As he hiked everything ached, or worse, just plain hurt. He was used to it after all these years, but it didn’t help. He could feel Time surrounding him. At least his pack was light.

He looked down at the small framed picture in his hand. She was lovely, young and vibrant, the backpack looming behind her. Her big, beautiful smile said it all.

They had come back to this wilderness as often as they could, but given the intrusions of life and commitments to family, it was never enough. Each time was a special treat for them, each time separated enough that they got to rediscover the area with each hike into the wilderness. On one unusually hot and dry trip they had gotten lost when they bushwhacked off the trail looking for water

As they pushed through the undergrowth of the dry stream bed, they saw the cave. Rather than looming overhead dark and menacing, it looked shaded and inviting. The rocks crumbled as they scrambled up, but they made it. Entering into the cool darkness was an immediate relief from the heat. They drank a bit more of their water and shared a trail bar. Later they slept in the cool stillness.

It was difficult to find the cave when they returned years later, but they did. It was their special place. Since her illness, they had not been able to get back. He just hoped that now he would be able to climb to the entrance.

As he struggled up the incline, he saw the cat. Wild and free, she looked at him from the rocks above the cave. As he slipped on the rocks, she disappeared into the shadows.

He just managed to crawl up into the coolness, still a welcome surprise after so many visits. He lay on the sandy floor, panting from the struggle up. Everything hurt. Not for much longer.

Forcing himself to sit, he leaned back against the cool rock of the cave. He washed all the pills down with the last of his water. Holding up her picture, he smiled.

“I am coming, dear.” he whispered. His eyes closed for the last time, but he still saw her face.

As night fell, the cougar moved. She had two hungry cubs to feed, and the heat had made food scarce. As she padded down the rocks, she past by the cave entrance near where she had seen the human. She smelled Food. As she pulled the body from the cave to take to her cubs, something hit the rocks and caused her to pause. She sniffed at the small framed picture.

A shorter version of this story first appeared on Indies Unlimited Flash Fiction