"s all that matters now.

We come to a jarring stop. Shouts outside and then the ambulance doors fly open. I"m swarmed by medical staff in the bright emergency bay. They transfer me swiftly from the gurney to a hospital bed, hooks and wires sprouting around me. I"m only half-aware of my surroundings, my senses dulled by pain, exhaustion, and too many voices to count.

"We"ll need to get him into surgery ASAP!" A doctor barks orders to the scurrying nurses.

Before I can protest, an oxygen mask is fitted over my face. The stark fluorescent lights overhead begin to blur and waver.

The doctor"s voice filters through the encroaching fog. "You"re extremely hypothermic and dehydrated. We"re getting warm saline into you now which should help."

I try to nod but can"t summon the strength. Meiko… have to tell them to find Meiko… my lips won"t cooperate.

"Just try to stay with us, buddy. You"re in good hands." The doctor squeezes my shoulder reassuringly before turning back to monitor the IV bags.

Gradually the saline begins restoring sensation to my numb limbs. I drift in and out, the organized chaos of the ER ebbing and flowing around me.

At last, the doctor returns, checking my vitals. "Your core temp is coming up and your pulse is stabilizing. We"ll keep monitoring you, but I think you"re going to pull through this."

"Thank you," I whisper through cracked lips. Simply making it off that mountain alive feels like a miracle now.

"You"re one tough son of a gun," he says, a hint of awe in his voice. "Most wouldn"t have survived an ordeal like that. Try to rest now, you"ve earned it."

I smile at the thought of Meiko before exhaustion finally claims me. I made it back. I kept my promise to you, my love. Now at last we"ll be together again.

Sometime later, I drift back to wakefulness. The stark hospital room comes into focus, still and quiet. How long was I out this time? Minutes or hours seem to blur together here.

Then the door bursts open, and joy floods my battered spirit at the sight of my beloved Meiko rushing in. Her presence overwhelms my senses, her face etched with relief and love. My arms open wide in longing as she flies to my side, our embrace a fierce collision of pent-up fear and gratitude.

I breathe her in, reassuring myself this is real, not some delirious dream conjured in my mountain purgatory. Tears stream down both our faces as we cling to one another, the knotted tension of our forced separation finally unraveling. No words just yet, only the language of touch, the joy of reunion transcending speech.

I don't think I'm capable of letting her go, not after nearing the brink of death.

At last, we pull back to drink in the sight of one another. Her fingertips trace my face as if confirming I"m truly here. I cradle her cheek with reverence, silently promising to never leave her side again. Dark circles ring her eyes, but her beauty still takes my breath away.

"My Meiko," I whisper hoarsely. "I made it back to you."

Tears shine in her eyes. "I never gave up hope. I knew you would."

She leans in, and our lips meet in a kiss that steals my breath. It"s tender yet fervent, transmitting all the fear, longing, and devotion bottled up in our forced separation. I pour everything I am into that kiss, every last shred of my battered spirit.

When we finally break for air, tears are flowing down both our cheeks. With a choked sob, Meiko buries her face in my chest. I cling to her just as fiercely, anchoring myself in her familiar warmth and scent.

We remain wrapped in a tight embrace as the words finally spill out in a jumbled rush – her panicked vigil, the endless waiting, our mothers rallying around her. Throughout the outpouring, I smooth her hair and murmur comfort, letting her release the pent-up torrent.

"I"m so sorry for putting you through such distress," I murmur, tracing my fingers over Meiko"s features.

Meiko presses a finger to my lips, silencing my concern. "The only thing that matters is having you here again."

Slowly, she leans in. My breath catches as her lips meet mine again.

When she pulls back, eyes shining bright, I"m left speechless. I had hoped her feelings might match mine, but this raw outpouring erases all doubt.

"I love you, Mustaf," Meiko whispers. "I always have."

For a stunned moment, I can only stare, overwhelmed by those precious words. Then joy surges through me, transcendent in its purity.

"And I love you, Meiko," I choke out. "Beyond measure, beyond reason. You are my heart, my everything."

Tears spill down Meiko"s cheeks. I gently brush them away before claiming her lips once more. Any remaining distance between us melts away, our bond now unbreakable.

Together we have weathered the ultimate storm. Now, wrapped in each other"s arms, the future shines bright with promise. Our love is the foundation on which we"ll build our life.