“Do you still have them?” David asked, taking a careful step onto the next exposed rock. The further they advanced across the river, the more violent the water became.

“Yeah, they’re in my jacket.” Sam answered, moving up behind him. David almost couldn’t make out his friends words, as the deafening sound of water rose around them. They carefully stepped forward. One wrong move, and they’d be swept down the river towards a steep waterfall; With a near vertical drop of about 30 meters and nothing to grab on down the way, it was sure death.

David continued forward again, and Sam carefully surveyed river for the next step, wondering if he should take the same path David did. He stepped over to the next semi-exposed rock, testing its surface by tapping it with his booted foot. Feeling confident, he pushed his weight down and followed the pattern with his other foot. Glancing up, he saw David twice the distance ahead that he was before. He almost called out to him, but decided not to.

David paused after taking a stretched step into a sandy pool of the river. Looking around, he noticed he’d made it past the half way point. The roar of the water masked any other sound around them; The white noise, constant and deafening. Glancing back, he could see Sam struggling to the next step, trying to make sure he wouldn’t slip if he took it. A sudden gush of water picked up and rushed over the spot Sam had superficially placed his boot, making him slip from the rock and skid down with the water before catching on a rock just below it.

“Shit. Are you good?” David called to Sam.

“Yeah! That was close!” Sam replied. He used the leverage of a second rock to swing his other foot forward, continuing his path. As he reached his friend, he stopped next to him in the sandy pool.

They glanced at each other, a silent confirmation they were both okay and looked forward across the river. A hooded figure stood silent and unmoving in the distance ahead. They looked at each other briefly. Sam nodded to David and they continued on.

Pushing up onto the bank, David turned to extend an arm to Sam, assisting by pulling him up to his side. He exhaled and clapped him on the shoulder before they turned advancing towards the hooded figure in front of them. A dark hollow space where a face should be, was all they could see from under the hood. Slowly, one thin, bony white hand lifted slowly from the under the robe, palm faced upward in front of them, as if an invitation for a divine offering.

Sam looked at David for a heartbeat, before slowly reaching into his jacket and extracting two white strips of firm canvas sheets. He handed one to David and watched as he extended the canvas strip to the hooded figure. He placed the strip on it's displayed palm and watched as the canvas slowly turned black, as if ink seeped into the fibers. Once saturated, David looked down at the strip, turning it over.

“24 hours.” He said.

Sam blinked stepping forward. He copied David, placing his canvas card on the figures palm. It too seeped with black until it was filled. Sam stepped back and turn his card over. He stared for a while at the silver ink on the other side.

“What does it say?” David asked.

Sam looked up at his friend, who he’d known forever. “24 years.” he said, swollowing hard. He glanced up as world started to change with blinding specs of light. They both knew it was a risk and had said their goodbyes before they made their difficult journey.

“I’ll see you again, my friend.” David said.

Sam looked forward again and watched as David slowly started to fade into dust, just as he was. He smiled, the only action left he could make, before he too was gone.